Stateira (wife of Alexander the Great)

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Drypteis, to Hephaestion at Susa
in 324 BC

Stateira (

predecessor. After Alexander's death in 323 BC, Stateira was killed by Alexander's other wife, Roxana.[1]

Name

Scholars have debated her name. In his list of marriages that occurred at Susa, Arrian (c. 86 – after 146), calls her "Homa". She is commonly confused with Barsine who was also held captive by Alexander around the same period.[2] Historian William Woodthorpe Tarn asserts her official name was "Barsine", but she was likely commonly called "Stateira".[3] Tarn cites other instances of confusion, noting that by the end of the 3rd century BC, legend often confused Roxane with Stateira as the daughter of Darius.[4]

Early life

Stateira was the eldest daughter of

Stateira.[5] Both of her parents were frequently described as handsome or beautiful, leading Tarn to speculate Stateira "was sufficiently good-looking, at any rate for a princess, to be called ... beautiful."[6] Her birthdate is unknown; by 333 BC she was of marriageable age.[5] After Alexander the Great invaded Persia, Stateira and her family accompanied Darius' army. In November 333 Alexander's army defeated the Persians at the Battle of Issus. Darius fled, and the Macedonian army soon captured his family. Although many captured Persian women were treated brutally, under Alexander's orders Stateira, her mother, her sister Drypetis, her younger brother, and their paternal grandmother, Sisygambis, were treated well and allowed to retain their social status.[5]

Marriage to Alexander the Great

Further information: Global royal intermarriage

For the next two years, Stateira and her family followed Alexander's army. Her mother died in early 332, leaving Sisygambis to act as her guardian.[5] Although Darius tried several times to ransom his family, Alexander refused to return the women. Darius then offered Alexander Stateira's hand in marriage and agreed to relinquish his claim to some of the land Alexander had already seized in exchange for ending the war. Alexander declined the offer,[7] reminding Darius that he already had custody of both the land and Stateira, and that, if he chose to marry her, Darius' permission would not be necessary.[6]

In 330 BC, Alexander left Stateira and her family in

Artaxerxes III.[9] It was fairly common practice for conquering rulers to marry the widow or daughter of the man they had deposed.[6] By wedding both women, Alexander cemented his ties to both branches of the royal family of the Achaemenid Empire.[8][9]

Alexander died the following year, 323 BC. After his death, his first wife Roxana colluded with Perdiccas to kill Stateira. Roxana wished to cement her own position and that of her son, Alexander IV, by ridding herself of a rival who could be—or claim to be—pregnant.[9] According to Plutarch's account, Stateira's sister, Drypetis, was killed at the same time; Carney believes that Plutarch was mistaken, and it was actually Parysatis who died with Stateira.[9]

Depictions

A mural in Pompeii, depicting Alexander and Stateira

Stateira may be depicted in a fresco found during the excavations at Pompeii. The fresco depicts a nude warrior in a purple Macedonian cloak, likely Alexander. On his left stands a woman wearing a crown and holding a scepter. Scholars debate whether the woman is Roxana or Stateira.[10]

References

  1. ISBN 978-1-4443-3962-8
    .
  2. ^ "Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, page 464 (v. 1)". 2006-01-01. Archived from the original on 2006-01-01. Retrieved 2017-11-21.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  3. ^ Tarn (2002), p. 334.
  4. ^ Tarn (2002), p. 335.
  5. ^ a b c d Carney (2000), p. 108.
  6. ^ a b c Tarn (2002), p. 336.
  7. ^ a b c Carney (2000), p. 109.
  8. ^ a b O'Brien (2005), p. 197.
  9. ^ a b c d Carney (2000), p. 110.
  10. ^ Stewart (1993), p. 186.

Sources

External links
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