Produced for the Smithsonian Channel series in 2011, Mystery Files: Alexander the Great provides an informative 25-minute search for the lost tomb of the ancient world conquerer and pillager, Alexander the Great of Macedonia. Upon his death in 323 B.C., Alexander morphed from man to divine being, and his body and tomb became a symbol of power and prestige for his namesake city of Alexandria. However, with subsequent conquests and the rise of Christianity, Alexander the Great's tomb was lost to history… with the last textual reference to the shrine being made in 391 A.D. This short TV documentary looks at the possibilities of the current whereabouts of the tomb. Insights are offered by archaeological scholars of the subject, including Dr. Michael Scott and Dr. Nick Saunders. However, the most compelling and controversial theory is presented by author Andrew Chugg, who suggests that Alexander's body and tomb were simply renamed as being that of Saint Mark, to appease Constantine's Christian followers, and currently resides in Venice, Italy. His evidence is based on the fact that the last record of Alexander's tomb was made in 391 A.D. and in the next year, with the rise of Christianity, a tomb in the same location was designated as belonging to Saint Mark. After Alexandria was conquered by the Muslims, soldiers of Venice snuck "Saint Mark's" body away to Italy, where it still resides. The location of Alexander the Great's tomb is a mystery for the ages, one that may never be solved, but provides an intrigue that is worthy of the prolonged search.
