Olympias

Olympias (Ancient Greek: Ὀλυμπιάς; c. 375–316 BC) was an ancient Greek princess of the Molossians, the eldest daughter of King Neoptolemus I of Epirus, and the sister of Alexander I of Epirus. She became well known as the mother of Alexander the Great by Philip II, king of Macedonia. Her role in Alexander's life was very important, and she was seen as a leader in Macedonia while he was on his adventures across the known world.

Because Olympias was very powerful and influential, she played a big part in helping shape the future of Alexander’s empire. After Alexander the Great died, there were big disagreements about who should rule next. Olympias supported her grandson, Alexander IV, and worked hard to make sure he had a place in the line to be king. She won some battles, including against Adea Eurydice, but later she was defeated by Cassander. Sadly, both she and her grandson did not live to see the empire they hoped to guide.

Origin

Olympias was born around 375 BC in Passaron, in modern Epirus, Greece. She was the eldest daughter of Neoptolemus I, king of the Molossians, an ancient Greek tribe. Her family, the Aeacidae, was well-respected and claimed to be descended from the hero Achilles.

Olympias had a brother named Alexander I of Epirus and a sister named Troas. Before marrying Philip II of Macedon, she was known by different names, including Polyxena and Myrtale. The name Olympias may have come from Philip's victory in the Olympic Games in 356 BC, which happened around the time she gave birth to Alexander the Great.

Queen of Macedonia

When Neoptolemus I died in 360 BC, his brother Arybbas became king of the Molossians. In 358 BC, Arybbas made an alliance with Philip II, the king of Macedonia, by marrying his niece, Olympias, to Philip. This marriage helped strengthen the bond between the Molossians and the Macedonians.

In 356 BC, Philip’s horse won the Olympic Games, and his wife was named Olympias in honor of the games. That same year, she had her first child, Alexander. Later, she and Philip also had a daughter named Cleopatra. Their marriage faced challenges over time, especially when Philip married another woman. After Philip’s death, Olympias returned to Macedonia.

Alexander's reign and the Wars of the Diadochi

After the death of Philip II, Olympias was said to have helped secure her son Alexander’s position as king of Macedonia. During Alexander’s time as a ruler, she stayed in touch with him and may have supported his claim that his father was the god Zeus rather than Philip. Although Alexander tried to keep her away from politics, she still had a lot of influence in Macedonia and created problems for the regent, Antipater.

When Alexander the Great passed away in Babylon in 323 BC, his wife Roxana gave birth to their son, Alexander IV. After Alexander’s death, a group of leaders known as the Diadochi fought over who should rule. Olympias later joined forces with one of these leaders, Polyperchon, to oppose another leader, Cassander, because she feared for her grandson’s claim to the throne. Eventually, Olympias was captured and faced a difficult end, with different stories told about how she died.

Iconography

A medal with the name "Olympias" was found in 1902 in Abu Qir, Egypt, dating from AD 225–250. It is kept in the Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki. On one side of the medal is a picture of a sea creature with a figure called a Nereid on it. Some people thought this medal might show Queen Olympias, but others disagree. The name on the medal likely refers to the Olympiads instead.

In popular culture

Olympias has been featured in many books, films, and TV shows. In the 1956 film Alexander the Great, she was portrayed by French actress Danielle Darrieux. Famous actress Angelina Jolie played Olympias in the 2004 film Alexander, starring alongside Colin Farrell as Alexander and Val Kilmer as Philip.

She also appears in several novels, including works by Mary Renault and Valerio Massimo Manfredi, and is a character in the Indian series Porus. Olympias was even included in the comedy show Horrible Histories in a fun skit called "Made in Macedonia."