Philippeion, Tholos ruins in Olympia, Greece

The Philippeion is a circular temple with a diameter of roughly 15 meters featuring Ionic columns arranged in a ring around its central chamber. The remains reveal its original design as a rotunda set within the Olympia sanctuary complex.

The structure was built following the Battle of Chaeronea in 338 BC to consolidate Macedonian dominance. Its construction marked the first expression of Macedonian power within this Greek sanctuary.

The chryselephantine statues of Philip II, Alexander, Amyntas III, Olympias and Eurydice were made by the Athenian sculptor Leochares, using the same ivory-and-gold technique as the Zeus at Olympia. By Pausanias's time the two women's statues had been moved to the neighbouring Heraion, leaving only the male figures in the Philippeion. None of the statues survive today.

The ruins remain open year-round as part of the Olympia archaeological site and can be explored independently or with a guide. The ground is somewhat uneven in places, so comfortable walking shoes are advisable.

The Philippeion was the only structure inside the Altis dedicated to human beings rather than gods. Its chryselephantine statues used the same ivory-and-gold material as the adjacent statue of Zeus, a comparison meant to encourage deification of the Macedonian royal family.