Pella

This article is about the capital of Macedon. For other uses, see Pella (disambiguation).

Pella
Πέλλα (Ancient Greek)
Lion hunt mosaic
Pella Location within Greece Pella Location within Europe Pella Pella (Europe)
40.754669°N 22.521050°E / 40.754669; 22.521050
Cultures	Ancient Greece
Location	Pella, Central Macedonia, Greece
Part of	Kingdom of Macedon
Site notes
Architectural style	Ancient Greek
Website

Pella (Ancient Greek: Πέλλα) was the capital of the ancient Greek kingdom of Macedon from the 4th century BC up until the Roman conquest in 168 BC. Pella was the birthplace of Philip II in 382 BC, and his son Alexander the Great in 356 BC. It is located 1 km outside the modern town of Pella in Central Macedonia, Greece.

Pella was probably founded at the beginning of the 4th century BC by Archelaus I as the new capital of Macedon, supplanting Aigai, which still remained the burial place for the kings and the royal family. Pella quickly became the largest and richest city in Macedonia and flourished particularly under the rule of Cassander and Antigonus II.

In 168 BC the city was sacked by the Romans during the Third Macedonian War and entered a long period of decline, its importance eclipsed by that of the nearby Thessalonica, which became the capital of the Roman province of Macedonia.