OLYM'PIAS (Lat., front Gk. 'OXyarvisl. The wife of Phil ip 1L, King of Macedonia. daughter of Neoptolemus I., King of Epirus, and mother of Alexander the Great. She was married to Philip in n.e. 359. When Philip, after neglecting her, separated from her and married Cleopatra, niece of Attains (n.e. 337), she from Macedonia and went to reside with her brother Alexander, King of Epirus. It is gen erally believed that she was implicated to a greater or less degree in the assassination of Philip (me. 336). After Philip's death she returned to Macedonia, where she enjoyed great influence under Alexander and helped to bring about the death of Cleopatra and her infant daughter. After the death of Alexander (il.c. 323) she again withdrew from Macedonia to Epirus, where she stayed several years. until the death, in B.C. 319, of Antipater, who had been at the head of affairs in Macedonia, brought her a new opportunity to assert her pretensions to the Macedonian throne. Joining forces with the new regent, Polysperebon, she invaded Macedonia and in rs.c. 317 defeated Arrhidtens, the weak
minded stepbrother and successor of Alexander, and his wife. Eurydice, both of whom she caused to be put to death. Being in power, she followed up her vengeance and executed whole sale slaughter on the Macedonian nobles who had shown themselves hostile to her. Thereupon Cassander (q.v.), her principal adversary, who had previously been in alliance with Eurydice and whose brother Niennor was one of those put to death by Olympias, marched northward from the Peloponnesus, forced her to take refuge in Pydna, and there besieged her throughout the winter. In the spring of il.c. 316 she was at length compelled to surrender, and was immedi ately after put to death. Olympias was a woman of fierce and ungovernable passions. jealous, am bitious, and cruel. but having withal something of the spirit and impetuosity of her sou Alex ander.