Tomb of Themistokles, Akte Peninsula

3D Model

Since the 4th century BCE, there were rumors that the remains of Themistokles–Athenian statesman and famed victor of the Battle of Salamis–had been brought back from Magnesia, where he had died in exile. One strong candidate is this small square tomb, now located on the base of the Greek Navy on the Akte Peninsula. Access to the site is restricted, and the structure has not been studied in detail since the 1972. The building was first reported by 19th century travelers in Greece, and in 1952 some restorations were conducted, primarily resulting in the erection of the 9m tall column to the south of the building. The column originally stood on a circular base and featured an ionic capital, similar to the victory monument set up to commemorate the Greek victory at the Battle of Marathon. The original architecture of the tomb building itself remains unclear, but an inscription just above the now-submerged fitting for a sarcophagus reads: Themistokles, Son of Neokleos, from Frearrioi.