Olympias(fl. fourth century B.C.E.)Royal woman of
Macedonia
She was the wife of King Philip II and the mother of
ALEXANDER III THE GREAT(r. 332–323 B.C.E.). Olympias
was the daughter of Neoptolemus, the king of Epirus,
and originally named Myrtale. Her name was probably
changed when Philip II was victorious at the Olympic
games in 356 B.C.E.
Philip II insulted Olympias when he also married
Cleopatra, a noble Macedonian woman, and Olympias
returned to Epirus in a rage. When she heard of her hus-
band’s assassination, however, she returned to be at
Alexander’s side. Cleopatra and her infant son were mur-
dered upon Olympias’s return to Pella, the Macedonian
capital. Alexander, however, set out quickly to conquer
Asia, and Olympias, feeling rejected, returned to Epirus
once again.
Alexander’s death in 332 B.C.E. led to an invitation
to Olympias to act as regent for her grandson, ALEXAN-
DER IV. She declined at first but then in 317 B.C.E.
installed PHILIP III ARRHIDAEUSas the ruler. With the
support of the military, Olympias put Philip, his wife,
and his supporters to death. As a result, Olympias was
condemned and slain.
The Egyptians took note of her death, remembering
the popular tale that had circulated when Alexander the
Great entered the Nile Valley. The Egyptians had spread
the word that Olympias had been seduced by NECTANEBO
II(r. 360–343 B.C.E.) during one of his visits to the region
of Macedonia and had given birth to Alexander the Great
as a result of their affair.
Omari, el- A site dating to the Predynastic Period
(before 3000 B.C.E.), near TUREHin the southern suburb
of modern Cairo, El-Omari was located at the WADI HAWI,
or Wadi Haf, between Cairo and HALWAN. Two Predynas-
tic cultures have been demonstrated there: A (contempo-
raneous with Amratian) and B (associated with Gerzean).
The Omari culture dates to the Early Dynastic Period
(2920–2575 B.C.E.).
Ombos A site south of KOPTOSon the western shore
of the Nile. The Egyptians called the area Nubti, the
Golden, because of the number of gold mines there.
Ombos was inhabited from the Predynastic Period
(before 3000 B.C.E.), and the god SETwas the local
patron. A temple discovered at Ombos once rivaled the
DENDEREHshrine of HATHOR. This shrine was dedicated
to the gods SOBEKand Haroeris. In the Ptolemaic Period
(304–30 B.C.E.), Ombos was the capital of a separate
nome, Ombites.
See also EGYPTIAN NATURAL RESOURCES.
On See HELIOPOLIS.
onions A favorite vegetable in all historical periods but
used from the Twentieth Dynasty (1196–1070 B.C.E.) to
the Twenty-second Dynasty (945–712 B.C.E.) as mummi-
fication substances, onions were placed in COFFINSand
wrapped into the linens of the mummified remains.
Onions were also placed inside of mummies in their chest
and pelvic cavities, stuffed into ears, and even used as
artificial eyes in some eras.
See also MORTUARY RITUALS.Onouphis See A’A-NEFER.Onouris See ANHUR.“on the bricks” This was an ancient Egyptian term
used to designate a woman in the act of giving birth.
Expectant mothers who were nearing labor were placed
on low stoops made of mud bricks to aid the process.
These brick seats forced the women to assume a crouch-
ing position, thus aiding the birth. The goddess
MESKHENT, a patron of childbearing, was depicted as a
woman’s head rising out of mud bricks.Opet This was originally the name of the ancient god-
dess who was patroness of the southern district of
THEBES, and then used to designate the entire area of the
city that was used for a special shrine to the god AMUN.
Opet was linked to the massive religious compound of
KARNAKin LUXORin annual observances and cultic cere-
monies. The popular Feast of Opet was the first divine
commemoration of each year from the start of the New
Kingdom (1550 B.C.E.) and was held on the 18th day of
the second month, which is calculated as mid-August on
modern calendars. RAMESSES III (r. 1194–1163 B.C.E.)
added to the splendor of the celebrations, which contin-
ued until mid-September.
The entire population took part, with Egyptians trav-
eling from distant towns and cities to join in the festivi-
ties. Dancers, bands, singers, wrestlers, and other
performers staged events around the religious proces-
sions. These observances date to the early historical peri-
ods in THEBES in various forms, but HATSHEPSUT (r.
1473–1458 B.C.E.) instituted the most famous version of
the feast, and that form was maintained until the Twenty-
fifth Dynasty (712–657 B.C.E.). During the celebrations
the deity Amun and accompanying gods were carried in
gilded sedans to great cedarwood barges that were
moored at the Nile piers. These barges were large and
plated in gold, with jeweled adornments. The barge of
Amun was called “Mighty of Prow.” Smaller portable
shrines, called barks, were also paraded through the
streets, accompanied by priests. ORACLE statues were
taken on these shrines to the people, so that interviews
could be offered personally.Opet 287