Alexander's children - again

[susan]

We discussed Alexander's children recently on the forum; I've got something to add.Cornelius Nepos' life of Eumenes mentions :(2)...After the death of Alexander at Babylon, when kingdoms were allotted to each of his friends, and the superintendence of affairs was committed to the hands of Perdiccas, to whom Alexander, when dying, had given his ring (a circumstance from which every one conjectured that Alexander had entrusted his kingdom to him, until his children should come of age to take the government upon themselves;...(6) ... [Olympias] then entreated Eumenes, while he was still at a distance, "not to allow the bitterest enemies of Philip's house and family to extirpate his very race, but to give his support to the children of Alexander;"
13: "...How great awe was entertained of him by all those who were styled kings after the death of Alexander the Great, may be easily judged from the following fact, that no one of them, while Eumenes lived, was called a king, but only a governor; but that, after his death, they at once assumed the regal dress and title; nor did they care to perform what they had originally promised, namely, to guard the throne for Alexander's children; but as soon as the only defender of the children was removed, they disclosed what their real views were."
So, his source seems to regard Herakles as a possible claimant.Susan

[marcus]

Hi Susan,That's great - not least because I wasn't even aware that Cornelius Nepos had *written* a life of Eumenes!I shall have to search that one out, indeed.All the bestMarcus

[susan]

It's here:http://www.isidore-of-seville.com/libra ... enes-1.htm
Cornelius Nepos (c. 99 - c. 24) was a Roman author of historical works. Extant are some 25 short biographies and some scattered fragments. Although a Roman, the bulk of his surviving lives are of Greek historical figures.Susan

[agesilaos]

One slight caveat; at Babylon the children the army was holding the throne in trust for were the unborn of Roxane and Stateira, even by Curtius account Herakles was out of the running as soon as his name was mentioned. Nepos is just being careless and repeating the Babylon formula out of context. IMO

[xxx]

There is no source evidence Statiera was pregnant. Modern scholars, not necessarily ancient writers, tend to discount Herakles. His illegitimacy gave the generals an excuse to disregard him at that time which is what they wanted, but Cassander considered him enough of a threat to have him killed. He was after all, the last surviving male Argead, but not at the time of Alexander's death which is why he could be bypassed.

[jona]

"Nepos is just being careless and repeating the Babylon formula out of context."I suppose you are right, especially since the quote contains another error: although it is correct that the Successors did not assume the royal title until after the deaths of Philip Arrhidaeus (December 317) and Alexander IV (311/310?), they did not assume the regal dress and title *at once*, as Nepos says. The first one to do so was Antigonus, immediately followed by his son Demetrius, after the battle at Salamis (Summer 306).Jona

[biekie]

Alexander's bloodline is still running around.

[marcus]

That's quite a bold statement! Would you care to elaborate - perhaps with a genealogical table? :-)All the bestMarcus

[susan]

Yes - I've come across many old genealogies stemming from Alexander, but they all miss about a thousand years. There's one online genealogy, from a Danish man if I remember rightly, that seems to use totally fictional characters - for instance a daughter of Alexander & Roxane. The old adage 'just because it appears on the internet doesn't mean it's true' still applies.By the way, King Arthur was supposed to be the grandson ( or great-grandson) of Alexander via Sebille, the Lady of the Lake at the time. If someone can trace back to Arthur then they're well on the way.Susan

[biekie]

Just believe me, when I say that Alexander's bloodline is still in tact in this century.

[marcus]

You'll have to do better than that, I'm afraid. Enough people have learned to their cost that polemics don't work on this forum!All the bestMarcus

[biekie]

That's certainly true, but I just can't give you more infomation... I wish I could, but one day all bricks will fit. Be patient.

[marcus]

Riiiiiiiight ... OK.I'll wait for the bricks ...Marcus