Pella is the former capital of the Macedonian Empire founded by Atchelaus (413-399 BC) as a compensation for Aigai (Vergina). It was the seat both of Philip II and Alexander the Great and it became the most significant city of the kingdom, attracting also many famous Greek artists. It was the renowned painter Zeuxis who participated in the decoration of its temples and palaces, and Euripides’ play The Bacchae had its premiere there. On the very peak of the hill, the royal palace used to stand, the birthplace of both Philip and Alexander. In 168 BC, Pella was plundered by the Romans, and the city devastation was completed by an earthquake. Then its significance started to decline and at the beginning of the Christian era, it became a small unimportant village.

Archaeological findings in Pella

Archaeological works in Pella have been under way since 1950s. You can admire there the temples of Aphrodite, Demeter, Cybele, a mosaic floor from Alexander’s era, an an agora. Pella was also known for its mural paintings of which some have been preserved in the interiors of the houses lining the agora.