feared or mistrusted, especially the kinsmen of Philip's last wife Kleopatra.[1] Of the dependent tribes around, the most energetic chiefs accompanied his army into Asia, either by their own preference or at his requisition. After these precautions, the tranquillity of Macedonia was entrusted to the prudence and fidelity of Antipater, which were still farther ensured by the fact that three of his sons accompanied the king's army and person.[2] Though unpopular in his deportment,[3] Antipater discharged the duties of his very responsible position with zeal and ability; notwithstanding the dangerous enmity of Olympias, against whom he sent many complaints to Alexander when in Asia, whilst she on her side wrote frequent but unavailing letters with a view to ruin him in the esteem of her son. After a long period of unabated confidence, Alexander began during the last years of his life to dislike and mistrust Antipater. He always treated Olym-
I see no reason for distrusting the general fact here asserted by Justin. We know from Arrian (who mentioned the fact incidentally in his work (
Greek characters), though he says nothing about it in his account of the expedition of Alexander—see Photius, Cod. 92. p. 220) that Alexander put to death, in the early period of his reign, his first cousin and brother-in-law Amyntas. Much less would he scruple to kill the friends or relatives of Kleopatra. Neither Alexander nor Antipater would account such proceeding anything else than a reasonable measure of prudential policy. By the Macedonian common law, when a man was found guilty of treason, all his relatives were condemned to die along with him (Curtius, vi. 11, 20).
Plutarch (De Fortuni Alc.x. Magn. p. 342) has a general allusion to these precautionary executions ordered by Alexander. Fortune (he says) imposed upon Alexander (Greek characters)
- ↑ Justin, xi. 5. " Proficiscens ad Pcrsicum belluin, omncs novercae susb cognatos, quos Philippus in cxcelsiorem dignitatis locum provehcns imperiis praefccerat, interfecit. Sed nee suis, qui apti regno vidcbantur, pepercit ; ne qua materia seditionis procul se agente in Macedonia remaneret."' Compare also xii. 6, where the Pausanias mentioned as having been put to death by Alexander is not the assassin of Philip. Pausanias was a common Macedonian name (see Diodor. xvi. 93).
- ↑ Kassander commanded a corps of Thracians and Pjeonians : lollas and Philippus were attached to the king's person (Arrian, vii. 27, 2; Justin, xii 14; Diodor. xvii. 17).
- ↑ Justin, xvi. 1, 14. " Antipatrum — amariorem semper ministrum regni. Quam ipsos regf ?, fuisse." etc
