The ancient city of Pella is located in modern Greece, in the Central Macedonia region. It was the capital of the ancient kingdom of Macedon and one of the most important cities in the world of Alexander the Great.
Pella probably became Macedon's capital under King Archelaus I in the early fourth century BC, replacing Aigai as the kingdom's political center. It was also the birthplace of Philip II, Alexander's father, in 382 BC, and Alexander himself in 356 BC.
In antiquity, Pella was a prosperous port connected to the Thermaic Gulf by a navigable inlet. Over time, sediment filled the waterway, leaving the archaeological site inland. The city flourished with a palace, public buildings, and wealthy houses decorated with elaborate pebble mosaics.
A common source of confusion is the modern political geography of Macedonia. Ancient Macedon extended across areas that are now divided among several countries, but the archaeological site of Pella—and the modern town beside it—is in Greece. Roman forces sacked the city in 168 BC after defeating Macedon.