Citizendia
Your Ad Here

For other uses, see Olympias (disambiguation).

Olympias (in Greek, Ολυμπιάς; ca. The Ancient Greek language is the historical stage in the development of the Hellenic language family spanning the Archaic (c 376–316 BC) was an Epirote princess, the fourth wife of the king Philip II of Macedon, the mother of Alexander the Great and queen consort of Macedon. Epirus (from Ionic Greek Ήπειρος - Ēpeiros, Doric Greek: Ἅπειρος - Apeiros, in Albanian Princess is the feminine form of Prince (from Latin Princeps, meaning principal citizen Philip II of Macedon, ( Greek: Φίλιππος Β' ο Μακεδών &mdash φίλος = friend + ίππος = Horse Macedon or Macedonia ( Greek grc Μακεδονία grc-Latn Makedonía) was the name of a kingdom centered in the northern-most Alexander the Great ( or, Mégas Aléxandros; July 20 356 BC June 10 or June 11 323 BC also known as Alexander III of Macedon (el Ἀλέξανδρος Γ' A queen consort is the title given to the wife of a reigning king. A devout worshipper of the Greek god Dionysus, she was said to have kept pet snakes. Greek mythology is the body of stories belonging to the ancient Greeks concerning their gods and Heroes the nature of the world and the origins and significance God, as a male Deity, contrasts with female deities or " goddesses " In Classical mythology, Dionysus or Dionysos (in Greek, Διόνυσος or Διώνυσος; associated with Roman Olympias apparently was originally named Myrtale (or 'Mistilis'[1]). Later she may have been called Olympias as a recognition of Philip's victory in the Olympic Games of 356 BC. [2] As a child she was called Polyxena and then, at marriage, Myrtale; later she was also known as Olympias and Stratonice. [3]

Contents

Life

Olympias was daughter of Neoptolemus, king of Epirus,[4] descent from the lineage of Aeacidae (a well respected family of Greece). Neoptolemus I of Epirus ( Greek:Νεοπτόλεμος Β' Ηπείρου king of Epeirus was son of Alcetas I, and father of Alexander I of Epirus Aeacidae refers to the descendants of Aeacus, most notably Peleus, son of Aeacus and Achilles, grandson of Aeacus Neoptolemus was named after the son of Achilles, from whom the family claimed descent. "Achilleus" redirects here For the emperor with this name see Achilleus (emperor. Her brother was Alexander I of Epirus,[5] a kingdom ruled later by Pyrrhus. Alexander I of Epirus (ca 370 BC - ca 331 BC also known as Alexander Molossus was a king of Epirus (350 BC-331 BC of the Aeacid dynasty. Pyrrhus (318-272 BC ( Greek: Πύρρος Aιακιδης Pyrros Aiakides was one of the most successful ancient Greek generals of the Hellenistic When her father died ca. 360 BC, his brother and successor Arymbas (grandfather of Pyrrhus) made a treaty with the new king of Macedonia, Philip II of Macedon. Arymbas (or Arybas, Arribas, Arrybas, Tharrytas) was the king of Epirus, succeeding his brother Neoptolemos in the year 360 BC Pyrrhus (318-272 BC ( Greek: Πύρρος Aιακιδης Pyrros Aiakides was one of the most successful ancient Greek generals of the Hellenistic The alliance was cemented with a diplomatic marriage: Arymbas' niece Olympias became queen of Macedonia in 359 BC.

It is said that Philip II had first fallen in love with Olympias when they were among the initiates into the Kabeiria Mysteries of Dionysus in the Greek island of Samothrace. In Classical mythology, Dionysus or Dionysos (in Greek, Διόνυσος or Διώνυσος; associated with Roman Greece (Ελλάδα transliterated: Elláda, historically, Ellás,) officially the Hellenic Republic (Ελληνική Δημοκρατία An island (ˈaɪlənd or isle (/ˈaɪl/ is any piece of land that is completely surrounded by water in two dimensions above high tide and isolated from other significant Samothrace (Σαμοθράκη is an island municipality in Greece, in the northern Aegean Sea. Their marriage was stormy, however, and Olympias returned to Epirus in the fall of 357 BC, wintering there and having an adulterous affair. [6] Late in spring 356 BC, under pressure from her uncle, the Epirotan king Arymbas, she returned to Pella, the Macedonian capital. Pella (Πέλλα was the Capital of the ancient kingdom of Macedon. Upon her return, she was pregnant, and she bore her son Alexander in late July 356 BC. Not long afterwards (late spring 355 BC) she also bore Philip a daughter, Cleopatra. See Cleopatra (disambiguation for other people with or meanings of the name

Despite the arrival of his first legitimate son (he had already fathered another illegitimate son, Philip III), Philip II was scorned for having a child not of "pure Macedonian blood". Philip III Arrhidaeus ( Greek:; ca 359 BC &ndash December 25, 317 BC king of Macedon from June 10 323 BC until his death was a son of King Philip Angry at her husband for not accepting Alexander, Olympias insisted it was Zeus, King of the Gods, who had impregnated her while she slept under an oak tree (which were sacred to him). Zeus (zjuːs in Greek: nominative: Zeús /zdeús/ genitive: Diós; Modern Greek /'zefs/ in Greek mythology Alexander appeared to have believed the tale, as he later sought confirmation of his divine descent at the sanctuary of Zeus Ammon (of the sands) in the Siwa Oasis in Egypt. The Siwa Oasis (واحة سيوة Wāḥat Sīwah, from Berber Siwa "prey bird protector of the sun god Amon-Ra This article is about the country of Egypt For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Egypt topics.

Olympias was angered by Philip's marriage to Cleopatra Eurydice, in 337 BC. Eurydice ( Ευρυδικη) born Cleopatra ( Κλεοπάτρα) She was not angry because Philip had chosen a new woman to be his wife — indeed, he had several lovers, both male and female, and multiple wives — but because upon marrying Eurydice he divorced Olympias and disowned their son, Alexander. At the wedding banquet, Cleopatra Eurydice's guardian Attalus wished that the new couple would produce "legitimate heirs" together. Attalus (in Greek Άτταλος, ca 390 BC &ndash 336 BC important courtier of Macedonian king Philip II of Macedonia.

ruins of the Temple of Apollo
ruins of the Temple of Apollo

Accompanied by Alexander, Olympias withdrew for approximately a year to Epirus, where her brother Alexander I of Epirus was now king. Epirus (from Ionic Greek Ήπειρος - Ēpeiros, Doric Greek: Ἅπειρος - Apeiros, in Albanian Alexander I of Epirus (ca 370 BC - ca 331 BC also known as Alexander Molossus was a king of Epirus (350 BC-331 BC of the Aeacid dynasty. She and her son returned to Pella after an apparent reconciliation, or at least cessation of hostilities; Philip had cemented his ties to Alexander I by offering him the hand of his and Olympias' daughter Cleopatra in marriage. Pella (Πέλλα was the Capital of the ancient kingdom of Macedon. See Cleopatra (disambiguation for other people with or meanings of the name At the wedding soon afterwards, Philip was murdered; it is unclear whether Olympias had anything to do with its planning or that Alexander, her son, was in on the murder. It is only known for sure that Alexander had the body of Philip's assassin (Pausanias of Orestis) crucified and left on public display as a criminal for many days. Pausanias of Orestis (Greek was a member of Philip II of Macedon 's Somatophylakes, his personal bodyguard The head of the body of Pausanias was found to have on it a golden crown, supposedly put there by Olympias. Pausanias' body was ultimately taken down from the crucifixion cross and placed over Philip's body. The two were cremated together in a typical Macedonian rite. Olympias dedicated a memorial to Pausanias. The sword used by Pausanias to kill Philip was hung in the temple of Apollo at Delphi, per special orders from Olympias herself, under the name Mistilis. [7]


Delphi Sarcophagus
Delphi Sarcophagus

Olympias murdered Caranus, son of Philip and his last wife, Cleopatra Eurydice. She also murdered Caranus's sister, Europa, and forced Cleopatra Eurydice to hang herself. During the absence of Alexander, with whom she regularly corresponded on public as well as domestic affairs, she wielded great influence in Macedon, causing trouble to the regent, Antipater. Antipater ( Greek: Ἀντίπατρος Antipatros; ca 397 BC — 319 BC was a Macedonian general and a supporter of kings Philip II of Macedon [8]

Upon Alexander's death in 323 BC, Olympias withdrew again into Epirus. She supported her grandson Alexander, son of Alexander the Great, and in 317 BC, allied with Polyperchon who had succeeded Antipater in 319 BC. Alexander IV Aegus (in Greek, Ἀλέξανδρος Aἰγός &mdash 323&ndash309 BC was the son of Alexander the Great (Alexander III of Macedon Polyperchon ( Greek Πολυπέρχων 394–303 BC son of Simmias from Tymphaia in Epirus, was a Macedonian general who served under Olympias took the field with an Epirote army in an attempt to drive Cassander, Antipater's son, from power in Macedon. Cassander ( Greek: Κάσσανδρος, Kassandros; ca 350 - 297 BC King of Macedon (305 - 297 BC was a son of Antipater

When she engaged Eurydice III (Philip's granddaughter through his wife Audata) in battle, Eurydice's troops defected to Olympias, unwilling to fight against the mother of Alexander. Eurydice ( Greek Eυρυδικη Eurydike, died 317 BC was daughter of Amyntas IV, son of Perdiccas III, king of Macedonia and Olympias imprisoned Eurydice and her husband Philip Arrhidaeus; he was executed and Eurydice was forced to hang herself. Philip III Arrhidaeus ( Greek:; ca 359 BC &ndash December 25, 317 BC king of Macedon from June 10 323 BC until his death was a son of King Philip For a short period Olympias was mistress of Macedonia.

Cassander hastened from Peloponnesus, and, after an obstinate siege, compelled the surrender of Pydna, where Olympias had taken refuge. The Peloponnese or Peloponnesus ( Greek: Πελοπόννησος Pelopónnisos; see also List of Greek place names) is a large Peninsula Pydna is also a rocket station of the American Army in Germany, see Pydna (rocket station Pydna (in Greek: One of the terms of the capitulation had been that Olympias' life should be spared. In spite of this, she was brought to trial for the numerous and cruel executions of which she had been guilty during her short span of power. Condemned without a hearing, she was put to death in 316 BC by the friends of those whom she had slain. Cassander is said to have denied her remains the rites of burial. Burial, also called interment and inhumation, is the act of placing a person or object into the ground

Olympias in the modern world

See also

Further reading

External links

Footnotes

  1. ^ Brown, Virginia translation of Giovanni Boccaccio’s Famous Women, page 125; Harvard University Press, 2001; ISBN 0-674-01130-9
  2. ^ Olympias
  3. ^ Who's who in the Age of Alexander the Great by Waldemar Heckel [1]
  4. ^ mother of Alexander, daughter of Neoptolemus, a former King of the Molossians, a tribe in Epirus (in the region of modern Greece)
  5. ^ Brown, op. cit. , p. 125
  6. ^ Brown, op. cit. , p. 126
  7. ^ Brown, op. cit. , p. 126
  8. ^ Brown, op. cit. , p. 127

References

Primary sources

Secondary sources

Dictionary

Olympias

-proper noun

  1. Epirote queen who was the mother of Alexander the Great.
  2. A female given name of historical use only.
© 2009 citizendia.org; parts available under the terms of GNU Free Documentation License, from http://en.wikipedia.org
 Dapyx Software network: MP3 Explorer | Ebook Manager | Zenithic