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THE GENEALOGY OF ALEXANDER THE GREAT
Theodore J. Drizis MD, PhDME, PhDHI
Kalamata – Greece
e-mail: thdrizis@ath.forthnet.gr
The purpose of this study is to contribute to the research of the genealogy of
Alexander the Great.
The aim is to search for Historical and Literary evidence to support the claims of his
origins.
The material used for historical proof is derived from both, the writers of Ancient
Greek literature including: Herodotus, Thucydides, Theopompus, Diodorus Siculus, ,
Plutarch and also from writers of Greek Patrology (P.G.) including: S. Theophylii
Antiocheni, Eusebii Caesariencis. Additionally is derived from Corpus Scriptorum
Historiae Byzantinae (CSHB) including: George Syncellus. Moreover there is the
work of papyrologists Bernard P. Grenfel and Arthur S. Hunt “Hellenica Oxyrhynchia
cum Theopompi et Cratippi Fragmentis”. Furthermore is derived from the Corpus
Scriptorum Latinorum (CSL) including Pompeius Trogus (Iustinus' epitome). Also
there is the Tertyllianus' work “On the soul” in which there is a fragment of an
ancient Greek historian named Ephorus. Added to these, finally there an historical
witnesses from Arrian in his work “Anabasis of Alexander”, which I think it is a
corner stone for the Great Alexander's Genealogy. All the texts are much before from
the emerged, socalled, “Macedonic question”.
The method used was the studying of texts of the textual criticism to validate the
research as can be determined from the relative bibliography.
My findings are that, firstly, Herodotus (5th c. BC) in his work “Persian Wars” 8, 137
– 140 mentions that Alexander I, an ancestor of Alexander the Great (Alexander III)
was a descendant of Timenus from Argos of Peloponese. Actually, Herodotus says
word for word: “This Alexander was descended in the seventh degree from Perdiccas,
who obtained the sovereignty over the Macedonians in the way which I will now
relate. Three brothers, descendants of Temenus, fled from Argos to the Illyrians; their
names were Gauanes, Aeropus, and Perdiccas. From Illyria they went across to
Upper Macedonia, where they came to a certain town called Lebaea. There they hired
themselves out to serve the king in different employs; one tended the horses; another
looked after the cows; while Perdiccas, who was the youngest, took charge of the
smaller cattle...Then the king, when he heard what had happened, was angry, and sent
horsemen after the youths to slay them. Now there is a river in Macedonia to which
the descendants of these Argives offer sacrifice as their saviour. This stream swelled
so much, as soon as the sons of Temenus were safe across that the horsemen found it
impossible to follow. So the brothers escaped into another part of Macedonia...Here
the brothers made their abode; and from this place by degrees they conquered all
Macedonia. From the Perdiccas of whom we have here spoken, Alexander was
descended in the following way: Alexander was the son of Amyntas, Amyntas of
Alcetas; the father of Alcetas was Aeropus; of Aeropus, Philip; of Philip, Argaeus; of
Argaeus, Perdiccas, the first sovereign. Such was the descent of Alexander...”. This
about the genealogy of Alexander I. Added to this, Herodotus again exposes another
historical witness which is an Alexanderʼs I declaration by himself to the Greek army
before the battle in Plataeae (479 B.C). Alexander-I says: “...in truth I would not tell it
to you were it not by reason of my great care for all Hellas; for I myself am by
ancient descent a Greek, and I would not willingly see Hellas change her freedom for
slavery...” (Herodotus, Persian Wars, IX,45).
Secondly, Thucydides (5th c. BC ) in his work “History of the Peloponnesian War”
refers to “...The country on the sea coast, now called Macedonia, was first acquired
by Alexander, the father of Perdiccas, and his ancestors, originally Temenids from
Argos...” (II. 99. 3).
Also, Theopompus (4th c. BC) in his work “Philippica” touches on the subject:
“...Caranus is eleventh from Herculis, from Temenus – who with other Heraclidis
were at the time in Peloponnesus – seventh...Caranus son of Phidonis, of
Aristodamidae, of Meropis, of Theostii, of Cissii, of Temenii, of Aristomachii, of
Cleodatis, of Hylli, of Herculis...” (Philippica, I, *29 (M 30).
Additionally, Diodorus Siculus (1st c. BC) in his work “Library of History” says
word for word: “...On his father's side Alexander was a descendant of Heracles and
on his mother's he could claim the blood of the Aeacids, so that from his ancestors on
both sides he inherited the physical and moral qualities of greatness...” (17,1,5).
What is noteworthy about the Heracles, Diodorus Siculus mentions that “...Perseus
was the son of Danaê, the daughter of Acrisius, and deificated Zeus. Now
Andromeda, the daughter of Cepheus, lay with him and bore Electryon, and then
Eurydice, the daughter of Pelops, married him and gave birth to Alcmenê, who in turn
was wooed by Zeus, who deceived her, and bore Heracles...” (book IV, 9,1), and
“...Tree years after his marriage to Deianeira Heracles...he went again into voluntary
exil from Calydonian along with his wife Deianeira and Hyllus, his son by her...”
(Diod. Sicul. Library of History, book IV. 36. 3-4 ).
What is noteworthy about the Aeacids, it is that, Diodorus Siculus mentions again:
“...According to the myths there were born to Oceanus and Tethys a number of
children who gave their names to rivers, and among their number were Peneius and
Asopus...Asopus made his home in Phlius (comment: southwest of Corinth), where
he married Metope, the daughter of Ladon, to whom were born two sons,...and
twelve daughters, Corcyra and Salamis, also Aegina...Aegina was seized by
deificated Zeus and taken off by him from Phlius to the island which was named
Aegina after her, and lying with Zeus on this island she gave birth to Aeacus, who
became its king. To Aeacus sons were born, Peleus and Telamon...Peleus was
banished by his father and fled to Phtia in what is now called Thessaly...To Peleus
and Thetis was borne Achilleuss...”. ( Diodorus Siculus, Library of History, book IV,
72,1-7 ).
From fragments of the work of Diodorus Siculus it is studied that “By such a
genealogy trustworthy historians trace the line of the kings of Macedonia back to
Heracles. From Caranus, who was the first to unite the power of Macedon and to hold
it, to Alexander, who subdued the land of Asia, there are reckoned twenty-four kings
and four hundred and eighty years.”(Diod. Sicul. Fragments of book VII, fragment
15, in Euseb. Caesar.) and in another fragment “ The genealogy of Caranus is given in
this wise, as Diodorus reports, as well as the majority og historians, one of whom is
also Theopompus. Caranus was the son of Pheidon, the son of Aristodamis, the son of
Merops, the son of Thestius, the son of Cissius, of Temenus, of Aristomachus, of
Cleodaeus, of Hyllus, of Heracles. But there are some, he says (Diod. Sicul.), who
adduce a different genealogy, saying that Caranus was the son of Poeas, of Croesus,
of Cleodaeus, of Eyrybiades, of Deballus, of Lachares, of Temenus, who likewise
returned into the Peloponnesus (Diod. Sicul. fragment 17 in George Syncel.
Chronicon, p. 499). As is refered previously, Temenus was a Heracles' descendant.
Moreover, Iustinus Marcus Iunianus, historian of 3rd c. AD, in his loose
epitome of Gnaeus Pompeius Trogus' (historian of the 1st c. BC) work “Philipic
Histories and the Origine of the Whole World” says: “...Caranus accompanied by a
great multitude of Greeks, having been directed by an oracle to seek a settlement in
Macedonia...to seek a kingdom with goats for his guides...and having come into
Emathia, he followed a flock of goats, that were fleeing from a tempest, possessed
himself of the city of Edessa... He changed the name of the city, in commemoration
of his good fortune from Edessa to Aegeae, and called the inhabitants
Aegeatae...After him reigned Perdiccas...his son Argaeus...left his son Philip his
successor, who made Aeropus...Aeropus his heir...To Aeropus succeeded
dAmyntas...his son Alexander (Iustinus, Epitome of Philipic Histories of Pompeus
Trogus, book VII, 1 – 2).
In addition to this, Quinti Septimii Florentis Tertullianii (Tertullianus), 2nd - 3rd c. AD,
saves a fragment of the ancient Greek historian Ephorus (4th c.BC, Philip's and
Alexander's contemporaneous) from his work “History” about the origin of
Alexander the Great from Philip. Tertullianus says word for word: “...Philip of
Macedon, before he became a father, had seen imprinted on the pudenda of his
consort Olympias the form of a small ring, with a lion as a seal. He had concluded
that an offspring from her was out of the question (I suppose, because the lion only
becomes once a father) when Aristodemus or Aristophon happened to conjecture that
nothing of an unmeaning or empty import lay under the seal but that a son of very
illustrious character was portended. They who know anything of Alexander recognise
in him the lion of that small ring. Ephorus writes to this effect...”.
Furthermore, Plutarchus (1-2 c. AD) in his work “Parallel Lives – Alexander and
Caesar” says: “...As for the lineage of Alexander, on his father's side he was a
descendant of Heracles through Caranus, and on his mother's side a descendant of
Aeacus through Neoptolemus; this is accepted without any question...(Alexander
II,1). It should be mentioned that Neoptolemus was son of Achiles (Homer's Odyssey
11. 506).
Finally there is the Arrianʼs (1 – 2 c. AD) witness, who he saves and transmits, in his
work “Anabasis of Alexander” a Great Alexander's frase of his speech to his army,
from a work of Laguʼs Ptolemaeus I Savior (4th c. B.C, Great Alexanderʼs
contemporary and his general and friend)1 or from Aristovulousʼ ( 4th – 3th c. B.C,
1 Paul Kroh, Lexicon der Antiken Autorem, translated in Greek, p. 406. Thessaloniki 1996.
Alexanderʼs contemporary and tecnician in his army)2 work (Arrian, Alexanderʼs
Anabasis, preface), works which both they are lost until now, and frase which it is the
same Alexander's confession and declaration, about his origin and his ancestor –
progenitor. Arrian well, mentions: “...O Macedonians and allies...do ye not know that
our ancestor reached so great a height of glory as from being a man to become a god,
or to seem to become one, not by remaining in Tiryns or Argos, or even in the
Pelopounese or at Thebes? The labours of Dionysus were not few, and he was to
exalted a deity to be compared with Heracles. But we, indeed, have penetrated into
regions beyond Nysa; and the rock of Aornus, which Heracles was unable to capture,
is in our possession...(Arrian, Anabasis of Alexander, V. 26.
From Greek Patrology or Patristic Greek Literature (PG), S. Theophylii
Antiocheni (2th c. AD) in his work “Ad Autolycum Lib. II” while speaking about the
genealogy of Ptolemaeus, successor of Great Alexander, mentions that “...from
deificated Dionysus and Althea was born Deianeira, from her and Heracles, deificated
Zeus' son, Hyllus, father of Cleodemus, Cleodemus father of Aristomachus,
Aristomachus father of Temenus, Temenus father of Ceisus, Ceisus father of Maronis,
Maronis father of Thestius, Thestius father of Acous, Acous father of Aristomedas,
Aristomedas father of Caranus, Caranus father of Coenus, Coenus father of
Tyrimmas, Tyrimmas father of Perdiccas, Perdiccas father of Philipp, Philipp father
of Aeropon, Aeropon father of Alcetas, Alcetas father of Amyntas...” (PG, volûmen 6,
Lib. II, 7B).
Additionally from Greek Patristic, Eusebii Caesariencis (4th c. AD) in his work
“Chronicorum” using as bibliography the work of Diodorus Siculus “Historical
Library” gives a catalog of Heraclides kings of Macedonia starting from Caranus.
This catalog includes the names: Caranus, Coenus, Tyrimmas, Perdiccas, Argeus,
Philippus, Aeropas, Alcetas, Amyntas, Alexander, Perdiccas, Archelaus, Orestes,
Archelaus, Amyntas, Pausanias, Amyntas, Argeus, Amyntas, Alexander, Ptolemaeus,
Perdiccas, Philippus, Alexander the Great (PG, Eus. Caesar. Historica –
Chronicorum, vol. 19, Lib. I, cap. XXXVII, 2 and Lib. II, Regum Series, p. 341 –
342).
What is more, from Georgius Syncellus Constantinopolitanus (8th – 9th c. AD)
in his “Chronographiae” (Corpus Scriptorum Historiae Byzantinae – CSHB) refers
the same genealogy of Great Alexander from Caranus and Heracles saying word for
word: “a compendium beginning from Caranus the first king of Macedonians until
Alexander...” (p. 262 – 263, V. 209 – 210), and mentions that Alexander the Great
was son of Phillip and Olympias, his wife, whose, Olympias' family, came from
Achilles the son of Thetis ( p. 263, V. 210, B.10).
On the other hand, George Syncellus referred to the destiny of the king of
Egypt Nectanebus, 32nd dynasty, after his defeat from the Persian Ohus with his army,
son of Artaxerxes, mentions that according some writers he departed to Ethiopia,
while according to others, he came to Macedonia where he mixed with the Olympias
and had gotten with her Alexander the Great, who was believed that was son of
Ammun, god of Egypt(P. 256, B. 5).
Also, in the same motif or spirit with G. Syncellus, Plutarchus mentions that
2 Paul Kroh, Lexicon der Antiken Auctorem, translated in Greek, p. 90. Thessaloniki 1996.
Attalus, a general of Philip's army, had the opinion that Alexander was not legitimate
and a genuine son of Phillip (Alexander, IX.4 – 5 ). Plutarchus mentions besides, that
Philip had the conviction that Olympias was the partner of a superior being
(Alexander, II.4).
On the discussion of this work some aspects must be taken into account. At the
beginning, the textual criticism on these ancient writings has been fixed and
unquestionable until now. Additionaly, these ancient writers tried to reveal the truth
with a criticized arrangement. These writers have had not any interest to taking any
benefit from a king because most of them lived and wrote in the Roman period, while
on the other hand Theopompus wrote during the successors of Great Alexander who
were in dispute between themselves and in addition Herodotus “gives us a not
uncritical estimate of the best that he could find”, says A. D. Godley. About
Herodotus, Hellanicus (latter half of the 5th c. BC), studing the Herodotusʼ writings
says: “...About these to be located well-said...” (FrHG, v. 1, Praefatio – De Vita et
Scriptis Auctorum, p. xxv).
Thucydides, always, writes controlled and inspected facts.
Moreover, Plutarchus was originated from Thebes of Boiotea, an ancient city which
knew the sabre of Philip, father of Great Alexander and he would have written the
truth about the Alexander's origin.
Another aspect that must be taken in account for this subject is with a doubt. This is
about the Caranus, who with a multitude of Greeks came to Emathia, a region of
Central Makedonia, and the three brothers, descendants of Temenos and these as
Caranus, named Gauanes, Aëropos and Perdicas, who fled initialy from Arges to the
Illyrians and came then to Lebaia, a region of Upper Makedonia, how they
constituted the Macedonian dynasty. I think that both facts should be truth and all
these persons would be united after some period.
Also, there is the subject of the Greek origins of the Great Alexander. About this, the
majority of the writers agree that his origine is undoubtedly Greek. The G. Syncellus'
view that the Great Alexander's father is the Egyptian king Nectanevo surely not is
the truth, because the Olympias' relatioship with him migth be afterwards of her
relationship with Philip, meanwhile she had already been become pregnant by Philip.
Furthermore, Nectanebus abandoned Egypt in 343 B.C, meanwhile Great Alexander
was born in 356 B.C.
To support the fact, that Great Alexander's father is Philip, I think there are two
witnesses from Plutarchus.
The first concerns a Philip's and Olympias' vision in everybody separately about the
Olympias' pregnacy to Great Alexander. Analytically, Plutarchus says: “...we are told
that Philip, after being initiated into the mysteries of Samothrace at the same time
with Olympias, he himself being still a youth and she an orphan child, fell in love
with her and betrothed himself to her at once with the consent of her brother,
Arymbas. Well, then, the night before that on which the marriage was consummated,
the bride dreamed that there was a peal of thunder and that a thunder-bolt fell upon
her womb, and that thereby much fire was kindled, which broke into flames that
travelled all about, and then was extinguished. At a later time, too, after the marriage,
Philip dreamed that he was putting a seal upon his wife's womb; and the device of the
seal, as he thought, was the figure of a lion. The other seers, now, were led by the
vision to suspect that Philip needed to put a closer watch upon his marriage relations;
but Aristander of Telmessus said that the woman was pregnant, since no seal was put
upon what was empty, and pregnant of a son whose nature would be bold and lion
like...” (Alexander, II.1 – 5 ). The key is the phrase “...he was putting a seal upon his
wife's womb...” i.e. Philip and no one else.
The second witness is from Plutarchus again. When Great Alexander asked Philip if
himself is a bastard his son and he angry tarried to Illyria, “Philip sent and fetched
Alexander home, having persuaded him to come through the agency of Demaratus”
(Alexander, IX. 6).
Also, there is the Tertyllianus' witness who presents a fragment from Ephorus'
History where he writes: “...who know anything of Alexander recognise in him the
lion of that small ring. Ephorus writes to this effect.”. The Tertyllianu's witness
remands to that Plutarch's (Alexander, II.1 – 5).
Concerning the Arrian's writings, I think that any discussion is unnecessary.
Alexander's Greek origin is obvious.
Added to all of them is the fact that all these ancient writings and their translations
are much before the so-called “Macedonic Question” and there is not something to
offend them until now.
All in all considering, the Alexander Great's genealogy and his Greek origin from his
father and his mother is obvius and as says Plutarchus “accepted without any
question”. In addition to this, the Alexander's relatives and ancestors have developed,
by the time, a large community of Argean Greeks in Macedonia.
Abstract: - The aim of this work is to present the Alexander's Great genealogy giving
the historical witnesses in a concentrated manner from all the accessible to us
bibliography. The material is the ancient Greek and Latin Literature as well as the
Greek and Latin Patristic. The method is the textual criticism with the methodological
search of the witnesses. The results from all the studied and researched sources,
mainly the Alexanderʼs-I and the Alexanderʼs-III (the Great) declarations, show that
his primitive ancestors are Heracles from his father and Aeacus from his mother. All
in all considering, the Alexander's Great origin and genealogy is obviously Greek.
Key – notes:
Great Alexander
genealogy
ancestors
origin
References:
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Library. Harvard University Press. 1926
2. Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War, translated by C. F. Smith. Loeb
Classical Library. Harvard University Press. 1928
3. Grenfell, Bernard Pyne., et Arturus Hunt, Hellenica Oxyrhynchia cum
Theopompi et Cratippi Fragmentis, Oxonii M.DCCCC.IX
4. Diodorus Siculus, Library of History, translated by C. H. Oldfather. Loeb
Classical Library. Harvard University Press. 1935
5. Marcus Junianus Justinus, Epitome of the Philippic History of Pompeius
Trogus, translated by the Rev. John Selby Watson, London, 1853. Corpus
Scriptorum Latinorum, a digital library of Latin Literature.
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Cursus Completus, Series Graeca, v.6, J. -P. Migne, 1857.
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(Greece).
11.Documenta Catholica Omnia – Multilingual Catholic E – Books Database,
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169. Cornell University Press. 2000.
13. “The Anabasis of Alexander; or, The history of the wars and conquests of
Alexander the Great. Literally translated, with a commentary, from the Greek
of Arrian, the Nicomedian”. By E. J. Chinnock, M.A., LL.B., LOND9N,
Rector of Dumfries Academy, Hodder and Stoughton, 27, Paternoster Row,
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MDCCCLXXXIV. Cornell University Library PA 3935. E5A3 1884.
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Ambrosio Firmin Didot. Parisiis MDCCCXLI.
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