The modern city of Vergina (archaic name Aegae) is the location of the ancient capital of the Macedonians. It is he birthplace of King Phillip of the ancient Greek kingdom of Macedon, and his son Alexander the Great. The city flourished during the Archaic and Classic periods of the 7th through 4th centuries BC. The site is best known since the excavations of 1977 that brought to light the Macedonian royal tombs and the precious artifacts including the golden larnax with the sixteen-ray star: The Vergina Sun.
The Vergina Sun is a symbol of the Greek Macedonian province. The Former Yugoslavian Republic Of Macedonia (FYROM) attempted to use the symbol on its flag in 1991. This absurd act seen as an insult to historical Greek heritage implied a territorial claim on Greece. FYROM dropped the symbol thereafter due to public outrage, but insists on using the name Macedonia which is not recognized by the United Nations (UN).