The Associated Press ran a story about the restored the Palace of Agai being opened to the public. Originally built by Phillip II of Macedon, this was the site of his son Alexander’s coronation. Alexander would go on to establish an empire stretching from Europe through Asia to the western edges of India that was marked by syncretism amongst the local religions of the many nations it encompassed. This eventually gave rise to diverse Mystery Cults, many employing initiation rites that inspired rites employed by modern fraternal organizations. The story begins:
“It was the largest building of classical Greece: the palace where Alexander the Great was proclaimed king before he launched a conquest that took him as far as modern-day Afghanistan.
“The Palace of Aigai in northern Greece was fully reopened Friday following a 16-year renovation that cost more than 20 million euros ($22 million) and included financial support from the European Union.
“It was built more than 2,300 years ago during the reign of Alexander’s father, Phillip II, who had transformed the kingdom of Macedonia into a dominant military power of ancient Greece. Aigai was its royal capital.”
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