Leonidas, Alexander if Epirus, and Olympias

[Nicator]

Hello All,The thought never ocurred to me that Leonidas was not just the brother of Olympias, but also of Alexander of Epirus. Were they direct brothers, or half brothers? later Nicator

[ruthaki]

According to the geneology charts that I have
Olympias had two siblings: Alexandros (later married to her daughter Kleopatra) and Troas (a sister who married a man named Aribbas)
I don't see any mention of Leonidas in the charts. He might have been an uncle. Olympias' father was Neoptolemus I (died in about 360BC) His siblings are listed as Alcetas I and Arybbas. Alcetas appears to have died but Arybbas had two children, Aecides (married a woman named Phthia) and Alcetas II. These charts trace the line down to Pyrrhus II in the mid 3rd century and the names are reptitious for each line. (Neoptolemus name comes from Neoptolemus who was Achilles' son. The name "Molossia" comes from "Molossus" the son of Neoptolemus and Andromache, Hector's wife who became Neo's war prize after the Troy Wars.)

[susan]

Arybbas was the uncle of Troas, Olympias & Alexander. Leonidas was only a kinsman; his actual relationship isn't stated.Susan

[Nicator]

Wow!
I guess Renault is wrong on this one. It looks as though I was also wrong...again (aarrrggghhh!!) Renault mentions that Leonidas was Olympias uncle, and I misread it to Alexander's uncle.Thanks for the info, and none too timely either, as I still have time to re-write that section.later Nicator

[ruthaki]

He could have easily been a brother of Olympias' mother. Her lineage isn't listed on the geneology charts that I have. I believe he was from Sparta, or had Spartan training, but a lot of the 'tribal' people of that time spent time in the Peloponnese.

[susan]

I don't think he could have been from Sparta - Plutarch just describes him as a relative of Olympias, and a severe disciplinarian.
He probably wasn't as close a relation as an uncle, as this would have been mentioned. I don't think Olympias' family had any connection with Sparta, or this would have been mentioned when Alexander was trying to include the Lacedaemonians in his coalition against the Persians. From memory, they refused to join in as their laws forbade them to do so.RegardsSusan

[ruthaki]

I understand he administered a very "Spartan" type discipline on young Alexander.