Amphipolis: The Lion Monument and the Kasta Tomb
Macedonian splendour on the Via Egnatia, where Paul passed on the way to Thessalonica
Found 1912 — Lion fragments found by Greek soldiers in 1912–1913 and British troops in 1916; reassembled 1937 (Oscar Broneer, Jacques Roger); Kasta tomb excavated 2012–2014 by Katerina Peristeri (Ephorate of Antiquities of Serres) with architect Michalis Lefantzis; city excavated by Dimitrios Lazaridis (1956–1984)
Where Amphipolis, Serres, Central Macedonia (Greece)
Dates from Kasta tomb and lion c. 325–300 BCE; Roman city 1st century CE · Late Classical–Hellenistic (city Roman in Paul's day) · Paul's second journey (Acts 17:1)
Now at In situ (lion re-erected on the Strymon road; tomb closed to visitors, opening planned); finds in the Archaeological Museum of Amphipolis
How Amphipolis: The Lion Monument and the Kasta Tomb was found
Blocks of a colossal marble lion were pulled from the Strymon river-bed, where Romans had reused them to shore the banks; in 2014 Peristeri's team broke through the sealed entrance of the largest tumulus in Greece (158 m across) and found sphinxes, caryatids, a pebble mosaic of the abduction of Persephone, and bones of five people.
What it is
A 5.3 m marble lion on a restored pedestal, and beneath the Kasta mound a three-chambered tomb faced with Thasian marble: two sphinxes over the door, two caryatids guarding the second chamber, a fine pebble mosaic of Hades carrying off Persephone, and a burial chamber with a looted marble-lined pit. The city itself has Hellenistic walls, a gymnasium and early Christian basilicas.
Why it matters for the Bible
Acts 17:1 says Paul and Silas 'passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia' on the Via Egnatia from Philippi to Thessalonica. The lion stood beside that road, so Paul walked past it. The Kasta tomb — built for a companion or relative of Alexander the Great, perhaps Hephaestion — is one of the century's great finds and shows the Macedonian royal past that still shaped the province Paul evangelised.
The Hebrew word: ar-YEH
אַרְיֵה
אַרְיֵה is pronounced ar-YEH and means lion — the monument beside the road Paul travelled (Strong's H738).
People this discovery connects to
- Paul — שָׁאוּל (shah-OOL) — 'asked for'; Latin Paulus
- Silas — סִילָא (see-LAH) — Aramaic form of Saul
Places
- Amphipolis — אַמְפִיפּוֹלִיס (am-FEE-po-lees) — Greek Amphipolis, 'city on both sides' of the river
Events
Paul and Silas travel the Via Egnatia to Thessalonica · Macedonian rule after Alexander
Amphipolis: The Lion Monument and the Kasta Tomb in Scripture
Acts 17:1 Paul passes through Amphipolis on the Via Egnatia, where the lion stood.
Questions people ask
What is Amphipolis: The Lion Monument and the Kasta Tomb?
A 5.3 m marble lion on a restored pedestal, and beneath the Kasta mound a three-chambered tomb faced with Thasian marble: two sphinxes over the door, two caryatids guarding the second chamber, a fine pebble mosaic of Hades carrying off Persephone, and a burial chamber with a looted marble-lined pit. The city itself has Hellenistic walls, a gymnasium and early Christian basilicas.
When was Amphipolis: The Lion Monument and the Kasta Tomb discovered?
It was found in 1912 by Lion fragments found by Greek soldiers in 1912–1913 and British troops in 1916; reassembled 1937 (Oscar Broneer, Jacques Roger); Kasta tomb excavated 2012–2014 by Katerina Peristeri (Ephorate of Antiquities of Serres) with architect Michalis Lefantzis; city excavated by Dimitrios Lazaridis (1956–1984), at Amphipolis, Serres, Central Macedonia.
Where is Amphipolis: The Lion Monument and the Kasta Tomb today?
In situ (lion re-erected on the Strymon road; tomb closed to visitors, opening planned); finds in the Archaeological Museum of Amphipolis.
Which Bible verses does Amphipolis: The Lion Monument and the Kasta Tomb relate to?
Acts 17:1.
Related discoveries
- מוֹשָׁבָהPhilippi: Forum, Bema, and the Prison TraditionThe Roman colony where Paul was beaten before the magistrates and freed by an earthquake
- דֶּרֶךְVia Egnatia and the Port of NeapolisThe Roman highway and harbour that carried the Good News into Europe
- דָּרַשׁBerea (Veria): The 'Bema of Paul' and the Ancient CityThe city of the noble Bereans who searched the Scriptures daily
- תַּרְשִׁישׁTarsus: The Roman Road and Cleopatra's GatePaved street and city gate of Paul's 'no mean city'
- בֵּימָהGallio Inscription (Delphi)Letter of Emperor Claudius naming Gallio proconsul of Achaia — the anchor date for Paul's ministry
- מָקוֹם תְּפִלָּהLydia's Baptism Site on the Gangites (Zygaktis) RiverThe riverside 'place of prayer' outside Philippi where Europe's first recorded believer was immersed
Sources
- The Kasta Tumulus at Amphipolis (Peter Sommer Travels)
- The Lion of Amphipolis (Archaeology & Arts)
- Greece to restore the Lion of Amphipolis (GreekReporter, 2025)
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