Pella

Pella (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. 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 was the birthplace of Philip II in 382 BC, and of Alexander the Great, his son, in 356 BC. 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.