Olympias based on a Golden medal, Albukir treasure, Archaeologic Museum, Thessaloniki, Greece Source
Olympias (Greek: Ολυμπιάς) (c. 376/5 BC - 316 BC) was an Epirote princess, a wife of Macedonian king Philip II of Macedon and the mother of Alexander the Great. She was a strong believer in the god of wine, Dionysus, and often had snakes in her bed and around her neck.
When her father, Neoptolemos, died (c.360 BC) his brother Arymbas who became king, made a treaty with the new king of Macedonia Philippos II (Philip of Macedon, 360 BC-336 BC). The alliance was cemented with a diplomatic marriage. Neoptolemos' daughter (Arymbas niece) Olympias became queen of Macedonia in 359 BC. It is said that Philip II had fallen in love with her when they were among the celebrants at the Kaveiria mysteries of Dionysus in Samothrace, where they were both being initiated into the mysteries.
Olympias, Gold medallion (Source)
The marriage was stormy and in the fall of 357 BC, Olympias being neglected and in anger went back to Epirus where she spent the winter. Late in spring of 356 BC, under pressure from her uncle the Epirotan king she returned to Pella -the Macedonian capital- pregnant. Alexander was promptly born late July, 356 BC. Philip, his wife not being a Macedonian, was scorned as not having a pure-blooded heir. Olympias obliged and with Epirotan pride, and insisted that she had got impregnated by Zeus while napping under an oak tree, the sacred tree of Zeus. Contemporary Zagorian sheepherders still take naps under oak trees. Alexander appeared to have believed the tale, as he later went to seek- and probably received -confirmation of his divine descent at the sanctuary of Zeus Ammon (of the sands) in the Siwa Oasis in Egypt.
The fickleness of Philip and the jealous temper of Olympias led to a growing estrangement, which ripened when Philip married a new wife, Cleopatra, in 337 BC. Alexander, who sided with his mother, withdrew, along with her, into Epirus, whence they both returned in the following year, after the assassination of Philip, which detractors of Olympias said she countenanced. During the absence of Alexander, with whom she regularly corresponded on public as well as domestic affairs, she had great influence, and by her arrogance and ambition caused such trouble to the regent Antipater.
On Alexander's death (323 BC) she found it prudent to withdraw again into Epirus. Olympias supported her grandson, the son of Alexander the Great, Alexander IV of Macedon, and allied with Polyperchon in 317 BC, by whom Antipater had been succeeded in 319 BC. She took the field with an Epirote army in an attempt to drive Cassander, Antipater's son, from power in Macedon. She was successful in killing the rival king Philip Arrhidaeus and his wife Eurydice. The opposing troops at once declared in her favor, and for a short period Olympias was mistress of Macedonia. Cassander hastened from Peloponnesus, and, after an obstinate siege, compelled the surrender of Pydna, where she had taken refuge. One of the terms of the capitulation had been that her life should be spared; but in spite of this she was brought to trial for the numerous and cruel executions of which she had been guilty during her short lease of power. Condemned without a hearing, she was put to death (316 BC) by the friends of those whom she had slain, and Cassander is said to have denied her remains the rites of burial.
According to several legends, Olympias was impregnated not by Philip, who was afraid of her and her affinity for sleeping in the company of snakes, but by Zeus. Alexander was himself aware of these legends, and would refer to Zeus as his father, rather than Philip.
By tradition Olympias was descended from another woman of the same name, daughter of Neoptolemus and Andromache and so grand-daughter of Achilles and Deidamea. This formed the basis of Alexander's claims to be a new Achilles.
On Alexander's death (323 BC) she found it prudent to withdraw again into Epirus. Olympias supported her grandson, the son of Alexander the Great, Alexander IV of Macedon, and allied with Polyperchon in 317 BC, by whom Antipater had been succeeded in 319 BC. She took the field with an Epirote army in an attempt to drive Cassander, Antipater
Vergina Sun with 12 rays, as found on the larnax of Olympias .
1911 Encyclopedia Britannica:OLYMPIAS (http://80.1911encyclopedia.org/O/OL/OLYMPIAS.htm)
Angelina Jolie as Olympias
Robin Lane Fox, Alexander the Great. 1994 ISBN 0140088784
This article incorporates text from the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica, which is in the public domain.
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