VERGINA... The tomb of Philip II, father of Alexander the Great.
Vergina ( Greek : Βεργίνα [verˈʝina] ) is a small town in northern Greece , located in the regional unit of Imathia , Central Macedonia . Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Veroia , of which it is a municipal unit. [2] The town became internationally famous in 1977, when the Greek archaeologist Manolis Andronikos unearthed the burial site of the kings of Macedon, including the tomb of Philip II , father of Alexander the Great . The finds established the site as the ancient Aigai ( Greek : Αἰγαί ). The modern town of Vergina is about 13 km (8 mi) southeast of the district centre of Veroia and about 80 km (50 mi) southwest of Thessaloniki , the capital of Greek Macedonia . The town has a population of about two thousand people and stands on the foothills of Mount Pieria, at an elevation of 120 m (394 ft) above sea level. History During the 8th and 7th century BC the area was ruled by Illyrian tribes, which established a strategic ba