Deidamia II of Epirus
| Deidamia II | |
|---|---|
| Queen of Epirus | |
| Reign | 235 - c. 231 BC |
| Predecessor | Ptolemy of Epirus |
| Successor | Epirote Republic |
| Died | c. 233 BC |
| House | Aeacidae |
| Father | Pyrrhus II of Epirus |
| Religion | Ancient Greek religion |
Deidamia[pronunciation?] or Deidameia (Greek: Δηϊδάμεια, Greek: ði.iˈða.mi.a) or Laodamia (Greek: Λαοδάμεια, [La.oˈða.mi.a]) (died c. 233 BC[1]) was a Greek princess, daughter[2] of Pyrrhus II of Epirus, king of Epirus. After the death of her father and that of her uncle Ptolemy, she was the last surviving representative of the royal Aeacid dynasty in Epirus.[3] She had a sister, Nereis, who married Gelo of Syracuse. During a rebellion in Epirus her sister sent her 800 mercenaries from Gaul. Part of the Molossians[4] supported her, and with the aid of the mercenaries she briefly took Ambracia.
When the Epirots sued for peace as suppliants, she granted it only on condition that they acknowledged her hereditary rights, and the honours of her ancestors. But some of the Epirots plotted against her and bribed Nestor, one of Alexander's guards, to murder her. Nestor returned without accomplishing his purpose and she fled for refuge in the temple of Artemis Hegemone (Ancient Greek: Ἡγεμόνης Ἀρτέμιδος), but was murdered[5] in the sanctuary by Milon (Ancient Greek: Μίλων), a man already responsible of killing his own mother Philotera (Ancient Greek: Φιλωτέρα)[6] who shortly after this crime committed suicide.[7] According to Polyaenus, she said to Milon before he murdered her: "Slaughter, thou matricide, on slaughter raise" (Ancient Greek: ὁ μητροφόντης ἐπὶ φόνῳ πράσσει φόνον).[6]
The date of this event cannot be accurately fixed, but it occurred during the reign of Demetrius II in Macedonia (239–229 BC).
References[]
- Smith, William (editor); Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, "Deidameia (2)", Boston, (1867)
Notes[]
- ^ Robert Malcolm Errington, A History of Macedonia (1990), p. 174.
- ^ Pausanias, Description of Greece
- ^ Errington, A History of Macedonia, p. 174.
- ^ M. B. Hatzopoulos, Epirus, 4000 Years of Greek History and Civilization (1997, ISBN 960-213-377-5), p. 80.
- ^ Nicholas Geoffrey Lemprière, The Cambridge Ancient History, Vol. 7, Part 1 (Hammond, 1970: ISBN 0-521-23445-X), p. 452.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Polyaenus, Strategems, 8.52
- ^ Polyaenus, Stratagems, viii.52; Justin, Epitome of Pompeius Trogus, xxviii. 3; Pausanias, Description of Greece, iv. 35
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Smith, William, ed. (1870). Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology. Missing or empty |title= (help)
- 3rd-century BC Greek people
- 3rd-century BC women rulers
- 233 BC deaths
- Rulers of Ancient Epirus
- Women in ancient Greek warfare