Here, Olympias came forward dressed as a Bacchante to the beat of a tympanum drum. Olympias of Epirus; Fluff; I Don't Even Know; Summary. Olympia’s authority in Macedon is especially confirmed in an inscription dated in 330-326. Alexander the Great was one of the greatest leaders and conquerors that the world has ever seen. After Euia, Olympias, with Arrhidaeus and Adea captive, entered victorious in Pella, where she physically took the guardianship of Alexander IV. Olympias, the mother of Alexander the Great and a princess of the primitive land of Epirus, had the reputation of a snake-handler, and it was in serpent form that Zeus was said to have fathered Alexander upon her. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Neoptolemus I King of Epirus Reign370-357 BC PredecessorAlceta… Upon the death of Antipater in 319 (Alexander had died in 323), his successor, Polyperchon, invited Olympias to act as regent for her young grandson, Alexander IV (Alexander the Great’s son). Dodona and Neoptolemus. In the process, she asked Eumenes (a loyal general to the Alexandrians) via letters for his opinion. This would ensure a true Macedonian heir. During the whole period of Olympias’ return and establishment in Macedon, Cassander was tangled south in the siege of Tegea, Peloponnesus. Updates? Other accounts mention Olympias paying respects to Pausanias’ body (Philip’s assassin) rather than Philip’s. As siblings, we can identify an apparently older sister of her, named Troas, who, when Olympias was still an infant, must have married her uncle, Arybbas (ascended the throne in around 360 B.C.E. In 319/318 BC, Arrybas, Aeacides' father and the regent of Epirus, died leaving Epirus to the joint kings Aeacides and Neoptolemus. This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Olympias, Alexander-the-Great.co.uk - Biography of Olympias. With the execution of Adea and Arrhidaeus, Olympias’ grandson Alexander IV became the sole king of Macedon at the age of six. Historia e Popullit Shqiptar, I, p. 94-95. Cassander had to avoid two other potential blockades: Polyperchon had stationed his army at Perrhabeia ready to intercept Cassander’s advance. Aeacides, king of Epirus, provided her with most forces while also supporting her himself. The regent needed Olympias’ popularity and charisma that he apparently lacked himself among his fellow Macedonians. In honor of her husband’s victory at the Olympic Games, Alexander’s mother took the name Olympias. Olympias returned into Alexander’s Macedon. Justin summarizes this destructive policy by stating that Olympias “committed great slaughter among the nobility throughout the country, like a furious woman rather than a queen, she turned the favour with which she was regarded into hatred” (XIV.VI.I). u.). In response Cassander entered Macedonia and blockaded Olympias in Pydna, where she surrendered in the spring of 316. Serpent (symbolism)-Wikipedia Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. Assassins were sent to Attalus who had offended Alexander, killing him too. The combination of the successes related with Alexander’s birth made the Macedonian consider the infant prince as a good omen. Historiarum Philippicarum. Giving birth to a son presented new challenges and opportunities for Olympias. We are told that Olympias started a plot that involved her brother assaulting the neighbouring Macedon. Upon returning to Epirus, Olympias overthrew from the regency position her daughter Cleopatra (ruled 330-328) and took that office for herself, on behalf of her nephew Neoptolemus II. Elle s'est marié avec Alexander of Epirus, ils ont eu 1 enfant. Aetolians, allies of Olympias, had occupied the passes at Thermopylae blocking Cassander’s entrance into Thessaly, and thus, into Macedon. The available contingent consisted only of some court soldiers, some Ambracian cavalry men and a few of Polyperchon’s elephants. If Olympias was behind the assassination, other close to Philip must have been in it too, since she herself was away in Epirus. Even Olympias’ name as a youth, Myrtale (“Myrtle”) seems to illustrate Olympias’ dedication to Dionysiac rites. It started by Olympias’ birth in Pasaronas, an ancient city of Epirus. BC - ?) She then had Cleopatra and her infant daughter killed. Also, Olympias seems to have claimed descent from Helenus of Troy, son of King Priam and Hecuba, a popular belief among the Chaonians. But, who is the man whose face is showed in the top-right corner? This information is part of by on Genealogy Online. It lists the recipients of grain shipments from Cyrene during the time of famine. Diodorus even mentions that Polyperchon offered Olympias the role of “basilike prostasia”, an unclear office of high authority and prominence. That force was enough to keep Polyperchon checked. However, Alexander would have never gone on to create one of the largest empires in the ancient world without his mother, Olympias. She died in the year 316 BC. When Olympias’ father the king of Molossians died, he was succeeded by his brother Arymbas in 360 BC. Plutarch mentions Alexander’ mother on the very first page of his Life. In Epirus Olympias found her brother already at the Molossian throne. with the name Myrtale. Epirus regained its independence from Macedon after Alexander’s death under King Pyrrhus, with a certain amount of judicious help from the Ptolemaic dynasty of Egypt. Als Geburtsnamen der Olympias werden Polyxena, Myrtale und Stratonike angegeben; den Namen Olympias erhielt sie erst kurz nach ihrer Heirat mit Philipp II. Alexander I was her brother. Corrections? Olympias’ cultivated a popular and reputable reputation among the Greeks. Olympias, on her own at Pydna, could count on a very small force, no match for Cassander’s approaching army. OLYMPIAS, daughter of Neoptolemus, king of Epirus, wife of Philip II. If she remained inactive, the latter’s execution would be a matter of time. Simultaneously, another force of Cassander held Aeacides inactive. The bridegroom was none other than her uncle Alexander I of Epirus, Olympias’ brother. She was the daughter of the Molossian king Neoptolemus in Epirus, part of the Aeacidae royal house. Her son grew influenced by her mother’s ambitions with both developing a warm and close relationship. This match makes sense when considering the Molossians’ strong relationship with their neighboring Chaonians. The Epirot ruler accepted the proposal which reestablished Philip’s influence and isolated Olympias. Also, the new regent queen had some a hundred  Macedonian nobles loyal to Cassander killed as well, among whom Cassander’s brother Nicanor. Aristonous control of Amphipolis could also prove valuable for meeting with any potential reinforcements. Sonderdruck aus Band. The Women Who Would Be Kings. The too-close-for-comfort marriage was, like most of Philip II’s marriages, a political maneuver to gain him more allies. He was a maternal grandfather of Alexander the Great. The nature of her relations with her daughter remain unclear but those with her son Alexander appear more frequently. Olympias has been described by historians as arrogant, meddlesome, and headstrong. Ragnor, B. This act resonated with the Macedonians troop’s dedication to Dionysos on the opposing ranks. Designed by Olympias’ purge did secure her from contenders of Argead descent. From overcoming oppression, to breaking rules, to reimagining the world or waging a rebellion, these women of history have a story to tell. Alexander’s accession paved the way for Olympias prominence in Macedon. Dardania: Kingdom & Land of the Dardanians, Albanian Wildlife: Top 10 Animals That Roam in Albania. -- Lagus `the Rabbit' of MACEDONIA (354? This strong lineage combined with a focus on martial prowess and the powerful authority of women in a Molossian society shaped a strong and ambitious character in Olympias. ), the successor of her father Neoptolemus. The match was expected to bring a true Macedonian heir. Cyclone Themes, Olympias of Epirus: The Surreal Story of a King’s Mother, Damastion: The Secret Story of a Silver-Rich City, Bardylis: World Class King Who Missed the Spotlight, Cassander: The Self-Made King of (What Was Left Of) Macedon. That’s why she chose Pydna over Pella: in this port, she could receive any naval assistance soon and with ease. (s. Yet, Olympias knew that if the Alexandrian line was to survive, she needed to gain custody of Alexander IV. Later she may have been called Olympias as a recognition of Philip’s victory in the Olympic Games of 356 bc. About this match, Plutarch tells that Philip “being still a youth…fell in love with her and betrothed himself to her” (Plutarch, Lives, Alexander, II). In the meantime, Olympias retreated from Pella to Pydna, along with Thessalonike, Roxane (Alexander’s IV mother), Alexander IV, Deidameia (Aeacides’ daughter). It eventually came down to a conflict between two Argead women representing two different, traditionally conflicting, Argead branches. Trondheim. Olympias, sister of Alexander I the Molossian (and mother of Alexander the Great of Macedon) returned to Epirus to escape the aggression of Antipater who had received control of Macedon by a lot. Another name of hers was Polyxena, the mythical daughter of Priam who comforted the hero Achilles, thus drawing attention to her heroic Greek-Trojan connection. Marriage with Philip. In 317 BC, when Pyrrhus was only two, Olympias requested Aeacides' support yet again and he marched on Macedon a second time. Olympias’ life bears witness to the truth of this. According to Lyngsnes: “Olympias seem to have had many supporters in Athens. All rights reserved. Olympias was the daughter of Molossians King Neoptolemus I. Molossians was an ancient Greek tribe in Epirus (presently in between Albania and Greece) south-west to Macedonia. Fast Facts: Olympias Known For: Olympias was the queen of Macedonia and the mother of Alexander the Great. Rather than a bureaucratic friction, tensions between Olympias and Antipater were of a characterial/personal nature. At those celebrations, Pausanias of Orestis, a royal guard, killed the king. Olympias (c.375-316): Epirote princess, married to the Macedonian king Philip II, and mother of Alexander the Great. MITTEILUNGEN DER KOMMISSION FÜR ALTE GESCHICHTE UND EPIGRAPHIK DES DEUTSCHEN ARCHÄOLOGISCHEN INSTITUTS. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. Mütterlicherseits beanspruchte Olympias eine Aszendenz von der schönen Helena. Olympias withdrew to Epirus, returning after Philip’s assassination (336). Also, some recollections of how Alexander and Hephaestion met. Philip’s polygamy did not threaten her position until 337, when he married a high-born Macedonian, Cleopatra. Yet, after her surrender, Cassander gathered an “assembly of Macedonians” to judge the queen. She had a passionate and imperious nature, and she played important roles in the power struggles that followed the deaths of both rulers. Alexander and his retinue soon overpowered the assassin and with that same speed announced Alexander III as the new king. XIV. In Macedonian view, young Alexander was half-Macedonian, half Barbarian (Olympias was considered non-Macedonian/Bardanian due to her Chaonian and/or Molossian ethnicity). Justin, M. I. Epitoma. The latter also had a daughter, born in quick succession after Alexander, Cleopatra. By 324, Olympias was in Epirus. So much for Olympias’ efforts, for Cassander reached Pydna in no time, laying siege to the city and blockading its harbor. Alexander the Great owed much to the influence of his parents: from his father, Philip II, he learned the art of warfare, but by far the most influential person in his life was his mother, Olympias. (2013). The things then get so complicated that the scholars must agree Olympias had no meaningful role in the assassination; even ancient authors did not explicitly put the murder on Olympias. The first soldiers sent to carry out the sentence, aware of Olympias’ worthiness (“axioma”), could not lay a sword on the queen. Required fields are marked *, Copyright ©2021 The only ones left were part of her retinue: young Alexander IV, her daughter Cleopatra, and her step-daughter Thessalonike. She marked her return in Macedon with a purge. She was to … Facebook gives people the power to share and makes the world more open and connected. of Macedon, and mother of Alexander the Great.Her father claimed descent from Pyrrhus, son of Achilles. The latter advised her to move cautiously, not openly siding with a faction before fighting revealed more insights. The queen made a habit of having a snake near her in the marital bed, a habit that “dulled the ardour of Philip’s attention to his wife” so that the king ousted her “either because he feared that some spells and enchantments might be practised upon him by her, or because he shrank from her embraces in the conviction that she was the partner of a superior being”. Adea/Eurydice, wife of king Philip Arrhidaeus and ally of Cassander, was determined to keep Olympias inactive. Olympias (in Greek Ὀλυμπιάς, pronounced [olympi%C3%A1s]; lived 3rd century BC) was daughter of Pyrrhus, king of Epirus from his first wife Antigone. The song is Nanourisma (Νανούρισμα) from the young but wonderful Areti Ketime (Αρετή Κετιμέ). Olympias quarreled repeatedly with Antipater, regent of Macedonia during the early years of Alexander’s invasion of Asia, and eventually retired again, about 331, to Epirus. She was married in the year 357 BC to (Not public), they gave birth to 1 child. Olympias exiled herself in Epirus while Alexander did the same in Illyria. Join Facebook to connect with Olympias Of-epirus and others you may know. At her orders, soldiers slew Philip’s other widow Cleopatra/Eurydice and her infant daughter Europa. Thus, Cassander sent a detachment of his forces to engage Polyperchon where he was. Olympias was the driving force behind Alexanders rise to the throne of Macedonia and she was, a… In 336 BC, Philip arranged the marriage of Cleopatra, his daughter by Olympias. Reports suggest that she believed the rumors of Cassander and his brother Iolaos poisoning Alexander on Antipater’s instructions. Olympias would later pass both her belief in divine power and divine descent to her son, Alexander the Great. She … Olympias surrendered in late 316, after Cassander promised her safety. Olympias of Epirus was born around 375 B.C.E. (Plutarch, Lives, Alexander, II). Yet, it also brought conflict into a royal house with other wives thinking for the path to kingship of their own sons. Athens and Macedonia, in the Absence of Alexander. The queen clearly hopes on some naval assistance from Eumenes. As for her mother, she is absent from sources, but some scholars have suggested that she was a Chaonian princess, in northwestern Epirus. Olympias spent almost two years evaluating Polyperchon’s offer of prostasia. Olympias of Epirus. Olympias was born in 375 B.C., in Passaron, Epirus, southwest of Macedonia, Ancient Greece, to Neoptolemus I, who was the king of a Greek tribe known as the Molossians. Cette information fait partie de de sur Généalogie Online. Cassander had to send another unit composed of family members of the men Olympias had executed to kill the queen. On news about affairs in Macedon reaching him, he quickly came to terms with the Tegeans and led his army on march to Macedon. He was a maternal grandfather of Alexander the Great. Olympias also had a younger brother, Alexander, who would later become famous for his campaign against the Lucanians and Brutii in southern Italy. Olympias of Epirus is one of the main characters in the history of the emergency of Macedonia as an international power with Philip II and Alexander. Pompei Trogi. Albanopedia Achetez neuf ou d'occasion When Olympias turned eighteen, in 357, she married Philip II, ten years older. The privileged position of Olympias in Macedon conflicted with the role of Antipater as Macedon’s governor (ruler in Alexander’s absence). Her popularity in Athens is especially meaningful. Da ihr Vater früh starb, wuchs sie unter der Vormundschaft ihres Onkels und Schwagers, des Königs Arybbas, auf, der seinem Bruder Neoptolemo… Botimet Toena, 2002. Among the names of the states and their respective grain relief/subsidy quantity, only two individual names appear: Olympias and her daughter’s Cleopatra. This forced Cassander into an alternative route. Lyngsnes Ø W. (2018). W. (2005). CHIRON. The wedding celebrations between Cleopatra and Alexander I of Molossia took place in summer at Aegae, old Macedonian capital. Specifically Olympias’ grain quantity was 72,600 medimnos (at least 3,760,680 kg), second only to Athens’ 100,000 medimos. VI. According to the myth, Alexander the Great was conceived through the sexual intercourse of Olympias and Zeus, as shown in the below painting by Giulio Romano. Olympias’ involvement turned the conflict between Polyperchon and Cassander into a conflict between her and Cassander. The Molossian princess learned at a young age the power of symbols and their influence in politics, even using herself in a symbolic manner. Language: English Words: 6,620 Chapters: 1/1 Comments: 8 Kudos: 23 Bookmarks: 1 Hits: 460; Alexander son of Olympias by baydreamer Fandoms: Alexander Trilogy - Mary Renault, Alexander (2004), Classical Greece and … Attalus himself made this point at a banquet celebrating the match, a remark that angered Alexander. Cleopatras. She had the motive (Philip’s murder prevent Cleopatra/Eurydice as a “pure Macedonian” from giving birth to a son of “pure Macedonian” legitimacy; it allowed the undisputed accession of her son Alexander on the throne). The daughter of Neoptolemus, king of Epirus, Olympias apparently was originally named Myrtale. Due to his age, Olympias could effectively rule undisputed. However, the ancient author seems to have gone too far in what seems to have been Arrhidaeus’ born deficiency. In past times they have also been called the weaker. The daughter of Neoptolemus, king of Epirus, Olympias apparently was originally named Myrtale. Olympias, born sometime around 375 B.C., was the daughter of King Neoptolemus of Epirus, a kingdom southwest of Macedonia. Olympias of Epirus est né(e). The couple had met for the first time on the island of Samothrace while both of them were being introduced to a very old cult, important to Macedonians and northern Aegeans, known as the Samothrace Mysteries. Accordingly, the king had Olympias retreat in Epirus with Cleopatra taking her mother’s place in Macedon. What was it believed at that time (circa 1500) of this myth? Olympias opponent Adea realized that letting another highly regarded Argead take custody of Alexander IV would reduce her husband Arrhidaeus and herself into inferior, negligible status. The two forces met in Euia, an unidentified place in Dassaretis (current southeast Albania). In fact, tensions between the two so intensified that Alexander had to interfere himself to prevent a destabilization of Macedon. By summer or autumn 317, Olympias made up her mind: she accepted Polyperchon’s offer. Once Olympias joined the conflict, she outranked Polyperchon both by virtue of her greater popularity and by virtue of larger forces she commanded. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. She put to death Philip Arrhidaeus and his wife, as well as Cassander’s brother and a hundred of his partisans. His side with Olympias shows that the queen could still rely on some top generals despite the purge she committed on some Macedonian nobles. Whitehorne J. E. G. (1994). Aeacides supported Olympias in her fight against Cassander and marched on Macedon. Neoptolemus I of Epirus Neoptolemus I of Epirus (Greek: Νεοπτόλεμος Α' Ηπείρου) (370-357 BC) was a Greek king of Epirus and son of Alcetas I, and father of Troas, Alexander I of Epirus and Queen Olympias. It was the same year when Philip captured Potidaea, his general Parmenio defeated the Illyrians, and Philip’s “race-horse…won the course” at the Olympic Games in July (Plutarch, Lives, Alexander, III). Many then believed Olympias was behind the murder of her own husband Philip. The snake as a symbol, depicted opposing forces: the regeneration, the primordial life-giving momentum but also death, the good and the evil, the light of knowledge and the darkness of the unconsciousness. A thirsty hunt for power followed between Alexander’s successor. Darius' little son likes Alexander a whole lot. J.-C., fille de Pyrrhus, née de sa première épouse Antigone, elle devient l'épouse de son demi-frère germain Alexandre II. In this scenario, the closest other suspect would be Alexander the Great himself. For this, he sought to renew and strengthen his alliance with Epirus by offering to Olympias’ brother Cleopatra, his daughter with Olympias (thus Alexander’s niece). He claimed he was a descendant of hero Achilles and King Lycomedes, while Emperor Caracalla claimed that he was a descendant of Neoptolemus I. Olympias was originally known as Polyxena and it is possible that Neoptolemus gave her that name. Thus, Adea’s haste to meet Olympia’s army in open battle with her Macedonian home army. Neoptolemus I of Epirus was a Greek king of Epirus and son of Alcetas I, and father of Troas, Alexander I of Epirus and Queen Olympias. The new ruler immediately led a purge against any contented to the throne and enemies. Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. After his death about 260 BC she assumed the regency of the kingdom on behalf of her two sons, Pyrrhus and Ptolemy ; and in order to strengthen herself against the Aetolian League she gave before 239 BC her daughter Phthia in marriage to Demetrius II , king of Macedonia . The threat to Alexander’s kingship inheritance materialized in 337 when Philip decided to marry a Macedonian noble called Cleopatra (who would change her name to Eurydice). As a member of the Aeacidae, Olympias was thought that she descended “from Aeacus by Neoptolemus” (Plutarch, Lives, Alexander, II), a mythical king who was the grandfather of Achilles. In 318 Polyperchon sent words to Olympias in Epirus offering her the guardianship (“epimeleia”) of her grandson Alexander IV. In Plutarch’s view, the couple’s source of problems were Olympias’ snake charming cults. The queen had to send a personal letter to Aristonous in Amphipolis for him, still loyal, to give up the fight. Kittelä S-I. Olympias had Arrhidaeus and Adea walled up, then had the first executed (having technically ruled for six years and two months) and the latter forced into suicide. However, when she made her move, her allies were at a loss; Eumenes was fighting an unwinnable war in Asia while Cassander had crushed Polyperchon’s troops in Greece. Instituti i Historisë. It also fulfilled the first stage of Philip’s policy of marrying multiple wives from the neighboring regions for the purpose of securing Macedon’s borders. Omissions? From her he inherited not only his love of learning but also his fiery nature, strength of character and as one historian put it --- his thirst for blood. Episode I: Gentius,  A New Young King ). In 323, Alexander III succumbed to illness in Babylon. King Philip Arrhidaeus and his retinue fell captive on the spot. In Epirus, Olympias was already away from the cut-throat politics, free to mourn her loss. A publication of the Stoa: a Consortium for Electronic Publication in the Humanities, R. Scaife and A. Mahoney, edd. As a result, most of Adea’s army defected to Olympias’ side. Another element present in Olympias was her zealous dedication to the cult of Dionysius, a cult that in Olympias’ practice involved snake charmings and sexual rituals among groups of women. Soon after, Adea also fell captive while trying to make way to Amphipolis with Polycles, one of her consullers. Powered by WordPress Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... Meet extraordinary women who dared to bring gender equality and other issues to the forefront. She met her husband, King Philip II (Alexander the Great’s father), on the Aegean island of Samonthrace. Routledge, 2001. The ruling family claim descent from Achilles and have newer, just as potent, connections to Alexander the Great: Olympias, Alexander’s mother, was a princess of Epirus. With the help of Philip some years ago, Alexander the Molossian had even started the process of creating an Epirote Alliance, a united federative state that expanded beyond Molossia and that initially included, apart from Molossia, Cassopaea and Thespotis. P… Olympias OF EPIRUS was born in the year 375 BC in Epirus, daughter of Neoptolemus I OF EPIRUS and (Not public). This assembly sentenced her to executions. Nevertheless, despite the many books, papers and studies that had been improving our knowledge about Argead Macedonia in times of the great Macedonian conquerors, the historians of the XIX th and XX th centuries treated Olympias in the … She was arguably the most influential person in Alexanders life and the driving force behind his rise to the throne. Olympias is noted by Hyperides in his speeches for donating to temples, sending associated on “shopping trips” to the great agora in Athens, as well as addressing the Athenian ekklesia [assembly] through letters on several occasions” In 324, Olympias had the capacity and authority to send an embassy to Athens, demanding extradition for Harpalus (Alexander’s treasurer who went rogue). Alexander I of Molossia and the creation of Apeiros. By all accounts, Olympias was a  domineering and interfering mother who sought to pave the way for Alexander’s accession into the throne. . The regent queen counted on Aristonous loyalty and experience: he had participated in Alexander’s expeditions as a somatophylax, one of the seventh highest honored bodyguards. It elevated her to the status of the mother of a potential successor king. The Macedonian soldiers supported her return. Retrouvez Olympias: Mother of Alexander the Great et des millions de livres en stock sur Amazon.fr. She declined his request until 317, when Antipater’s son Cassander established Philip II’s simpleminded son Philip III (Arrhidaeus) as king of Macedonia. Olympias of Epirus, mother of Alexander the Great, believed to be a snake-worshipper.
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