Alexander the Great is a figure of such historic importance it can be easy to forget where he came from. His father, Philip II, makes himself known by his own achievements. But what about his mother, Olympias?

Dynamic, ruthless, and determined; by force of personality, and the fact that the crown prince of ancient Macedonia was her son, Olympias did her utmost to bend the world to her will.

In this episode of Spearpoint, Malcolm and Frances explore Olympias’ origins, her relationship with Alexander after the beginning of his war against the Persian Empire, and what part she played in Alexander’s understanding of his divinity. They also look at whether Olympias conspired to assassinate Philip II and what happened to her after Alexander’s death in 323 BCE. From court politics to clashing personalities; power struggles and assassinations, Olympias’ life has it all.

Resources

on-line texts for the Alexander Historians:

Arrian

Curtius

Diodorus

Plutarch

Justin

About Malcolm and Frances

Malcolm spends his days with his head in books and his heart in faraway lands, especially ones conquered by Alexander. When he looks at maps of Alexander’s empire, his go-to response remains “Crikey”.

Frances is an academic who specialises in Hellenistic numismatics. She is currently writing a novel about Alexander’s first wife, Roxane, bringing life to the woman who existed in the shadow of a man who was larger than life.

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Malcolm

Instagram: @thesecondachilles

Facebook: @alexander.of.macedon

Frances

Instagram: @futuristichistorian

Email: spearpointatg@gmail.com

Intro + Outro Music

Epic by Hot_Dope (pixabay.com)

Audio Engineer: Renee LeBoeuf, Green Frog Productions, LLC, Seattle WA

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