Eurydice (wife of Antipater II of Macedon)
Encyclopedia
Eurydice was a Greek
Princess who was of Macedonian
and Thessalian
descent.
She was the first daughter and second child born to the diadochus
who was King of Thrace
, Asia Minor
and Macedonia
, Lysimachus
from his first wife the Queen consort
, Nicaea of Macedon. Eurydice had one older brother called Agathocles
and a younger sister called Arsinoe. Her paternal grandfather was Agathocles of Pella
a nobleman who was a contemporary to King Philip II of Macedon
who reigned 359 BC-336 BC, while her maternal grandfather was the powerful Regent
Antipater
.
Eurydice was named in honor of her maternal aunt Eurydice of Egypt
, another daughter of Antipater, who was one of the wives of the Greek Pharaoh Ptolemy I Soter
. The name Eurydice, is a dynastic name of the Argead dynasty
(see Eurydice
-Historical women). The name also reveals her relations to the Argead dynasty as her maternal grandfather and her maternal great-uncle Cassander
were distant collateral relatives to the Argead dynasty.
At an unknown date, Lysimachus renamed the city Smyrna
to Eurydiceia in honor of Eurydice, an innovation that did not last long. Lysimachus issued coinage depicting Eurydice on the obverse as a veiled woman, although Eurydice never owned nor had any control of the city. Little is known on her life prior to marrying.
Lysimachus gave Eurydice to marry her maternal cousin Antipater
, the son of the rulers of Macedonia, Cassander
and Thessalonike. Eurydice’s marriage to Antipater, thereby extended into the next generation the historical link between Thrace and Macedonia. In her life, Eurydice was a participant in the never ending conflict over control over Macedonia in the generations after the death of Alexander the Great.
Antipater was co-King of Macedonia from 297 BC-294 BC and through marriage, she became a Queen consort
. On the death of her maternal uncle, Thessalonike divided the kingdom into two: one part to be ruled by Antipater’s oldest brother Alexander V
and his wife Lysandra
and the other part to be ruled by Antipater and Eurydice. Alexander V wanted the whole kingdom to rule for himself and had his mother killed.
Alexander V appealed to Demetrius I Poliorcetes
for help. When Demetrius I arrived with his troops he had Alexander V murdered and drove out Antipater and Eurydice out of Macedonia. Demetrius I then made himself master of Macedonia. Eurydice and Antipater returned to her father and his wife Arsinoe II. Lysimachus made peace with Demetrius I, which resulted in Antipater quarrelling with Lysimachus about his Macedonian inheritance and Lysimachus had put Antipater to death. Eurydice siding with her cousin-husband was put into prison by her father and probably died there.
Greeks
The Greeks, also known as the Hellenes , are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighboring regions. They also form a significant diaspora, with Greek communities established around the world....
Princess who was of Macedonian
Macedonia (Greece)
Macedonia is a geographical and historical region of Greece in Southern Europe. Macedonia is the largest and second most populous Greek region...
and Thessalian
Thessaly
Thessaly is a traditional geographical region and an administrative region of Greece, comprising most of the ancient region of the same name. Before the Greek Dark Ages, Thessaly was known as Aeolia, and appears thus in Homer's Odyssey....
descent.
She was the first daughter and second child born to the diadochus
Diadochi
The Diadochi were the rival generals, family and friends of Alexander the Great who fought for the control of Alexander's empire after his death in 323 BC...
who was King of Thrace
Thrace
Thrace is a historical and geographic area in southeast Europe. As a geographical concept, Thrace designates a region bounded by the Balkan Mountains on the north, Rhodope Mountains and the Aegean Sea on the south, and by the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara on the east...
, Asia Minor
Anatolia
Anatolia is a geographic and historical term denoting the westernmost protrusion of Asia, comprising the majority of the Republic of Turkey...
and Macedonia
Macedonia (Greece)
Macedonia is a geographical and historical region of Greece in Southern Europe. Macedonia is the largest and second most populous Greek region...
, Lysimachus
Lysimachus
Lysimachus was a Macedonian officer and diadochus of Alexander the Great, who became a basileus in 306 BC, ruling Thrace, Asia Minor and Macedon.-Early Life & Career:...
from his first wife the Queen consort
Queen consort
A queen consort is the wife of a reigning king. A queen consort usually shares her husband's rank and holds the feminine equivalent of the king's monarchical titles. Historically, queens consort do not share the king regnant's political and military powers. Most queens in history were queens consort...
, Nicaea of Macedon. Eurydice had one older brother called Agathocles
Agathocles (son of Lysimachus)
Agathocles was a Greek Prince who was of Macedonian and Thessalian descent. He was the son born to the diadochus Lysimachus from his first wife the Queen consort, Nicaea a daughter of the powerful regent Antipater...
and a younger sister called Arsinoe. Her paternal grandfather was Agathocles of Pella
Agathocles of Pella
Agathocles was a Greek nobleman who was a contemporary to King Philip II of Macedon who reigned 359 BC-336 BC.Agathocles was a Thessalian Serf from Crannon. His father’s name may have been Alcimachus. It was through his flattery, that Agathocles became an intimate friend of Philip II.Philip II...
a nobleman who was a contemporary to King Philip II of Macedon
Philip II of Macedon
Philip II of Macedon "friend" + ἵππος "horse" — transliterated ; 382 – 336 BC), was a king of Macedon from 359 BC until his assassination in 336 BC. He was the father of Alexander the Great and Philip III.-Biography:...
who reigned 359 BC-336 BC, while her maternal grandfather was the powerful Regent
Regent
A regent, from the Latin regens "one who reigns", is a person selected to act as head of state because the ruler is a minor, not present, or debilitated. Currently there are only two ruling Regencies in the world, sovereign Liechtenstein and the Malaysian constitutive state of Terengganu...
Antipater
Antipater
Antipater was a Macedonian general and a supporter of kings Philip II of Macedon and Alexander the Great. In 320 BC, he became Regent of all of Alexander's Empire. Antipater was one of the sons of a Macedonian nobleman called Iollas or Iolaus and his family were distant collateral relatives to the...
.
Eurydice was named in honor of her maternal aunt Eurydice of Egypt
Eurydice of Egypt
Eurydice was daughter of Antipater and wife of Ptolemy, the son of Lagus. The period of her marriage is not mentioned by any ancient writer, but it is probable that it took place shortly after the partition of Triparadisus, and the appointment of Antipater to the regency, 321 BC. She was the...
, another daughter of Antipater, who was one of the wives of the Greek Pharaoh Ptolemy I Soter
Ptolemy I Soter
Ptolemy I Soter I , also known as Ptolemy Lagides, c. 367 BC – c. 283 BC, was a Macedonian general under Alexander the Great, who became ruler of Egypt and founder of both the Ptolemaic Kingdom and the Ptolemaic Dynasty...
. The name Eurydice, is a dynastic name of the Argead dynasty
Argead dynasty
The Argead dynasty was an ancient Greek royal house. They were the ruling dynasty of Macedonia from about 700 to 310 BC. Their tradition, as described in ancient Greek historiography, traced their origins to Argos, in southern Greece...
(see Eurydice
Eurydice (disambiguation)
Eurydice is the wife of the musician OrpheusEurydice may also refer to:-Greek Mythology:* Eurydice of Thebes, wife of Creon and mother of Haemon, Menoeceus and Megara* Eurydice of Argos, wife of King Acrisius and mother of Danae...
-Historical women). The name also reveals her relations to the Argead dynasty as her maternal grandfather and her maternal great-uncle Cassander
Cassander (brother of Antipater)
Cassander was a Greek Macedonian nobleman that lived in the 4th century BC.Cassander was the son of Iolaus by an unnamed mother and brother of the powerful Regent and general Antipater. Cassander’s family were distant collateral relatives to the Argead dynasty...
were distant collateral relatives to the Argead dynasty.
At an unknown date, Lysimachus renamed the city Smyrna
Smyrna
Smyrna was an ancient city located at a central and strategic point on the Aegean coast of Anatolia. Thanks to its advantageous port conditions, its ease of defence and its good inland connections, Smyrna rose to prominence. The ancient city is located at two sites within modern İzmir, Turkey...
to Eurydiceia in honor of Eurydice, an innovation that did not last long. Lysimachus issued coinage depicting Eurydice on the obverse as a veiled woman, although Eurydice never owned nor had any control of the city. Little is known on her life prior to marrying.
Lysimachus gave Eurydice to marry her maternal cousin Antipater
Antipater II of Macedon
Antipater II of Macedon , was the son of Cassander and Thessalonike of Macedon, who was a half-sister of Alexander the Great. He was king of Macedon from 297 BC until 294 BC, jointly with his brother Alexander V. Eventually, he murdered his mother and ousted his brother from the throne...
, the son of the rulers of Macedonia, Cassander
Cassander
Cassander , King of Macedonia , was a son of Antipater, and founder of the Antipatrid dynasty...
and Thessalonike. Eurydice’s marriage to Antipater, thereby extended into the next generation the historical link between Thrace and Macedonia. In her life, Eurydice was a participant in the never ending conflict over control over Macedonia in the generations after the death of Alexander the Great.
Antipater was co-King of Macedonia from 297 BC-294 BC and through marriage, she became a Queen consort
Queen consort
A queen consort is the wife of a reigning king. A queen consort usually shares her husband's rank and holds the feminine equivalent of the king's monarchical titles. Historically, queens consort do not share the king regnant's political and military powers. Most queens in history were queens consort...
. On the death of her maternal uncle, Thessalonike divided the kingdom into two: one part to be ruled by Antipater’s oldest brother Alexander V
Alexander V of Macedon
Alexander V of Macedon was the third and youngest son of Cassander and Thessalonica of Macedon, who was a half-sister of Alexander the Great. He ruled as King of Macedon along with his brother Antipater from 297 to 294 BC...
and his wife Lysandra
Lysandra
Lysandra was a daughter of Ptolemy I Soter and Eurydice, a daughter of Antipater....
and the other part to be ruled by Antipater and Eurydice. Alexander V wanted the whole kingdom to rule for himself and had his mother killed.
Alexander V appealed to Demetrius I Poliorcetes
Demetrius I of Macedon
Demetrius I , called Poliorcetes , son of Antigonus I Monophthalmus and Stratonice, was a king of Macedon...
for help. When Demetrius I arrived with his troops he had Alexander V murdered and drove out Antipater and Eurydice out of Macedonia. Demetrius I then made himself master of Macedonia. Eurydice and Antipater returned to her father and his wife Arsinoe II. Lysimachus made peace with Demetrius I, which resulted in Antipater quarrelling with Lysimachus about his Macedonian inheritance and Lysimachus had put Antipater to death. Eurydice siding with her cousin-husband was put into prison by her father and probably died there.
Sources
- Ptolemaic Genealogy: Arsinoe I
- Ptolemaic Dynasty-Affiliated Lines: The Antipatrids
- Lysimachus’ article at Livius.org
- H. Bengtson, Griechische Geschichte von den Anfängen bis in die römische Kaiserzeit, C.H.Beck, 1977
- H.S. Lund, Lysimachus: A Study in Early Hellenistic Kingship, Routledge, 2002
- F. Chamoux, Hellenistic civilization, John Wiley & Sons, 2003
- W. Heckel, Who’s who in the age of Alexander the Great: prosopography of Alexander’s empire, Wiley-Blackwell, 2006
- M. Lightman & B. Lightman, A to Z of ancient Greek and Roman women (Google eBook), Infobase Publishing, 2007