Antipater behind in apparent control of the
Greek peninsula. Olympias remained in Mace-
donia and Alexander’s sister Cleopatra, still
married to her uncle, resided in Molossia.
Fighting for Influence
As Alexander’s victories accumulated, Alex-
ander sent plunder home to Olympias, and she
made splendid dedications in his honor at Del-
phi and Athens. Tradition says that she offered
advice to her son while he was away and warned
him of threats. Chief among those was Antipater.
Antipater, meanwhile, was also complaining to
Alexander, with equal vehemence, about Olym-
pias. Each seems to have thought that the other
was overstepping their position. Ancient authors
describe Olympias as difficult and assertive and
insist that Alexander tolerated his mother but
did not let her affect policy. At least not at first;
toward the end of his reign it was different.
By 330 quarrels with Antipater forced Olym-
pias to retreat to Molossia. Olympias was a grand-
mother now: Her daughter Cleopatra had borne
a son and daughter. Around 334 Cleopatra’s hus-
band left for a military expedition to Italy and died
there. Cleopatra served as guardian and prob-
ably as regent for her young son, possibly sharing
power with Olympias.
Meanwhile, Antipater’s relationship with
Alexander deteriorated, and by 325, after
Alexander’s return from India, rebellion began
to spread in Alexander’s realms. Seizing the
moment, Olympias and Cleopatra formed a
faction against Antipater. Plutarch claimed
that they divided rule between them, with
Olympias taking Epirus, and Cleopatra
Macedonia, but the true details of this ar-
rangement remain unclear.
According to Plutarch, Alexander congratu-
lated his mother on having made the betterOF QUEEN OLYMPIAS
WHOSE MAGICAL PLOTS BEWITCHED ITS MEDIEVAL READERSHIP.
Birth and Murder
During Olympias’s labor, Nectanebo predicts the child, who is
born with golden hair, will be a world conqueror. The sorcerer
stays on at court, teaching the young boy astronomy. One
day, Alexander pushes him into a pit to kill him. Before he dies,
Nectanebo confesses his relationship to the boy. Alexander,
remorseful at having killed his father, recounts the story to
Olympias, who now discovers she has been tricked.Falcons and Dragons
Nectanebo reveals to Philip, who is away at war, that his wife
has become pregnant in his absence. The sorcerer sends him
a falcon, which reveals to the king a vision in which his wife is
lying with a godlike figure. Philip returns home to discover his
wife is pregnant. While the couple are attending a banquet,
Nectanebo appears as a dragon and kisses her hand. Philip is
now convinced that his child has been fathered by a god.
THE NEWBORN ALEXANDER IS HELD BY ATTENDANTS, WHILE OLYMPIAS RECOVERS IN BED,
DETAIL OF A LATE 15TH-CENTURY FLEMISH MINIATURE. BRITISH LIBRARY, LONDONDISGUISED AS A DRAGON, NECTANEBO APPEARS TO OLYMPIAS AT A BANQUET AS HER
HUSBAND PHILIP II LOOKS ON. EARLY 15TH-CENTURY MINIATURE, NATIONAL LIBRARY, PARIS
RMN-GRAND PALAIS AKG/ALBUM
A CLOSE BOND
A cameo of Olympias
and Alexander
(below) was
carved in the fourth
century b.c. from
sardonyx, a colorful
gemstone. National
Archaeological
Museum, Florence
PHOTOAISA