Alexander's Great Treasure: Wonder and Mistrust in Neoliberal Greece

Abstract

This paper explores how the past is used to interrogate the present under conditions of social and economic crisis. It focuses on the ways national history and personal historicity blended in the media frenzy and public reactions generated in the summer of 2014 by archaeological discoveries in a burial mound in Northern Greece that captured the attention of the nation for many months. During a time of intense debate over the privatization of national resources, growing demands for Nazi war-crime reparations, and increasing pauperization, popular speculation over the mound as a hiding place for priceless treasures was very often informed by mistrust towards the state, its representatives, and its experts. I look into history and culture to investigate how the past in conditions of crisis and uncertainty can weigh heavy in peoples’ identity claims, social demands, and moral economies.

Keywords:

• History
• Ancient Ancestors
• Inalienable Possessions
• Treasures
• Greek Crisis
• Wonder
• Mistrust

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes

[1] http://www.google.com/trends/topcharts#vm=trendingchart&cid=bb3a05bb-0de1-4de8-9f67-e0ea0a5030b5&geo=GR&date=2014&cat=.

[2] I refer to the Amphipolis burial mound by its popular name, throughout this paper, rather than using its official name, Kasta Tumulus, which has limited recognition among non-experts and aficionados of history.

[3] http://www.kathimerini.gr/33322/article/politismos/arxeio-politismoy/to-liontari-ths-amfipolhs-agnanteyei-thn-arxikh-toy-8esh.

[4] http://www.parapolitika.gr/parapolitikablog/πολιτισμος/γιατι-ο-λεων-της-αμϕιπολης-εχει-απο-την-κατασκευη-του-κομμενη-γλωσσα.

[5] http://www.iefimerida.gr/news/171767/από-πήρε-το-όνομά-του-ο-τύμβος-«καστά»-ο-δεύτερος-λόϕος-στην-περιοχή-με-το-ίδιο-όνομα-ει.

[6] http://www.enikos.gr/society/273495,H_Amfipolh_erixe_thn_istoselida_toy_YP.html.

[7] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=efmPz9iBF1Y.

[8] http://www.sport24.gr/Columns/kaisaris/to-kalt-sthn-eksoysia.3035785.html.

[9] http://www.newsbomb.gr/politikh/news/story/497589/tzimeros-gia-amfipoli-hontrokommena-agalmata-oi-karyatides.

[10] The claim that Alexander the Great was not heterosexual is especially heinous for right wing, nationalistic and homophobic discourses.

[11] http://www.onalert.gr/stories/oi-germanoi-vgazoun-sti-dimoprasia-nomismata-pou-xafrisan-apo-tin-amfipoli.

[12] https://denplirono.wordpress.com.

[13] http://www.capital.gr/News.asp?id=1747300.

[14] http://www.newsbeast.gr/greece/arthro/708359/esties-paravatikotitas-ta-adallaktiria-hrusou/.

[15] http://www.enet.gr/?i=news.el.article&id=442738.

[16] http://www.iefimerida.gr/news/188032/episimo-proeklogiko-fylladio-toy-kosta-tasoyla-o-ypoyrgos-ntymenos-intiana-tzooyns-mesa.

[17] http://www.topontiki.gr/article/80668/ta-mystika-tis-amfipolis.

[18] http://www.google.com/trends/explore#q=ενϕια.