Ancient Tomb Unearthed in Turkey May Reveal Secrets of a Legendary 2,400-Year-Old Wrestling Champion.
Ever wonder if ancient wrestlers had their own version of bling? Well, archaeologists digging around in the ancient Greek city of Aspendos, Turkey, have just stumbled upon a 2,400-year-old sarcophagus that might just redefine what it means to “rest in power.” Inside this box-style tomb – think of it as the original VIP lounge – they found not only a skeleton but also a handful of coins stamped with images of wrestlers grappling it out. Could this tomb belong to a pro wrestler from the Classical period, or is it just a stylish tribute from a passionate fan? The mystery deepens as these coins, known as staters, were widespread currency, complicating the story. Either way, this discovery, nestled in the newly unearthed Eastern Necropolis, peels back layers of Aspendos’s pre-Roman heyday, giving us a rare peek at a city where athletic spectacles thrilled thousands. So, did this athlete slam his final opponent before this journey to the afterlife? We’re just getting started figuring that one out…
This box-style sarcophagus from the city’s Greek period contained a skeleton as well as several coins featuring depictions of wrestlers.
Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of TurkeyArchaeologists in the ancient Turkish city of Aspendos discovered a 2,400-year-old box-type tomb that might hold the remains of a pro wrestler.
Archaeologists excavating Turkey’s ancient ruins of Aspendos have uncovered a 2,400-year-old grave that may belong to a pro wrestler or other variety of athlete that entertained the masses during the city’s Classical period.
This find is especially historic because it occurred within a previously-unknown burial complex known as the Eastern Necropolis, which was just excavated for the very first time. These recent finds could now shed more light than ever before on what Aspendos was like before its storied Roman period even began.
The Discovery Of A Greek-Era Tomb In Aspendos That Could Belong To A Wrestler
According to a statement from Turkey’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the tomb was a box-style sarcophagus constructed with stone slabs, and likely dates back to between 475 and 300 B.C.E., the city’s Classical period.
Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of TurkeyArchaeologists found coins imprinted with images of wrestlers alongside the skeleton.
In addition to the skeleton, archaeologists discovered “coins with depictions of wrestlers and other artifacts found in the tomb [which] indicate that the person buried here may have been involved in sports, perhaps even a wrestler,” said Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, Turkey’s minister of culture and tourism.
Situated about 10 miles inland from the Mediterranean Sea in southwestern Turkey, Aspendos was founded by Greek colonists in the fifth century B.C.E. and quickly became a prominent trading hub for the ancient world. Merchants came to Aspendos to trade for everything from salt to olive oil to wood to horses.
Aspendos was also known for its massive Greek gymnasium as well as a large stadium that was built in the second century C.E., during the city’s Roman era. That stadium could hold up to 8,000 spectators who would come to enjoy races, javelin contests, and wrestling matches.
AlamySilver coins imprinted with depictions of wrestlers were called staters and were minted directly in Aspendos.
Wrestling was particularly popular in Aspendos, as evidenced by the coins emblazoned with wrestling images that were used here — just like the ones found in the newly-uncovered tomb.
These silver coins, featuring the image of two naked wrestlers on one side, were minted in Aspendos. They were called staters and were used for more than a century, indicating that wrestling held enduring appeal for the people of ancient Aspendos.
Because these wrestling-themed coins reflected the sport’s general significance for the city of Aspendos as a whole, their presence in this newly-found grave may or may not indicate that this specific man was a wrestler himself.
Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of TurkeyThe tomb dates back to the fourth or fifth century B.C.E.
“There will need to be much more analysis before a positive identification of the body as a wrestler can be determined,” Sarah E. Bond, a historian at the University of Iowa who was not involved with this discovery, told Live Science. “Coins alone cannot indicate this was a Classical era Greek wrestler,” Bond said, because “these coins were numerous and used as payment by the entire populace, not by wrestlers alone.”
A stronger piece of evidence for this person being an athlete would be signs of broken or healed bones, for instance. However, no such discoveries have been made as of yet.
What This Tomb Reveals About Life In Ancient Aspendos
Aspendos has long been a treasure trove of ancient ruins, with archaeologists discovering the remains of a massive mosaic floor, marble statues, a basilica, an agora, baths, and an 11.8-mile aqueduct system — one of the most complex Roman hydraulic systems ever uncovered.
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