Chapter twelve

The Plight of Alexander’s Family

The fate of Alexander’s close relatives following his death is not a fortu- nate one. Accounts seem to reveal parallelisms in some details with the accounts on Darius’ family, thus bringing the matter within the scope of this study. The period after Alexander’s death is one of turmoil and warfare, mainly among his generals. In the succession battles in Asia, Peucesteus, satrap of Persia, and Eumenes, Alexander’s trusted general, are support- ers of Alexander’s heirs: his son Alexander by Roxane—born after his father’s death—and Arrhidaeus Alexander’s half-brother. The two heirs are referred to as ‘the kings’ in the sources. Eventually the generals are defeated by Antigonus and Eumenes is killed.1 Antigonus gains control of Media and its treasury and moves to Persia and its capital Persepolis—c. 316 BC2—where he is received as the king “by the inhabitants as if he were the acknowledged lord of Asia”.3 Seemingly Peucesteus is still the satrap, for it is only later that we hear of his removal.4 Antigonus redistributes the satrapies,5 which previously—c. 321 BC—had been assigned by Antipater on the authority of his being elected guard- ian of the kings by Macedonians and had taken the kings with him to Macedonia.6 However, by 317 BC Alexander’s son and wife are with his mother Olympias, who has killed Alexander’s half-brother and his wife and seems to rule Macedonia and be at war with Cassander,7 Alexander’s Greek gen- eral and associate.8 Olympias appoints a general to fight Cassander and herself goes to Pydna accompanied by Roxane, Alexander’s wife, his son

1 Diodorus XIX. 37–44; Justin XIV. IV. 2 Diodorus XIX. 45. 1–6. 3 Diodorus XIX. 48. 1. 4 Diodorus XIX. 48. 5. 5 Diodorus XIX. 48. 2. 6 Diodorus XVIII. 39. 3–7. 7 Diodorus XIX. 35. 1–4. 8 Cf. Plutarch, Alexander 74. 1–4. 164 chapter twelve

Alexander IV, a half-sister of Alexander and a score of other noble ladies and some of her other kinsfolk, characterized as “a large number of per- sons, but persons for the most part useless in war”.9 The siege of Pydna by Cassander—winter of 316 BC—is described in moving and tragic tones, with animals and humans experiencing starva- tion and slow death.10 In Spring many of the soldiers ask Olympias for permission to leave and are received warmly in Cassander’s camp.11 Few remain loyal to Olympias,12 who is soon forced to surrender.13 Cassander leaves the decision about her life to the relatives of those whom she had slain, while urging them to condemn her. They follow his orders and with Olympias absent from the trial, the Macedonians condemn her to death.14 Yet Cassander plays another trick. In trying to further disrepute Olympias, he encourages her to escape, having arranged for her death on the voy- age. Olympias refuses the offer, announcing that she is ready to be judged before all the Macedonians. In fear of such an outcome and the risk of her reminding the Macedonians of the benefits conferred by Alexander and Philip, Cassander sends 200 soldiers to slay her. They break into the royal house but, in facing her, are awed by her exalted rank and fail to accomplish their appointed task.15 However, she is finally murdered by the relatives of her victims.16 Cassander has royal aspirations of his own over Macedonia, and towards this goal marries Thessalonice, Alexander’s half-sister.17 His intentions are to do away with Alexander’s son and wife in order to secure his own claim. But for now he finds it prudent to merely place them in custody at the citadel of Amphipolis under the command of a trusted henchman. At the same time removing all the royal trappings of the boy Alexander and ordering “that he should no longer have royal treatment but only such as was proper for any ordinary person of private station”.18

9 Diodorus XIX. 35. 5; Justin XIV. VI; it is interesting to compare this account with the reports on the presence of Achaemenid royal women and children in battlefield; see Cur- tius III. 3. 22 f.; and see chapter I on the Plight of the Royal Achaemenid Women. 10 Diodorus XIX. 49. 1–4. 11 Diodorus XIX. 50. 1–2. 12 Diodorus XIX. 50. 3. 13 Diodorus XIX. 50. 5. 14 Diodorus XIX. 51. 1–2; for her cruelties see Diodorus 19. 11. 4–9. 15 Diodorus XIX. 51. 3–5. 16 Diodorus XIX. 51. 5; Justin XIV. VI; Pausanias IX. 7. 2. 17 Diodorus XIX. 52. 1. 18 Diodorus XIX. 52. 4.