ANCIENT EGYPT SERIES

Temple of Alexander the Great

The Egyptian desert holds many secrets, a sentiment often echoed by Zahi Hawass. (For more insights, check out our interview: https://sharonjanethague.com/interview-with-dr-zahi-hawass/)

For me, the thrill of discovering Alexander’s temple at Qasr el-Miqisbah in the middle of nowhere is unparalleled. Inside, the young king, barely out of his teens and significantly shorter than the gods, pays homage to them. There is something profoundly touching about this place. He is not Alexander the Great or the Macedonian king who conquered Egypt without a fight. Here, he appears as just another Egyptian kid king in a kilt on a wall. It’s easy to mistake him for any other Egyptian king.

It’s only when people recognize who is depicted here that they truly take notice. Standing alone in this temple, with my friends quietly conversing outside, I realize that Alexander’s life, much like ours, was multifaceted. He had a personal life that, although recorded on a wall, seems to stem from something intimate, like a young person embarking on a desert adventure with friends.

This reminds me of the archaeologists at Gordia, who claim that while there is no direct evidence of the great king ever visiting, legend has it that he did. Gordia was a remote spot like this, and that’s the beauty of some of Alexander’s adventures. He wasn’t always “on stage” at significant battles or historical moments. Sometimes, he was in these secluded places, with only the occasional sparrow as a witness.

As I leave the temple, I focus on the fact that I’ll never be here again, taking with me the image of a much younger Alexander than I had imagined.

We’re off once more. People are discussing the next destination. That’s the problem with us—we’re always on the move, much like Alexander! But I wonder if there were corners of his heart that were remote and spoke of a deeply personal desire for solitude.