Olympias Alexander the Great's mother

  There is a saying that behind every great man, is an even greater woman, this phrase fits perfectly for the mother of Alexander the Great, Olympias. Olympias, I believed is overlooked and overshadowed by her son Alexander and her ex-husband Philip. Olympias is the unexpected warrior woman; she only takes the role of the warrior woman after her son is dead. She is the reluctant warrior who becomes warrior queen only to make sure her grandson and his mother Roxana was safe and that Alexander’s son not one of his generals becomes ruler of his empire. According to Jona Lendering, Olympias (c.375-316) who was an Epirote princess married Philip of Macedonia in 357, this was a marriage of political strengthening. This was the year after King Philip had a chariot race during the Olympic Games in which he was victorious and therefore, she received the name Olympias and the same summer she gave birth to her first-born Alexander (Lendering 2000).

      . In ancient times people believed that a great’s man’s birth was shown with signs or wonders. “The night before the consummation of their marriage, Olympias dreamed that a thunderbolt fell upon her body, which kindled a great fire, whose divided flames dispersed themselves all about, and then was extinguished. And Philip, sometime after he was married, dreamt that he sealed up his wife's body with a seal, whose impression, as be fancied, was the figure of a lion” (Plutarch of Chaeronea Alexander 2). These signs and wonders were what made Olympias, Alexander, and others believe that he was the son of Zeus.

 She also had a daughter named Cleopatra not to be confused with Cleopatra the 7TH Egyptian queen, who also played an important part in the years after her brother’s death (Lendering 2000).

Olympias went into voluntary exile with Alexander and a few of his friends although Alexander returned to Macedonia. When Alexander became king, he stayed in contact with his mother and his relationship with Olympias was cordial. However, he kept her out of politics.

 I am not going to discuss Olympias during Alexander’s reign though this part of her life is very intriguing, I am going to discuss the events after his death that make her a warrior woman. In the summer of 323 Alexander, the Great died and the age of his successors began, His wife Roxanna gave birth to their son five months later and this child and Alexander’s unstable brother were placed under the regency of Perdicas. Olympias offered her daughter Cleopatra to Perdicas, who wanted to strengthen his position. Instead of marrying Antipater’s daughter he took Olympias’ offer and married Cleopatra. Antipater was insulted, civil war broke out and Antipater was victorious thus Alexander’s family was under his regency (Lendering 2000). Cassander, Antipater’s son took over Macedonia, and his father’s successor Polyperchon an old and weakened man fled with Roxanna and the baby. Sometimes as women, mothers, and grandmothers we have to do what we got to do to survive and for our families to survive. Olympias who was neutral during the civil war took sides as she realized that her grandson would not become king if Cassander were to rule.

 Let me tell you how badass Olympias was, she took the army of her cousin Aeacides, then joined the remains of Polyperchon’s army, and in 317 she invaded Macedonia. I bet Cassander was like damn, this woman is serious! In ancient Greek society,  women did not have many rights, so it must have rocked their nerves of Cassander when he saw Olympias leading an army. She executed Philip Alexander’s mentally unstable brother and executed him. She also executed many of Cassander’s supporters. At the foot of Mt Olympus (the home of the gods) in the harbor town of Pydna Cassander besieged Olympias. Polycheron and Aeacides' forces tried to relieve her, but Olympias was forced to surrender. Cassander promised to spare her life but pressure from the families of his supporters who Olympias had massacred forced him to execute her. Cassander executed Roxanna and Alexander’s son in secret.

   It is said by many that Olympias was a cruel and evil woman, but one must remember when Alexander died there was much bloodshed and political intrigue. One must remember the generals and other leaders at the time had done much worse than Olympias. It is only because she was a woman that Olympias is vilified, if she were a man she would be praised. One would expect a woman of Olympias' position to see to it that she survived. But Olympia unlike most of the leaders at that time was not only looking out for herself but she was looking out for her grandson and his position. She was fighting for not herself but for the legitimate dynasty. Olympias was not only a wife, a mother, and a queen but she was a warrior mother who tried to look after her own like a mother bears protecting her cub History remembers Alexander the Great, but history should also remember his mother because, without her, he would not be great. If only Olympias was a man, and she would have gone down as one of history’s greatest warriors! One day, this story of this Badass queen will receive the proper portrayal, until then she is forever linked to her son!

Olympias of Epirus  Photo credits by Deviant Art!