Cleopatra Eurydice | |
|---|---|
Κλεοπάτρα Εὐρυδίκη | |
| Born | Cleopatra |
| Nationality | Macedonia |
| Spouse(s) | Philip II of Macedon |
| Children |
|
| Relatives | Attalus |
Eurydice (Greek: Εὐρυδίκη), born Cleopatra (Greek: Κλεοπάτρα) was a mid-4th century BC Macedonian noblewoman, niece of Attalus, and last of the seven wives of Philip II of Macedon, but the first with a Macedonian woman.[1][2]
Biography
Cleopatra was a maiden whom Philip married either in 338[3] or 337[4] BC and was his seventh wife.[5] While Cleopatra was Philip's seventh wife she was his first Macedonian wife, and was wed as an alliance between the king and his general, Cleopatra's uncle, Attalus.[2][6] As Philip's wife, Cleopatra was given the name "Eurydice". Although Philip was a polygamist, his marriage to Cleopatra greatly upset Olympias, his fourth wife and the mother of Alexander the Great, and threw Alexander's inheritance into question.[7][8]
According to both Justin[9] and Satyrus,[10] Cleopatra Eurydice and Philip produced two children, Europa, a girl, and Caranus, a boy.[11] Following Philip's assassination, both children were murdered by Olympias, whereupon Cleopatra took her own life.[7][12][13] Peter Green strongly suggests that Alexander ordered the death of Caranus, but that the deaths of Europa and Cleopatra were the result of Olympias's vindictiveness. Attalus would also be killed in the aftermath of this succession.
References
- ^ Green, Peter. Alexander of Macedon 356-323 B.C: A Historical Biography
- ^ a b CARNEY, ELIZABETH (2019-12-03). "Alexander the Great's warrior mom wielded unprecedented power". History Magazine. Retrieved 2020-09-22.
- ^ Green, Peter. Alexander of Macedon 356-323 B.C: A Historical Biography
- ^ Tarn
- ^ Plutarch, The Life of Alexander, 9
- ^ Bogdan, Stan Alexandru. "Alexandru cel Mare-lord al războiului şi cuceritor al orientului". www.historia.ro (in Romanian). Retrieved 2020-09-22.
- ^ a b D’Angelo, Ed (2020-09-01). The Handy Western Philosophy Answer Book: The Ancient Greek Influence on Modern Understanding. Visible Ink Press. ISBN 978-1-57859-726-0.
- ^ Tritle, Lawrence A. (2011-09-19). Heckel, Waldemar (ed.). Alexander the Great: A New History. John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 978-1-4443-6015-8.
- ^ Junianus Justinus, Epitome of Pompeius Trogus, ix. 7
- ^ Satyrus of Athens (13.557e)
- ^ William Woodthorpe Tarn ignores Europa entirely and disputes even the existence of Caranus.
- ^ Pausanias, Description of Greece, viii. 7. 7; Justin, ibid.; Plutarch, Parallel Lives, "Alexander" x. 4
- ^ Green, Peter (1998-06-25). Classical Bearings: Interpreting Ancient History and Culture. University of California Press. ISBN 978-0-520-20811-7.
Notes
- Green, Peter; Alexander of Macedon: 356-323 B.C. A Historical Biography; Berkeley & Los Angeles; University of California Press; 1991.