Empire 318. Heist of St Nicolas: Raiding Santa's Tomb (Part 1)
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Dec 23, 2025 
Join author and researcher Sam Dalrymple as he delves into the fascinating lore of Saint Nicholas, the bishop from Myra in ancient Turkey. Discover how his tomb became a pilgrimage site and the intrigue surrounding the sailors who sought to steal his bones. Learn about the cultural crossroads of Lycia, the blend of Greek and Persian influences, and the connection to early Indian architecture. Dalrymple also explores the origins of gift-giving traditions associated with Nicholas and how he became a guardian of sailors, merging with Poseidon's legends.
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Visiting Saint Nicholas’s Original Tomb
- Sam Dalrymple visited Myra and saw Saint Nicholas's ancient marble sarcophagus and Byzantine frescoes in person.
- He describes the tomb as an imperial-looking Roman sarcophagus set within an early basilica rebuilt around 500 AD.
Lycia As A Crossroads Of Empires
- Lycia was a cultural crossroads where Greek and Persian (Achaemenid) influences fused in architecture and religion.
- Sam connects Lycian rock-cut tombs to early monumental architecture found later in northwestern India via Achaemenid networks.
Architecture Traces Persian Imperial Links
- Lycian cave-cut architecture influenced early Indian rock-cut sites because Lycians served across the Achaemenid Empire.
- Sam highlights visual similarities between Lycian tombs and the Barabar Caves in India.