Cleopatra of Macedon facts for kids

Cleopatra of Macedonia (Greek: Κλεοπάτρα της Μακεδονίας; born around 355/354 BC – died 308 BC) was an ancient Macedonian princess. She later became the queen regent of Epirus. She was the daughter of Philip II of Macedon and Olympias of Epirus. Cleopatra was the only full sister of the famous Alexander the Great. She also had half-sisters, Thessalonike and Cynane, and a half-brother, Philip III of Macedon.

Early Life and Royal Wedding

Cleopatra grew up in Pella, cared for by her mother. In 338 BC, her mother, Olympias, went into exile in Epirus. She went with her brother Alexander I of Epirus, who was Cleopatra's uncle. Cleopatra's brother Alexander also went to Illyria. Cleopatra stayed in Pella with her father, King Philip II.

To make a strong alliance, King Philip decided to offer Cleopatra's hand in marriage to her uncle, Alexander I. A grand wedding was held in 336 BC at Aegae in Macedon. During the celebrations, King Philip II was sadly murdered.

Queen of Epirus

Right after her father's death, Cleopatra and her husband-uncle, Alexander I, returned to Epirus. They soon had two children: a son named Neoptolemus II of Epirus and a daughter named Cadmeia. Cleopatra and her brother Alexander the Great stayed in touch while he was conquering lands to the east. In 332 BC, Alexander sent treasures home to both his mother and his sister.

In 334 BC, Cleopatra's husband, Alexander I, traveled across the Adriatic Sea to the Italian peninsula. He went there to fight against several tribes, like the Lucanians and Bruttii. He was helping the Greek colony of Taras. This left Cleopatra in charge as the regent of Epirus.

Cleopatra as Regent

As regent, Cleopatra was involved in important matters, like managing grain supplies. During a time of widespread food shortage around 334 BC, she received a large amount of grain from Cyrene, Libya. She then sent the extra grain to Corinth.

Alexander I conquered some cities in Italy, but he was killed in battle in 331 BC. Their son, Neoptolemus, was too young to rule. So, Cleopatra continued to rule Epirus. It was a custom in Epirus for a woman to become the head of the family if her husband died and their son was too young. This was different from other parts of Greece. It made sense for the powerful queen to take control. When her husband died, even Athens sent people to offer their condolences.

Religious Leader

Cleopatra also seemed to be the religious leader for the people of Molossia. Her name appeared on a list of Theorodokoi, who were "welcomers of sacred ambassadors." This list was for a newly formed Epirote alliance. Cleopatra was the only woman on this important list. Being an official welcomer allowed her to know what was happening across Greece.

Marriage Proposals and Later Life

After her brother Alexander the Great died, many of his generals wanted to marry Cleopatra. They believed marrying Alexander's sister would make them more powerful among the Macedonians.

Leonnatus's Proposal

Leonnatus was the first general to seek her hand. He claimed he had a written promise of marriage from Cleopatra if he came to Pella. Cleopatra had offered this because she thought Leonnatus had the ambition and skill to overthrow the new king, Philip III of Macedon, who was not fit to rule. However, Leonnatus was killed in battle before he could arrive for the wedding, so it never happened.

Other Suitors

Next, Perdiccas tried to marry her, but he was not successful. After Perdiccas died, Cassander, Lysimachus, and Antigonus all wanted to marry Cleopatra. However, she refused all their offers. She then escaped to Sardis, where Antigonus kept her for many years in a kind of honorable captivity.

While in Sardis, an interesting event happened. Antipater publicly accused Cleopatra of being involved in her half-sister Cynane's death with Perdiccas. Cleopatra did not give in easily and fought back against the accusation.

Assassination

Eventually, Cleopatra agreed to marry Ptolemy. But before the wedding could happen, she was captured. She was brought back to Sardis and was assassinated in 308 BC. It is believed that Antigonus ordered her death. Even though he later executed the assassins and gave her a beautiful funeral, he knew she was too powerful to be left alive.

See also

In Spanish: Cleopatra de Macedonia para niños