Archaeologists excavating the ancient Greek city of Aspendos (Greek: Ἄσπενδος) in modern-day southern Turkey have uncovered a 2,300-year-old tomb that may have belonged to a wrestler. The discovery also revealed a previously unknown burial area dating to the city’s classical Greek Period.
Researchers found the chest-type tomb in the newly identified Eastern Necropolis. It dates from the last quarter of the 5th century BCE through the 4th century BCE.
Coins point to possible wrestler connection
Among the objects recovered from the tomb were coins from Aspendos showing wrestlers. Archaeologists also found other items that point to a possible connection between the deceased and athletics.
The evidence suggests the person buried there may have been a wrestler from Aspendos. Researchers have not confirmed the individual’s identity. However, the finds offer rare evidence of a possible link between a classical Greek-era resident and the city’s athletic culture.
Turkey’s Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy announced the discovery. He said the excavation had produced important evidence about a period of Aspendos’ history that remains poorly understood.
Aspendos Antik Kenti'nde yürüttüğümüz kazılarda, kentin Klasik Dönem tarihine ışık tutan çok önemli bir keşfe ulaştık.
Kent içinde varlığı ilk kez tespit edilen Doğu Nekropolisi'nde, MÖ 5. yüzyılın son çeyreği ile MÖ 4. yüzyıl arasına tarihlenen bir sandık tipi mezarı gün yüzüne… pic.twitter.com/FKKcmwOZYm
— Mehmet Nuri Ersoy (@MehmetNuriErsoy) August 10, 2026
Ersoy said the wrestler images on the coins, together with other finds, indicate that the deceased had ties to sports. He said the individual may even have been an Aspendos wrestler.
Eastern Necropolis identified for the first time
The discovery of the Eastern Necropolis is also significant. Archaeologists had not previously identified the burial area in this part of the ancient city. Its discovery expands the known archaeological landscape of Aspendos and gives researchers a new area to investigate.
Turkey’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism said the finds could provide important information about daily life, burial customs and the social structure of Aspendos during the Classical Period.
Archaeological evidence from this stage of the city’s history has remained limited. The tomb and its contents could therefore help researchers address gaps in the archaeological record and better understand the people who lived there more than two millennia ago.
Discovery reveals an earlier chapter of Aspendos
Aspendos lies near the modern town of Serik in Turkey’s Antalya province. It was an important city of ancient Pamphylia (Greek: Παμφυλία) and is particularly known for its remarkably well-preserved Roman theater, which remains in use for performances.
The archaeological site also preserves the remains of an aqueduct, basilica, agora and stadium. These structures reflect the city’s long history through the Classical Greek, Hellenistic Greek, Roman and Byzantine periods.
While Aspendos is widely recognized for its Roman monuments, the newly discovered necropolis offers a window into an earlier period of the city’s development.
Excavations are expected to continue in the Eastern Necropolis. Further work could uncover additional tombs and artifacts that help explain local burial practices. New evidence could also provide more clues about the identity of the person buried in the recently discovered tomb and the role athletics played in Classical-era Aspendos.
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