Archaeologists Make Historic Discovery: Plato’s Tomb Found

Researchers have uncovered precise details about the burial place of the ancient Greek philosopher and pioneer of philosophical thought, Plato, thanks to the carbonized remnants of a parchment scroll found near Pompeii in Herculaneum.

Written by Philodemus of Gadara, a part of the ‘History of the Academy,’ the ancient parchment revealed that Plato was buried in a private garden adjacent to the temple known as the Museion within the grounds of the Academy in Athens. Although the existence of this area was previously known, its exact location had not been determined until now.

Like Pompeii, the city of Herculaneum was also destroyed by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79, preserving numerous valuable papyrus scrolls under layers of ash.

Despite the parchment being largely unreadable due to its charred condition, advanced imaging techniques enabled researchers to decipher approximately 1,000 words, roughly 30% of the text. Project coordinator Graziano Ranocchia noted that the findings contained “new and concrete facts about various academic philosophers,” enhancing our understanding of Hellenistic literature and ancient history.

Kilian Fleischer, responsible for the editing of the papyrus, emphasized that these findings provide important insights into the Academy and ancient philosophical discourse.

A HISTORY OF SLAVERY

Furthermore, the papyrus also presents new claims regarding the place and time when Plato was sold into slavery. According to traditional views, Plato was enslaved in Sicily in 387 BC. However, the document suggests that Plato may have been sold as a slave around 404 BC when Sparta occupied the island of Aegina or after the death of Socrates in 399 BC.

The papyrus also recounts Plato’s dissatisfaction with the musical talents of a Thracian barbarian artist, adding a personal dimension to the philosophy giant known for his Theory of Forms.

WHO WAS PLATO

Plato was one of the ancient Greek philosophers and pioneers of philosophical thought. Born around 428/427 BC, Plato received philosophical education as a student of Socrates and developed his own philosophical views.