Neoptolemus I(369 av. J.-C. — 350 av. J.-C.)
Neoptolemus I
5 min read
Neoptolemus I was a historical king of Epirus in the 4th century BC, from the Aeacid dynasty of the Molossians. He is best known as the father of Olympias, wife of Philip II of Macedon, and thus the grandfather of Alexander the Great.
Frequently asked questions
Key Facts
- King of the Molossians and of Epirus around 370–357 BC
- From the Aeacid dynasty, which claimed descent from Achilles and his son Neoptolemus
- Father of Olympias, who married Philip II of Macedon around 357 BC
- Grandfather of Alexander the Great through his daughter Olympias
- Co-reigned or shared power with his brother Arybbas after his death
Works & Achievements
Neoptolemus leads the Molossian confederation of Epirus, consolidating the authority of the Aeacid dynasty in a contested region of northern Greece.
The marriage of his daughter Olympias to Philip II seals a major alliance between Epirus and the rising Macedonian power.
He carries on the dynastic claim of descent from Achilles, a prestige that his grandson Alexander the Great would later embrace.
Under Molossian royal authority, the great oracle of Zeus at Dodona remains a radiant religious center for the whole of northwestern Greece.
His lineage gives rise to Alexander the Molossian and to Olympias, key players in the great games of alliances between Epirus, Macedonia, and Greece.
Anecdotes
Neoptolemus I rules over Epirus, a mountainous and little-known region in northwestern Greece, at a time when the great cities like Athens and Sparta still regard the Epirotes as semi-barbarians. Yet his family, the Aeacidae, claims descent from the hero Achilles, which grants them immense legendary prestige.
Neoptolemus's destiny shifts thanks to his daughter Olympias: he marries her to Philip II of Macedon around 357 BC. From this union Alexander the Great will be born. Neoptolemus thus becomes, without knowing it, the grandfather of antiquity's most famous conqueror.
Power in Epirus was sometimes shared among several members of the dynasty. Neoptolemus is said to have ruled jointly with, or in rivalry against, his brother Arybbas — a situation typical of the Molossian kingdoms, where the throne did not always simply pass from father to son.
His own name, Neoptolemus, is itself a tribute to legend: it was the name of Achilles's son, a hero of the Trojan War. By bearing this name, the kings of Epirus constantly recalled their prestigious heroic ancestry.
After Neoptolemus's death around 350 BC, it is his brother Arybbas who takes power, before the dynasty becomes deeply tied to Macedon. His granddaughter and grandson, Cleopatra and Alexander, will play a role in the shifting alliances of the Greek world.
Primary Sources
Olympias, daughter of Neoptolemus, king of the Molossians, was said to descend from that Aeacid line which traced back to Achilles.
The kings of the Molossians traced their origin back to Neoptolemus, son of Achilles, from whom they drew the name and the glory of their house.
Philip married Olympias, daughter of Neoptolemus, king of the Molossians, sealing through this marriage the alliance between Macedonia and Epirus.
Key Places
Mountainous region of northwestern Greece, heart of the Aeacid kingdom ruled by Neoptolemus. A land of livestock and pastures, long on the fringes of the world of the city-states.
Ancient religious and political capital of the Molossians, near present-day Ioannina. There the kings swore an oath before the people to uphold the laws.
Famous sanctuary of Zeus in Epirus, home to an oracle delivered through the rustling of a sacred oak. It was the great religious center of the Molossian kingdom.
Capital of the Kingdom of Macedon where her daughter Olympias lived after her marriage. It was there that her grandson Alexander the Great was born.
Port city on the Ambracian Gulf, a point of contact between Epirus and the rest of the Greek world. It played a role in regional trade and diplomacy.
