Mieza (), "shrine of the Nymphs", was a town in

ancient Macedonia Macedonia ( ; , ), also called Macedon ( ), was an ancient kingdom on the periphery of Archaic and Classical Greece, which later became the dominant state of Hellenistic Greece. The kingdom was founded and initially ruled by the royal ...

, where

Aristotle Aristotle (; 384–322 BC) was an Ancient Greek philosophy, Ancient Greek philosopher and polymath. His writings cover a broad range of subjects spanning the natural sciences, philosophy, linguistics, economics, politics, psychology, a ...

was said to have taught the boy

Alexander the Great Alexander III of Macedon (; 20/21 July 356 BC – 10/11 June 323 BC), most commonly known as Alexander the Great, was a king of the Ancient Greece, ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia (ancient kingdom), Macedon. He succeeded his father Philip ...

between 343 and 340 BCE.pothos.org
Aristotle (384-322 BC)
. However the definitive biography of Aristotle regards the Mieza location as "not credible" (p.43 in )

Ptolemy Claudius Ptolemy (; , ; ; – 160s/170s AD) was a Greco-Roman mathematician, astronomer, astrologer, geographer, and music theorist who wrote about a dozen scientific treatises, three of which were important to later Byzantine science, Byzant ...

classifies Mieza among the cities of

Emathia Emathia may refer to: * Emathia (Macedonia), an ancient region in northern Greece * Imathia, modern Greek administrative unit * Emathia (Thrace), a town of ancient Thrace * Emathia (Albania), a region near river Mati * Emathia (cicada) ''Ema ...

Stephanus of Byzantium Stephanus or Stephen of Byzantium (; , ''Stéphanos Byzántios''; centuryAD) was a Byzantine grammarian and the author of an important geographical dictionary entitled ''Ethnica'' (). Only meagre fragments of the dictionary survive, but the epit ...

, on the other hand, deriving his information apparently from Theagenes, alludes to it as "''τόπος Στρυμόνος''", and adds that it was sometimes called Strymonium. The site where Mieza once stood is the modern Lefkadia, near the modern town Náousa,

Imathia Imathia ( ) is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the modern regions of Greece, region of Central Macedonia, within the geographic regions of Greece, geographic region of Macedonia (Greece), Macedonia. The capital of Imathia is the ...

Central Macedonia Central Macedonia ( ; , ) is one of the thirteen Regions of Greece, administrative regions of Greece, consisting the central part of the Geographic regions of Greece, geographical and historical region of Macedonia (Greece), Macedonia. With a ...

Greece Greece, officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. Located on the southern tip of the Balkan peninsula, it shares land borders with Albania to the northwest, North Macedonia and Bulgaria to the north, and Turkey to th ...

, and has been the subject of archeological excavations since 1954.Orkin, Lisa (18 July 1999)
"Greece – Ruins Renewed: Seeking New Life For Past Glories"
''

The Seattle Times ''The Seattle Times'' is an American daily newspaper based in Seattle, Washington. Founded in 1891, ''The Seattle Times'' has the largest circulation of any newspaper in the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest region. The Seattle Time ...

'' (via

Associated Press The Associated Press (AP) is an American not-for-profit organization, not-for-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association, and produces news reports that are dist ...

). Mieza was named for Mieza, in ancient

Macedonian Macedonian most often refers to someone or something from or related to Macedonia. Macedonian(s) may refer to: People Modern * Macedonians (ethnic group), a nation and a South Slavic ethnic group primarily associated with North Macedonia * Mac ...

mythology, the daughter of Beres and sister of

Olganos In Greek mythology, Olganos (Ancient Greek: ) was a river and river-god, son of Beres in ancient Macedonia. Family Olganos was the first son of Beres and the brother of Mieza and Beroia after whom the Macedonian cities of Mieza (now Naousa ...

and

Beroia Veria (; ), officially transliterated Veroia, historically also spelled Beroea or Berea, is a city in Central Macedonia, in the geographic regions of Greece, geographic region of Macedonia (Greece), Macedonia, northern Greece, capital of the re ...

. It was the home of Alexander's companion

Peucestas Peucestas (, ''Peukéstas''; lived 4th century BC) was a native of the town of Mieza, in Macedonia, and a distinguished officer in the service of Alexander the Great. His name is first mentioned as one of those appointed to command a trireme on ...

. Aristotle was hired by Alexander's father,

Philip II of Macedon Philip II of Macedon (; 382 BC – October 336 BC) was the king (''basileus'') of the ancient kingdom of Macedonia (ancient kingdom), Macedonia from 359 BC until his death in 336 BC. He was a member of the Argead dynasty, founders of the ...

, to teach his son, and was given the Temple of the Nymphs as a classroom. In return, Philip re-built and freed the citizens of

Stagira Stagira may refer to: * Stagira (ancient city) Stagira (), Stagirus (), or Stageira ( or ) was an ancient Greek city located near the eastern coast of the peninsula of Chalkidice, which is now part of the Greek province of Central Macedonia. ...

, Aristotle's hometown, which he had razed in a previous conquest across Greece and Macedon.DeGategno, Paul J. and Stubblefield, R. Jay (2006)
''Critical Companion to Jonathan Swift''
p. 32. Infobase Publishing. Students educated at Mieza include

Hephaestion Hephaestion ( ''Hēphaistíōn''; c. 356 BC – 324 BC), son of Amyntor, was an ancient Macedonian nobleman of probable "Attic or Ionian extraction" and a general in the army of Alexander the Great. He was "by far the dearest ...

Ptolemy I Soter Ptolemy I Soter (; , ''Ptolemaîos Sōtḗr'', "Ptolemy the Savior"; 367 BC – January 282 BC) was a Macedonian Greek general, historian, and successor of Alexander the Great who went on to found the Ptolemaic Kingdom centered on Egypt. Pto ...

Cassander Cassander (; ; 355 BC – 297 BC) was king of the Ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia from 305 BC until 297 BC, and '' de facto'' ruler of southern Greece from 317 BC until his death. A son of Antipater and a contemporary of Alexander the ...

, and

Cleitus the Black Cleitus the Black (; c. 375 BC – 328 BC) was an officer of the Macedonian army led by Alexander the Great. He saved Alexander's life at the Battle of the Granicus in 334 BC and was killed by him in a drunken quarrel six years later. Cleitus was ...

Archaeological sites

* The School of

in the

Nymphaeum A ''nymphaeum'' (Latin : ''nymphaea'') or ''nymphaion'' (), in ancient Greece and Rome, was a monument consecrated to the nymphs, especially those of springs. These monuments were originally natural grottoes, which tradition assigned as habit ...

of Mieza (It is located in the "Isvoria" location of Naoussa). It is a landscape rich in water and vegetation where the Nymphaeum, the Sanctuary of the

nymph A nymph (; ; sometimes spelled nymphe) is a minor female nature deity in ancient Greek folklore. Distinct from other Greek goddesses, nymphs are generally regarded as personifications of nature; they are typically tied to a specific place, land ...

s, is located. The first signs of use of the area go back to the

Iron Age The Iron Age () is the final epoch of the three historical Metal Ages, after the Chalcolithic and Bronze Age. It has also been considered as the final age of the three-age division starting with prehistory (before recorded history) and progre ...

, but after the middle of the 4th century BC the site was transformed into a school and here the philosopher Aristotle taught the young

Alexander Alexander () is a male name of Greek origin. The most prominent bearer of the name is Alexander the Great, the king of the Ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia who created one of the largest empires in ancient history. Variants listed here ar ...

philosophy Philosophy ('love of wisdom' in Ancient Greek) is a systematic study of general and fundamental questions concerning topics like existence, reason, knowledge, Value (ethics and social sciences), value, mind, and language. It is a rational an ...

ethics Ethics is the philosophy, philosophical study of Morality, moral phenomena. Also called moral philosophy, it investigates Normativity, normative questions about what people ought to do or which behavior is morally right. Its main branches inclu ...

, arts and mathematics. Between two natural caves the rock was carved vertically, an ionic colonnade was added and a C-shaped covered gallery was created. In the Archaeological Museum of

Veria Veria (; ), officially transliterated Veroia, historically also spelled Beroea or Berea, is a city in Central Macedonia, in the geographic region of Macedonia, northern Greece, capital of the regional unit of Imathia. It is located north-nor ...

there are tiles and clay tiles from the roof of the gallery. * The ancient theater of Mieza of

Hellenistic period In classical antiquity, the Hellenistic period covers the time in Greek history after Classical Greece, between the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BC and the death of Cleopatra VII in 30 BC, which was followed by the ascendancy of the R ...

(2nd century BC). It was discovered by chance in 1992. It had a capacity of around 1,500-2,000 spectators. Excavations continue near the theater where the market of Mieza is located). * The great Macedonian tomb "of Judgment" (Early 3rd century BC. Monumental two-chambered Macedonian tomb with a two-story facade and four paintings with scenes of the Judgment of the dead in Hades. Probably tomb of

, general of Alexander the Great, from Mieza). * The Macedonian tomb of Lyson and Callicles (Around 200 BC. A small two-chambered Macedonian tomb with a simple facade and colorful paintings. It contains the bones and ashes of four generations of a high-ranking military family and was named after two of the dead) . * The Macedonian tomb of the Anthemians (3rd century BC. Two-chamber vaulted Macedonian tomb). * The Macedonian Tomb of Kinch (Around 310-290 BC. A small two-chambered Macedonian tomb with a simple facade. The painted decoration of the interior is no longer preserved. It was named after the Danish archaeologist Kinch who excavated it at the end of the 19th century).

Gallery

File:The statue of Aristotle near the entrance, The School of Aristotle (The Lyceum) (7263455202).jpg, Modern statue of Aristotle near the School File:Kinchs Tomb (Macedonian tomb), Lefkadia, Ancient Mieza (7272131400).jpg, Kinch's Tomb File:The facade of the the Tomb of the Palmettes, first half of the 3rd century BC, Ancient Mieza (7263674714).jpg, Facade of the " Tomb of the Palmettes" (3rd BC) File:20160518 027 mieza.jpg, Facade of the " Tomb of Judgment" (4th/3rd C BC) File:Tomb of the Judgement Hermes Psyhopompos.jpg, Fresco from the Tomb of Judgment showing religious imagery of the afterlife (Hermes Psychopompos) File:Ancient Mieza, Macedonian tombs of Lefkadia, The Tomb of Jugdement 926eb424be6db3e06917e5c03ffdfaaa.jpg, Another fresco from the Tomb of Judgment showing imagery of the afterlife File:Ancient Mieza, Macedonian tombs of Lefkadia, Tomb of Lyson and Kallikles a72b9b998c2e98a1390dbae9e032ea1c.jpg, Painting from the Tomb of Lyson and Kallikles (3rd C BC)

References

Source

External links

Images of the ruins of Mieza and brief description of the site
(School of Aristotle and Cultural Center, Naousa) Bottiaea Populated places in ancient Macedonia Former populated places in Greece Places in Greek mythology Ancient Greek archaeological sites in Greece {{AncientMacedonia-geo-stub