Eurydice (Ευρυδικη), born Cleopatra (Κλεοπάτρα). Mid. 4th century BCE Macedonian noblewoman, niece of Attalus, and 5th wife1 of Philip II of Macedon. She married Philip either in 3382 or 3373 BCE. As Philip's wife, Cleopatra was given the name "Eurydice". Although Philip was a polygamist, his marriage to Cleopatra was unique - upon marrying Cleopatra, he repudiated his third wife Olympias as an adulteress, and pronounced their son, Alexander, to be illegitimate. According to both Justin4 and Satyrus 5, Cleopatra Eurydice and Philip produced two children - Europa, a girl, and Caranus (or "Keranos"), a boy. Tarn ignores Europa entirely and disputes even the existence of Caranus. Following Philip's assassination, Europa and Caranus were murdered by Olympias, whereupon Cleopatra took her own life6. Peter Green strongly suggests that Alexander ordered the death of Caranus, but that Europa and Cleopatra's fatalities were the result of Olympias's vindictiveness.
References
- Green, Peter; Alexander of Macedon: 356-323 B.C. A Historical Biography; Berkeley & Los Angeles; University of California Press; 1991.
