Enter Alexander: New exhibition about the battle of Chaeronea opens in Athens

A new exhibition titled “Chaeronea, 2 August 338 BC: A day that changed the world” has opened at the Museum of Cycladic Art (MCA) in Athens.

According to amna.gr, the exhibition, which was presented at a press conference by the museum’s antiquity curators Panagiotis Iossif and Ioannis Fappas, features 240 ancient items from 27 museums in Greece and abroad, as well as 4 private collections.

It focuses on the significance of the battle of Chaeronea during the shift from the Classical to the Hellenistic period. This battle marked the emergence of the Macedonian army, led by Philip II, against the allied Greek cities, including the Sacred Band of Thebes and the army of Athens. The conflict introduced eighteen-year-old Alexander to history, who later became known for conquering the world with campaigns in Asia.

The MCA emphasized that the Hellenistic period played a crucial role in shaping Greek civilization, influencing the Western world’s foundations. The exhibition showcases items from excavations of the Polyandrion of the Thebans and the Tumulus of the Macedonians, both burial sites. Some objects are displayed to the public for the first time.

One of the exhibitions that stand out is that of a warrior from Igoumenitsa, displaying unique battle gear, a historical Macedonian shield with King Alexander’s name, golden staters (coins) issued by Philip, Alexander, and successors, as well as the bones of Sacred Band of Thebes soldiers.

The display also includes Andy Warhol’s ‘Alexander the Great’ portrait (1981) from the MOMus-Museum of Contemporary Art, commissioned by Greek collector Alexandros Iolas.

Source: amna.gr