Queen Thessalonike was the daughter of King Philip II of Macedonia. She was also the half-sister of King Alexander the Great. She was the queen consort of King Cassander of Macedonia. She even became queen regent.[1] Queen Thessalonike would have a city named after her.[2] She would be the first royal Macedonian woman to have a city named after her.[3]
The birthdate of Queen Thessalonike of Macedonia is unknown.[4] Some historians believe that she was born circa 352 B.C.E.[5] However, other historians believe that she was born circa 346/345 B.C.E.[6] Her father was King Philip II of Macedonia. Her mother was Queen Nicesipolis of Pherae, who may have been a relative of Jason of Pherae.[7] Shortly after the birth of Princess Thessalonike, Queen Nicesipolis died.[8] Princess Thessalonike was then raised by Queen Olympias.[9] Princess Thessalonike was the half-sister of Prince Alexander the Great and Prince Philip III of Macedonia. She was also the half-sister of Princess Cynane and Princess Cleopatra of Macedonia.
In October 336 B.C.E., King Philip II was assassinated by Pausanias of Orestes. This assassination led to Alexander the Great becoming King of Macedonia. King Alexander the Great did not arrange a marriage for his sister, Princess Thessalonike.[10] Modern historian Elizabeth Carney believes that it was because King Alexander the Great did not want a royal brother-in-law who could contest his kingship.[11] In 323 B.C.E., King Alexander the Great died. Princess Thessalonike still stayed under Queen Olympias’s care.[12] However, Queen Olympias did not arrange a marriage for Princess Thessalonike.[13] Elizabeth Carney believes that it is because Princess Thessalonike’s potential marriage would threaten the lives of Queen Cleopatra of Macedonia and King Alexander IV.[14]
In 317/316 B.C.E., Princess Thessalonike accompanied Queen Olympias during the Siege of Pydna.[15] General Cassander won the siege and executed Queen Olympias shortly afterwards.[16] He also forced Princess Thessalonike to marry him.[17] Historians believe that Princess Thessalonike was not happy to marry General Cassander because he executed Queen Olympias, to whom she was very attached.[18] General Cassander married her because of her royal blood.[19] Shortly after their marriage, General Cassander founded and named the city Thessaloniki after his wife.[20] Thessaloniki was the first city to be named after a royal Macedonian woman.[21]
In 305 B.C.E., General Cassander became King of Macedonia. Therefore, Thessalonike became Queen of Macedonia.[22] She bore King Cassander three sons. They were Prince Philip IV, Prince Antipater I, and Prince Alexander V. In 297 B.C.E., King Cassander died. He was succeeded by his son, King Philip IV of Macedonia. King Philip IV reigned for only four months.[23] He died of what historians believe was consumption in Elateia.[24] He was unmarried and had no children.[25] Elizabeth Carney believes that Queen Thessalonike became regent of Macedonia.[26] Elizabeth Carney believes that Queen Thessalonike of Macedonia was partial towards her youngest son, Prince Alexander.[27] She decided to split the kingdom of Macedonia between King Antipater I and King Alexander V.[28] King Antipater I was angry that he had to co-rule with his brother.[29] King Antipater I killed Queen Thessalonike of Macedonia in 295 B.C.E.
In that same year, King Antipater I eventually ended his co-rulership with King Alexander V by ousting him from the throne.[30] King Alexander V asked King Pyrrhus of Epirus and General Demetrius I of Poliorcetes for help.[31] General Demetrius I of Poliorcetes overthrew King Antipater I.[32] King Antipater I sought refuge under his father-in-law, King Lysimachus of Thrace.[33] King Lysimachus murdered King Antipater I sometime before 294 B.C.E.[34] In the autumn of 294 B.C.E., General Demetrius I of Poliorcetes assassinated King Alexander V. [35] Therefore, Queen Thessalonike’s line had ended.[36]
During the reign of King Alexander the Great, Queen Thessalonike did not wield any political influence over her brother.[37] She remained unmarried until the death of her stepmother, Queen Olympais.[38] Queen Thessalonike was forced to marry General Cassander against her will.[39] During King Cassander’s reign, she did not wield political influence and acted as a wife and mother.[40] It was not until the death of her husband that she was finally able to assume power.[41] Her regency was brief.[42] Because she was very powerful, her own son murdered her.[43] It is sad that all of her sons died and that her line was extinguished by 294 B.C.E.[44] Queen Thessalonike was truly a tragic queen.[45]
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.
Ogden, D. (2023). Polygamy, Prostitutes and Death: The Hellenistic Dynasties. Swansea, Wales: The Classical Press of Wales.
Romm, J. (2011). Ghost on the Throne: The Death of Alexander the Great and the Bloody Fight for His Empire. NY: Alfred A. Knopf.
[1] Carney, 1988; Ogden, 2023
[2] Carney, 1988
[3] Carney, 1988
[4] Carney, 1988
[5] Ogden, 2023
[6] Carney, 1988
[7] Carney, 1988
[8] Carney, 1988
[9] Carney, 1988
[10] Carney, 1988
[11] Carney, 1988
[12] Carney, 1988
[13] Carney, 1988
[14] Carney, 1988
[15] Carney, 1988
[16] Romm, 2011
[17] Carney, 1988; Romm, 2011
[18] Carney, 1988; Romm, 2011
[19] Carney, 1988
[20] Carney, 1988
[21] Carney, 1988
[22] Ogden, 2023
[23] Ogden, 2023
[24] Ogden, 2023
[25] Ogden, 2023
[26] Carney, 1998; Ogden, 2023
[27] Carney, 1988
[28] Carney, 1988; Ogden, 2023
[29] Carney, 1988; Ogden, 2023
[30] Ogden, 2023
[31] Odgden, 2023
[32] Ogden, 2023
[33] Ogden, 2023
[34] Ogden, 2023
[35] Ogden, 2023
[36] Ogden, 2023
[37] Carney, 1988
[38] Carney, 1988
[39] Carney, 1988; Romm, 2011
[40] Carney, 1988
[41] Carney, 1988
[42] Carney, 1988
[43] Carney, 1988; Ogden, 2023
[44] Ogden, 2023
[45] Carney, 1988
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