Queen Cleopatra of Macedonia was the daughter of King Philip II of Macedonia. Her full brother was King Alexander the Great. Queen Cleopatra of Macedonia was the queen consort to her uncle, King Alexander I of Epirus. While her husband waged war in Italy, Queen Cleopatra of Macedonia became queen regent.[1] After her husband’s death, Queen Cleopatra of Macedonia co-ruled Epirus with her mother, Queen Olympias.[2] After King Alexander the Great’s death, Queen Cleopatra of Macedonia lost her power.[3] She quickly became a very vulnerable woman and was a political liability.[4]
In circa 356 B.C.E., Queen Cleopatra of Macedonia was born.[5] She was the daughter of King Philip II of Macedonia and Queen Olympias. Her full brother was Prince Alexander the Great. Her half-brother was Prince Philip III of Macedonia. Her half-sisters were Princess Cynane and Princess Thessalonike.
In October 336 B.C.E., King Philip II of Macedonia arranged for Princess Cleopatra of Macedonia to marry her maternal uncle, King Alexander I of Epirus.[6] During the wedding ceremony, King Philip II of Macedonia was murdered by Pausanias of Orestes.[7] King Philip II’s assassination allowed for Queen Cleopatra of Macedonia’s brother, Alexander, to become the next King of Macedonia.[8] Immediately after the assassination, King Alexander I of Epirus and Queen Cleopatra of Macedonia moved to Epirus.[9]
Queen Cleopatra of Macedonia bore King Alexander I of Epirus two children, Neoptolemus II of Epirus and Cadmeia.[10] In 334 B.C.E., King Alexander I of Epirus embarked on a fatal military campaign in Italy.[11] During that time, Queen Cleopatra of Macedonia became regent of Epirus.[12] King Alexander I of Epirus was killed in battle in 331 B.C.E.[13] Shortly after King Alexander I of Epirus’s death, Queen Olympias returned to Epirus to live with her daughter.[14] Modern historian Elizabeth Carney believed that both Queen Cleopatra of Macedonia and Queen Olympias formed a political alliance and co-ruled Epirus.[15] In 330 B.C.E., Queen Cleopatra of Macedonia shipped grain from Corinth.[16] Queen Cleopatra of Macedonia and Queen Olympias’s personal names appear on the list of grain recipients from Cyrene.[17] The use of personal names in state affairs was strictly reserved for male rulers.[18] Therefore, this suggests that both Queen Cleopatra of Macedonia and Queen Olympias were recognised as heads of state.[19] Elizabeth Carney also believed that both Queen Cleopatra of Macedonia and Queen Olympias worked together for King Alexander the Great’s interests.[20]
After circa 330 B.C.E., Queen Cleopatra of Macedonia returned to Macedonia while her mother, Queen Olympias, remained in Epirus.[21] Elizabeth Carney believed that this was for Queen Cleopatra of Macedonia to curb the rising influence of General Antipater.[22] Elizabeth Carney also believed that Queen Cleopatra of Macedonia was King Alexander the Great’s closest sibling.[23] He sent her the spoils of his siege in Gaza.[24] She even interceded with him on behalf of Dionysus (the tyrant of Heracleia).[25] Therefore, they both maintained a successful alliance.[26]
On 11 June 323 B.C.E., King Alexander the Great died. Because he did not name a successor, the Macedonian Empire was split between King Philip III and King Alexander IV.[27] Queen Cleopatra of Macedonia realised that her power had weakened.[28] In order to ensure her survival and to maintain her power, Queen Cleopatra of Macedonia needed a husband with a Macedonian army.[29] She asked Leonnatus (one of King Alexander the Great’s friends) to marry her.[30] Before Leonnatus could marry her, he was killed in battle.[31]
In circa 332/321 B.C.E., Queen Cleopatra of Macedonia arrived in Sardis in Lydia, intending to marry General Perdiccas.[32] However, General Perdiccas was already betrothed to General Antipater’s daughter, Nicaea.[33] General Perdiccas decided to repudiate Nicaea to marry Queen Cleopatra of Macedonia.[34] However, General Antipater was very offended and turned against him.[35] Several other generals also did not want General Perdiccas to become king.[36] Therefore, a civil war broke out that is known in history as the First Diadoch War.[37] General Perdiccas was assassinated in 320 B.C.E. General Antipater became regent. Because Queen Cleopatra of Macedonia had played a role in repudiating General Antipater’s daughter, she was not on good terms with him.[38] Queen Cleopatra of Macedonia tried to form an alliance with General Eumenes.[39] However, she found the alliance did not match her ambitions.[40] She later reconciled with General Antipater.[41]
Queen Cleopatra of Macedonia remained in Sardis for twelve years.[42] This was because General Antigonus Monophthalmus (the most powerful general after Antipater) ordered Queen Cleopatra of Macedonia to be under house arrest.[43] However, Elizabeth Carney believed that General Antigonus Monophthalmus may have had thoughts of marrying Queen Cleopatra of Macedonia.[44] In 317 B.C.E., Queen Cleopatra of Macedonia’s son, Neoptolemus II, became king of Epirus. In 313 B.C.E., he was dethroned. After his deposition, Neoptolemus II may have gone to Sardis to live with his mother.[45]
In 308 B.C.E., Queen Cleopatra of Macedonia became reacquainted with General Ptolemy (later known as King Ptolemy I of Egypt).[46] She wanted to marry him and was tired of waiting for General Antigonus Monophthalmus to marry her.[47] Queen Cleopatra of Macedonia tried to escape from Sardis to marry General Ptolemy.[48] However, General Antigonus Monophthalmus learned about her escape and ordered her to be captured.[49] Queen Cleopatra of Macedonia was caught and brought back to Sardis.[50] Under General Antigonus Monophthalmus’s orders, Queen Cleopatra of Macedonia was executed.[51] General Antigonus Monophthalmus gave Queen Cleopatra of Macedonia an elaborate funeral.[52]
During the reign of King Alexander the Great, Queen Cleopatra of Macedonia enjoyed great prestige and respect.[53] She was queen regent of Epirus and formed a co-rulership with her mother, Queen Olympias.[54] She had a successful relationship with King Alexander the Great and worked in his best interests.[55] However, she was no longer powerful once King Alexander the Great died.[56] She tried, but she could not remarry.[57] Instead, she was seen as a political liability and forced to meet a tragic end.[58] Therefore, Queen Cleopatra of Macedonia became one of the most powerful women of Macedonia during King Alexander the Great’s reign.[59] However, King Alexander the Great’s death turned Queen Cleopatra of Macedonia into a very helpless and powerless queen.[60]
Sources:
Carney, E. (1988). The Sisters of Alexander the Great: Royal Relicts. Historia: Zeitschrift Für Alte Geschichte, 37(4), 385–404. http://www.jstor.org/stable/4436070.
Lendering, J. (2020; April 21). “Cleopatra of Macedonia”. Livius.org. Retrieved on December 12, 2025 from https://www.livius.org/articles/person/cleopatra-of-macedonia/.
[1] Carney, 1988
[2] Carney, 1988
[3] Carney, 1988
[4] Carney, 1988
[5] Lendering, 2020
[6] Carney, 1988
[7] Carney, 1988
[8] Lendering, 2020
[9] Carney, 1988
[10] Carney, 1988
[11] Carney, 1988
[12] Carney, 1988
[13] Lendering, 2020
[14] Carney, 1988
[15] Carney, 1988
[16] Carney, 1988
[17] Carney, 1988
[18] Carney, 1988
[19] Carney, 1988
[20] Carney, 1988
[21] Carney, 1988
[22] Carney, 1988
[23] Carney, 1988
[24] Carney, 1988
[25] Carney, 1988
[26] Carney, 1988
[27] Carney, 1988
[28] Carney, 1988
[29] Carney, 1988
[30] Carney, 1988
[31] Carney, 1988
[32] Carney, 1988
[33] Carney, 1988
[34] Carney, 1988
[35] Lendering, 2020
[36] Lendering, 2020
[37] Lendering, 2020
[38] Lendering, 2020
[39] Lendering, 2020
[40] Lendering, 2020
[41] Lendering, 2020
[42] Lendering, 2020
[43] Lendering, 2020
[44] Carney, 1988
[45] Lendering, 2020
[46] Lendering, 2020
[47] Carney, 1988
[48] Carney, 1988
[49] Carney, 1988
[50] Lendering, 2020
[51] Lendering, 2020
[52] Lendering, 2020
[53] Carney, 1988
[54] Carney, 1988
[55] Carney, 1988
[56] Carney, 1988
[57] Carney, 1988
[58] Carney, 1988
[59] Carney, 1988
[60] Carney, 1988
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