Olympias
Family: Macedonian · Role: daughter of Neoptolemus · First appears: Book 1 · Chapter 11
In Book 1, Chapter 11, Olympias is identified as the daughter of Neoptolemus and the mother of Alexander (son of Olympias). Æacides remained loyal to her and joined her in fighting Aridæus and the Macedonians; she returned to Epirus out of fear of Antipater (Macedonian statesman).
After Antipater’s death, Olympias crossed over from Epirus, ruled for a time, and put Aridæus to death. Not long afterward, Cassander besieged her, and she was betrayed by the multitude.
In Book 5, Chapter 20, ivory-and-gold statues of Olympias and Eurydice were made by Leochares, alongside statues of Philip (son of Amyntas), Alexander (son of Philip), and Amyntas. Book 8, Chapter 7, says that after Philip’s death Olympias killed Cleopatra (niece of Attalus) and her baby boy by placing them over a fire, and subsequently killed Aridæus. In Book 9, Chapter 7, Cassander ordered the Macedonians to stone Olympias to death.
Relationship record
Life events
- Olympias ruled after putting Aridæus to death.(Book 1 · Chapter 25)
- With: Aridæus
- “And after the death of Antipater Olympias crossed over from Epirus and ruled for some time, after putting Aridæus to death”
- Cassander besieged Olympias, who was betrayed by the multitude.(Book 1 · Chapter 25)
- With: Cassander
- “but not long after she was besieged by Cassander, and betrayed by the multitude.”
- Leochares created ivory-and-gold statues of Philip, Alexander, Amyntas, Olympias, and Eurydice.(Book 5 · Chapter 20 · 📍 Altis)
- With: Philip (son of Amyntas) Alexander (son of Philip) Amyntas Leochares Eurydice
- “And there are statues there of Philip, and Alexander, and Amyntas the father of Philip. They are by Leochares in ivory and gold, like the statues of Olympias and Eurydice.”
- Olympias killed Philip’s baby boy and Cleopatra by placing them over a fire.(Book 8 · Chapter 7)
- With: Cleopatra (niece of Attalus)
- “And after the death of Philip his baby boy by Cleopatra the niece of Attalus was put by Olympias with his mother into a brazen vessel over a fire, and so killed.”
- Olympias subsequently killed Aridæus.(Book 8 · Chapter 7)
- With: Aridæus
- “Olympias also subsequently killed Aridæus.”
- Cassander ordered Olympias to be stoned to death.(Book 9 · Chapter 7)
- With: Cassander
- “for he ordered the Macedonians (who were exceedingly angry with her) to stone to death Olympias Alexander’s mother,”
Book 1 · Chapter 11
- child: Alexander (son of Olympias) “For Pyrrhus was the son of Æacides the son of Arybbas, whereas Alexander was the son of Olympias the daughter of Neoptolemus.”
- parent: Neoptolemus “For Pyrrhus was the son of Æacides the son of Arybbas, whereas Alexander was the son of Olympias the daughter of Neoptolemus.”
- with Æacides (loyal ally) “and Æacides, the son of Arybbas, in all respects remained loyal to Olympias, and even joined her in fighting against Aridæus and the Macedonians”
- enemies with Aridæus “joined her in fighting against Aridæus and the Macedonians”
- with Antipater (Macedonian statesman) (Olympias feared Antipater.) “Olympias returned to Epirus from fear of Antipater”
Book 1 · Chapter 25
- with Aridæus (Olympias killed Aridæus.) “after putting Aridæus to death”
- enemies with Cassander (Cassander besieged Olympias.) “not long after she was besieged by Cassander, and betrayed by the multitude”
- enemies with Aridæus “after putting Aridæus to death”
Book 5 · Chapter 20
- with Leochares (Leochares made the statue of Olympias.) “And there are statues there of Philip, and Alexander, and Amyntas the father of Philip. They are by Leochares in ivory and gold, like the statues of Olympias and Eurydice.”
Book 8 · Chapter 7
- with Aridæus (Olympias killed Aridæus.) “Olympias also subsequently killed Aridæus”
Book 9 · Chapter 7
- child: Alexander (son of Olympias) “Olympias Alexander’s mother”
- with Cassander (Cassander ordered Olympias to be stoned to death.) “he ordered the Macedonians (who were exceedingly angry with her) to stone to death Olympias Alexander’s mother”
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Extracted from the original text of Pausanias' Description of Greece. Made with Rho MD.