The Life of Olympia

Olympias was born in ca. 375 BCE to King Neoptolemus of Epirus in modern Albania.
She later became the wife of Phillip II of Macedon. Olympias met Phillip at the Sanctuary of the
Gods on the island of Samothrace and became Phillips principal wife in 357. In 356 Olympias
sbecame the mother of Alexander the Great who was born in Pella and later gave birth to a
daughter named Cleopatra (In World History: Ancient and Medieval Eras).
She was very close to her children. She was made sure that Cleopatra was also trained to
rule because she hoped that both of her children would take power. She was especially close to
Alexander. It was over her ambitions for her son that she and her husband had their final battle.
And after twenty years of marriage Phillip married another wife also named Cleopatra. The new
wife was a Macedonian noblewoman. The new brides father suggested a legitimate heir be born
saying that Olympias children should not rule because they were not Macedonian. This made
Alexander and Olympias very unhappy (In World History: Ancient and Medieval Eras).
Olympias reputedly murdered her husband Phillip II and others so that Alexander the
Great could take the throne (Queen Mothers in the Ancient World. In Daily Life through
History). Phillip II was murdered in 336 at his daughter Cleopatras wedding. Olympias was
never found guilty for the murder of Phillip II (In World History: Ancient and Medieval Eras).
During battles both Olympias and Eurydice, Phillip II granddaughter would appear on the
battlefield to inspire troops (Greek women and war in antiquity. In World History: Ancient and
Medieval Eras). Olympias returned to Macedonia to take President while Alexander the Great
was away fight wars. Antipater wrote to Alexander the Great complaining of her stubbornness,
violence, and interference of the queen. Sources claim that Alexander told one of his followers
that Antipater was unaware that one of his mother's tears would wash out the complaints of a

thousand letters (In World History: Ancient and Medieval Eras). But Antipater was not the only
one writing letters to Alexander. Olympias wrote letters to Alexander, claiming misconduct on
the part of Antipater. And Antipater and his family were disgraced and on his death bed he
warned everyone against following a queen because he had such hard feelings against Olympias.
Antipater and his family were no longer disgraced in 323 when Alexander the Great died (In
World History: Ancient and Medieval Eras).
Olympias lost the support of the Macedonians that remembered Antipaters warning
against following a queen. Olympias was captured and put in prison. The people who caught her
sent some relatives of those she had killed to her prison, and those men stabbed her in 316. She
died bravely without begging for any mercy. Her daughter Cleopatra was also murdered by men
who feared her potential for political power. Olympias's greatest contribution was her son, who
changed the course of history by spreading Greek culture to the east with his conquests and who
paved the way for the rise of the great Hellenistic kingdoms

Bibliography
Olympias. (2014). In World History: Ancient and Medieval Eras. Retrieved October 12, 2014, from
http://ancienthistory.abc-clio.com/
Vivante, Bella. (2014). Queen Mothers in the Ancient World. In Daily Life through History. Retrieved
October 12, 2014, from http://dailylife2.abc-clio.com/
Jestice, Phyllis G. (2014). Greek women and war in antiquity. In World History: Ancient and Medieval
Eras. Retrieved October 12, 2014, from http://ancienthistory.abc-clio.com/
Antipater. (2014). In World History: Ancient and Medieval Eras. Retrieved October 12, 2014, from
http://ancienthistory.abc-clio.com/