Alexander's first wife

[dean]

Hello,
I think that the relationship between Alexander and Barsine is both curious and interesting.
She, a much older woman of both Greek/Persian parentage- seems to have been highly recommended by Parmenion as to her qualities as a wife.Why would Parmenion think so?
Barsine married twice-to two brothers, first Mentor and then Alexander's enemy in Asia Minor- Memnon.
As far as I can see it Barsine would be a most illogical choice for she would have every reason to undermine Alexander and possibly reproach him for her husband's death.
In the end it seems that Alexander made a good choice, she proved loyal,even giving him a son-Hercules.
The only piece of information about her "fate" that I have indicates that she was murdered along with her son by a Macedonian called "Poliperconte"- can anyone confirm this detail?
Thankyou,
Best regards,
Dean.

[Linda]

Firstly, she was not Alexander's wife, but his mistress. She was a prize as she was part of an important royal family; a daughter of Barsine was given to one of the Macedonian generals (Craterus?) at the weddings in Susa.Parmenion probably suggested it to Alexander as a good political move - he may also have been suggesting to the young King (if you believe Plutarch) that it was about time he got a mistress and started spreading the old seed about a bit. That last bit is purely speculative.

Linda

[ScottOden]

Though there's no solid proof it happened, Alexander may have met Barsine as a young man, in Macedon, where her father spent a decade at the court of Philip. She was roughly eight years older than Alexander, and there's no clear reference to her parentage, save that she was the daughter of Artabazus (who married Memnon's sister and had 21 children with her). My opinion is she was a full-blooded Persian, though Hellenized. I think making her his mistress may have been an extension of a childhood attraction. Just my two-cents :)Scott

[Thalestris-Alexandros]

I subscribe to Linda's viewpoint considering the cultural "standard operating procedure" of women as "spoils" and "prizes" etc., etc. And, reflecting upon Antipater's urging Alexander to marry prior to leaving Pella (fact or fiction?)in conjunction with Parmenion's urging, I presume Alexander saw "romantic interludes" as obstructive to his mission. And Hephaistion was sufficient for him. Friendships are usually more manageable than love affairs, eh?!?!

[Dr. Pal]

Dear Dean,Tre once reminded me (rightly) that Alexander may have known Barsine while she was quite young. Yes, she must have been a very pretty, Greek-speaking and cultured Persian lady but I hope I would not be considered too uncharitable to posit that as the wife of both Mentor and Memnon she knew too much. As the master of the Greek mercenaries Mentor was a kind of a Guru of that fiendish prime-minister of Ochus, Bagoas the elder. I have already given my reasons for suspecting that Bagoas did not die as Diodorus reported. Keeping Barsine in the household would be the best way of keeping secrets. And secrets there were. That Orontobates was Sasigupta was a secret. That Sissines was Orontobates was a secret. That Tiridates was Sasigupta was a secret. Who was Abhisares who doggedly refused to meet Alexander? Diodorus gives the curious name Sasibisares who did not help Porus at the right time. This may be Sasigupta who is called Vrisala in the drama Mudrarakshasa. The nearest Greek equivalent of this is Bisares. Of course it may not be that there was only one Abhisares.Regards,
Dr. Pal

[dean]

Hello,Thankyou for your opinions- they are much appreciated and I think have enhanced considerably my understanding of the lady in question.Just a couple of thoughts.i)Has anyone read anything about what actually happened to her and her son in the end- to substantiate or refute the info I put in my first post? (The info I have states that she was assassinated approx. 309.)ii)Why would a Persian satrap- her father and herself spend so much time in Macedonia? Taking shelter? I also had read that it was in theory possible that on some occasion Barsine and Alexander's paths could have crossed in early childhood. Undoubtedly this is where she learned to speak Greek.Best regards, Dean.

[ScottOden]

Hi Dean,I've heard the story of Barsine and Herakles' murder by Polyperchon, at the behest of Cassander, but I cannot recall where. As for Barsine's sojourn in Macedonia, her father rebelled against Ochus during the early years of the latter's reign. He was aided by a contingent of Athenian mercenaries led by Chares. These two, and the Rhodian brothers, fought a battle that Chares (in a letter) described as a second Marathon. Sadly, that's the only reference I can find to the battle. Afterwards, Ochus took a personal interest in the revolt. He sent a letter to Athens demanding Chares' recall. His threat must have been tangible to the Athenians, since they did as they were told. That took the core right out of Artabazus' revolt.Into the void created by Chares' withdrawal stepped a band of 5000 Thebans led by a certain Pammenes. Before Artabazus could return to the field, his new-found Theban allies betrayed him to Ochus. Artabazus was forced to flee. With his family and Memnon, Artabazus sought asylum at Philip's court. Mentor fled to Egypt and eventually returned to the Persian fold. His reconquest of Egypt for Ochus earned him the king's gratitude. By way of reward, he asked that Artabazus and Memnon be pardoned.The bulk of research for this post came from Cook's "the Persian Empire", Arrian, Plutarch, and Rufus.Scott Oden

[Dr. Pal]

Dear Scott,I do not fully understand the behaviour of the Persian Satraps starting from Mausolus. Through her husband Mentor who was perhaps the only person in the world whom the soulless Bagoas feared, Barsine must have known the Persian Prime minister, even though not personally. The easiest way to deal with Barsine was to liquidate her. That this was not done was probably due to AlexanderGÇÖs instructions to Parmenio not to harm his childhood friend. In this he may have taken a leaf from the life of his teacher Aristotle who also had something to do with the Persians. Bagoas had killed Ochus. Did he have a hand in PhilipGÇÖs murder also? The crucial question is did Alexander know this blood-thirsty eunuch? I find it difficult to think that Bagoas who had poisoned so many people had not taken any precaution against the eventuality of being forced to drink his own cup. In the drama Mudrarakshasa poor Abhayadatta dies in the same fashion. Bagoas is reported to have made Sasigupta drink small doses of poison daily so as to get immunity against it. Doubtlessly he must have taken the same precaution himself. However DiodorusGÇÖ report indicates that the Greeks were unaware that Bagoas was not dead. He may have just feigned death and then escaped to Armenia or some such safe heaven. The misfortunes of Darius-III can be better explained if one presumes BagoasGÇÖ unseen hand. Did Alexander know that Bagoas was not dead?

Philip had once enjoyed good relations with the Persians. I think being the secretary Eumenes must have been a party in the negotiations between Philip and Ochus/Bagoas. Was he killed because of his declaration of war against the Persian empire which was seen as a breach of previous agreements? Judging by the close relation of Olympias and Eumenes after AlexanderGÇÖs death one may be tempted to think that he was the go-between in her relations with the Persians. Badian rightly imputes that Alexander had protected Eumenes even though he was despised by his closest friend Hephaestion whose untimely death, probably by poisoning, dangerously isolated himRegards,Dr. Pal

[Dr. Pal]

Dear Scott,I think Hermeias should better be described as a Greek from the West Asian coast rather than a Persian. He clashed with Bagoas.Regards,
Dr. Pal

[wynn]

I'm not sure what happened to Barsine except was was living in Pergamon with her son, Herakles, by Alexander. When Alexander IV was murdered, I believe it was Polyperchon wanted to bring Herakles back to replace him as 'king' in Macedon but Herakles (by then in his teens) was also murdered.

[agesilaos]

Herakles fate was even more pathetic; having manoevred to get Herakles into his clutches, to use as a rival claimant against Kassandros' rule in Macedonia Polysperchon insted made his peace with Kassandros and handed the boy over to seal the bargain. The source is Hieronymos of Cardia via Diodoros.

[dean]

Hello,
Just a note to say thankyou for your help in this matter. It has confirmed my original idea about the fate of Hercules and Barsine.
THANKYOU,
DEAN