Alexander Sarcophagus

[@andyigwe7119]

This is amazing. The craft manship is just beyond imaginable. I have slowly come to the conclusion that the ancients were just as intelligent if not more intelligent than us. They obviously understood anatomy, perspective etc. I don't even think we have the talent left to create such a masterpiece now. We just have the benefit of time and accumulated knowledge on our side now

[@kondor99999]

Of course they were as smart as us. We stand on the shoulders of giants. And they didn’t have smartphones and constant advertisements to deal with!

[@peroz1000]

What a fantastic work! It's a miracle that it has survived in such an excellent state.

[@diya5504]

right

[@nathanielscreativecollecti6392]

I was about to say that...

[@bethbartlett5692]

Why would Alexander be in Istanbul? There's another researcher that is intent he found Alexander in Jordan - much more reasonable and Alexander has on his breastplate. Loaded with gold - a large masoluem with other individuals interred there. Way more reasonable. Tolumi removed Alexander from his sarcophagus - based on recorded history.

[@eleniasimop]

It's called "Alexander's sarcofagus" because of the scalpture. No one said it was made for his body.

[@f1guremeout]

Over 2000 years! Incredible detail, I can imagine the bronze fittings there yet my mind wanders to when someone somehow removed them 😭

[@KB4QAA]

What a stunning piece. I can't understand why I've never seen it before.

[@Loralanthalas]

Some of the things archeology shows skips over is surprising to me. I saw a piece of silver supposedly hammered by Luke inside the Parthenon today. Like - I had no idea we had anything from guys who supposedly hung it with Jesus. (Other then their writtining in New testament, of course). --- still, woulda thought anything Mark Luke Peter John or the rest did would be kinda a big deal. - even on the audio tour it was just a "yep here's this supposedly done my so-and-so" and moved on like no bigge.. I had to rewind 3 times to be sure.

[@temptemp563]

Thanks Smart History. Your videos are absolutely thrilling!

[@mohamedhommos7748]

WOW! Alexander Sarcophagus , What a Great Story of War Battles Macedon-Greek soldiers Versus Persian War Empire Enemy , brutal killing stab wound if They live or to die survive , This is for my memory of Alexander The Great king from Egypt Pharaoh. Alexander The great found in the Tomb of Alexandria from Egypt.

[@andyroo9381]

I never, ever knew this sarcophagus existed, until now!!! This is a beautiful work of art! I cannot believe this. I am left salivating.

[@meaninthemirror]

When I first saw this in museum, I stumbled by its artistic quality.

[@thefilmandmusic]

If this is Abdalonymus tomb, he knew Alexander the Great.....in fact made king by Alexander...... how amazing is that ....

[@krzysztofzobek8996]

I admired this sarcophagus in july 2007. It' s like something out of this World.

[@globaloffensive-nh3cl]

Amazing. Absolutely amazing.

[@dorfmanjones]

What degree of restoration is present in this work? Is there a significant presence of 19th century European sculptor participation? Has coloring been added? It is sensational. Rivals Michelangelo easily. The animals, their anatomy and expression are just astonishing.

[@laurachapple6795]

I've been here! Photographs truly do not do this object justice. It is so big and so gorgeous, and there are ghosts of the paint everywhere.

[@vinceallenmeneses5883]

Sculptor Skill level 1,000,000

[@MorComm]

Wonder if a reconstruction of the Alexander Sarcophagus exists anywhere with all the painted colors and metal weapons and harnesses? Would be interesting to see the Sarcophagus as first intended and executed.

[@jamiezandt7655]

I think this one of the many things Alexander had commisioned for Hephestion after he died, that fell through because of Alexanders' own death.

[@gregorioeduardo]

I vividly remember seeing this in Istanbul. Seeing it in person is an amazing experience and photographs cannot convey the beauty.

[@Angel-eo5ql]

The Macedonians were Greeks (one of the Greek tribes), as Herodotus, the father of history, says.

[@wankawanka3053]

@@MadKingOfMadaya persian culture despite the fact that after persia was finally off the balkans alexander the first took part in the olympic games ,still used phalanxs and despised persians yeah right 😆

[@sasshole8121]

The artistic aptitude rivals that of Michaelangelo.

[@TartarusPyro]

the amount of diaspora of hellenic anicent art spread all over the world is crazy i mean wtf hellas everywhere

[@KidIndia]

Absolutely stunning and beautiful

[@donutartz1152]

Currently writing a paper on this sarcophagus and this video really helped!! Thank you for making it :D

[@clumsydad7158]

fascinating and intense descriptions; history revealing itself via art, and the clues to the history of the artwork itself. excellent execution and emotional impact as always, thank you ! ... it's both amazing and terrifying to know we as humans have thousands of years of technical and civilized abilities, yet still find ourselves ever ready to be at each other's throats.

[@shastasilverchairsg]

0:34 The calvaryman on the right just makes me want to load up Rome Total War: Alexander.

[@kopynd1]

been to the bardo museum elgem tunis, plus alexandria new library, thats amazing sagcophagus also macadonia

[@alaahamza62]

I hope that someday the Alexander Sarcophagus will be returned to its rightful place in my country Lebanon .

[@massimosquecco203]

Extraordinary artist and workmanship: I've seen it in Istanbul and I couldn't believe my eyes due to the details and their actual conservation. Is there any hypothesis about the potential source and the atelier provenance?

[@Evagelopoulos862]

Made from pentelic marble , the marble of Athens Parthenon, it's quite sure an Athenian work.

[@fuxxx21]

A Persian satrap depicting himself as a member of the companion carvery in the centre - even though he fought for the Persians against Alexander? This is more likely the sarcophagus of Hephaestion imo - that was reused for someone else. The bones found within need DNA testing.

[@jakealden2517]

Why would some individuals in the scene be naked, while others were not? Was it normal for people to be naked in public?

[@smarthistory-art-history]

Great question, but one that raises a complex set of issues. In Ancient Greece, athletes were often naked, even when competing in games. In fact, our modern word gym, short for gymnasium, comes from the ancient Greek word, gymnos, which means nude. The Greeks honored their heroes and even their gods by representing them nude (often though not always) and in order to express their ideal perfection. So while it is unlikely soldiers went into battle without clothing, in art at least, this conveyed nobility.

[@jakealden2517]

@@smarthistory-art-history Thank you. I appreciate your reply and it's very interesting.

[@RobSinclaire]

You know, if you two would cover a Hockey Game in Canada you could take over the whole country!

[@christineisrael9663]

The central figure was more likely Hephaestion, who appointed Abdalonymus as the King. He would not have been at the battle. He was a peasant before being recruited by Hephaestion to be king.

[@Cleisthenes607]

It is perfect.

[@johna.4334]

When was this sarcophagus dug up?

[@smarthistory-art-history]

Osman Hamdi Bey oversaw the dig that uncovered it in 1887

[@johna.4334]

@@smarthistory-art-history Good to know. Question: Were the brass ornaments present or were they gone by the time the sarcophagus was lifted out of the ground?

[@ugurugurel1769]

few remainants are still in the museum but majority is lost @@johna.4334

[@KoaTheJoker]

In this battle Alexandre was nearly killed, his friend which he later killed safed him by knocking off the attacker's arm with which he holds his sword. You can see this from 2:25

[@jonswanson7766]

Are you perhaps thinking of Cleitus the Black at Granicus?

[@nextchaptermexico3283]

So if it was found in a royal necropolis, it begs the question, who would have access to admire such an elaborate piece? Was it only meant for a select few? Or did larger members of the public somehow have access?

[@massimosquecco203]

Very informative, as you always are your descriptions, and I thank you for your good work. But this one needs a further explanation about the colors that cover such glorious marble: Purple? Please, Explain that to me! What I know is that purple, in antiquity, was used only by the Chinese artists of Qin Shi Huang, who were somehow capable to handle aluminum byproducts. What I knew is also that the Mediterranean artistic capacity was limited to the use of actual "purple", I mean the use of the mollusks. Is there something different, recently discovered, from the assumed invention of purple paint in the XIX, that I m not aware of?

[@smarthistory-art-history]

You might find this interesting: tekhelet.com/pdf/steiglitz-minoan.pdf

[@temptemp563]

Smarthistory Very interesting indeed. Thanks for this insight into how archaeology and ancient texts combine to produce history!

[@antonyjones4259]

i think you can get purple from certain types of seaweed. I saw a program on making kilts and how they dye the wool. So seaweed or maybe purple petals from plants or a natural rock formation (then crushed to powder). The colour they struggled with was blue...obviously.

[@andyigwe7119]

How did this masterpiece end up in Constantinople, does anyone know?

[@ugurugurel1769]

Ottoman Turkish archeologist Osman Hamdi has excavated (that regions was Ottoman lands for several centuies) then carried to the capital to be presented in the archeological muesum in Istanbul.

[@robertwolff3221]

Has it been opened?

[@smarthistory-art-history]

Yes.

[@I_hunt_lolis]

Why are weapons removed?

[@laeniemeparaimee797]

because the metal is valuable and people can make money with it so it was stolen

[@AndromedaPrima]

Caligua of Roman Empire took it at around 50 AD

Because a good thief was very careful,.....

[@Sasha0927]

😂 I wanted to hear Dr. Zucker pronounce the King's name. If I hadn't heard that many ancient sculptures were brightly colored, I would've been very confused / surprised by the pigment on this sarcophagus. The scenes here are amazing - I love the brave, to-the-death-of-me nude figure, but the archer's my favorite.

[@smarthistory-art-history]

The archer is just fantastic.

[@Sasha0927]

@@smarthistory-art-history He's the best. That pose is undeniable - you can tell he's agile and very skilled. I didn't expect the inspiration. :)

[@MapleHurstAndCo]

When they discovered them , the bodies had to have been inside. Where are they now and how come they never mention that and why is it not of import that they are removing graves and beings ?

[@smarthistory-art-history]

This is very old and just because it was discovered in the modern era doesn't mean it was unknown in the ancient era. When Osman Hamdi Bey oversaw the dig that uncovered the necropolis in 1887, there was evidence of earlier grave robbing. In any case, human remains are generally the prevue of anthropologists and/or archaeologists rather than art historians.

[@Nikos10]

Alexander’s tomb has not been found

[@ronwalker4849]

THERE ARE TWO IMAGAES OF ALEANDER BUT, ONE HAS THE LIONS HEAD AS A HAT AND THE OTHER HAS NO HAT. THIS TELLS ME THAT THE ONE WITHOUT THE HAT IS NOT ALEXANDER AS IMAGES WERE SO CONSISTANTLY CODIFIED.

[@carausiuscaesar5672]

Fighting hunting naked?no comments about that!?

[@bethbartlett5692]

Sculpture is gorgeous - But - Why would Alexander or his sarcophagus be in Istanbul? There's another researcher that is intent he found Alexander in Jordan - much more reasonable and Alexander has on his breastplate. Loaded with gold - a large masoluem with other individuals interred there. Way more reasonable. Tolumi removed Alexander from his sarcophagus - based on recorded history.

[@smarthistory-art-history]

Please watch the video. We never suggest this was the tomb of Alexander though from the title I can see how that might be inferred.

[@eleniasimop]

It's called "Alexander's sarcophagus" because of the sculpture. No one believes that it was made for his body!

[@shortclips4267]

Its the sarcophagus of Abdulominus I the King of Sidon (which is now in Lebanon)

[@stephenhall3515]

Really irritating presentation style.

[@deniztark6242]

Hard disagree here.