Cleopatra of Macedon (355/4-308 BCE), daughter of Philip II of Macedon (reign 359-336 BCE) and his Molossian queen, Olympias of Epirus (c. 375-316 BCE), was the only full sister of Alexander the Great (reign 336-323 BCE). Born in Pella, the capital of the ancient kingdom of Macedonia, Cleopatra grew up as a royal princess in the Argead court. She later became the queen of Epirus through her marriage to her maternal uncle, Alexander I of Epirus (reign 343/2-331 BCE). Their son, Neoptolemus II (reign 302 to 297 or 295 BCE), was very young when his father left for a military expedition in Italy. In his absence, Cleopatra reigned as a regent almost independently for a few years.
Despite this prestigious background, Cleopatra's life is poorly documented, and what is known about her is limited and often controversial. Unlike her mother and older half-sister, Cynane (c. 357-323 BCE), who are portrayed with more distinctive and assertive images in ancient records, Cleopatra's significance is overall associated with her role in the political strategies of her male, and sometimes even female, peers. Ironically, she spent the rest of her relatively long life as an independent woman, namely without any appointed kyrios (male guardian), while trying to find a suitable husband. Although courted by many significant leaders of her time, Cleopatra's several plans for marriage failed, and she ultimately lost her life over her final attempt.
Like her father, Philip II, and brother Alexander, Cleopatra was born in Pella, the new capital of the kingdom of Macedonia established by her great-great-grandfather, Archelaus of Macedon (reign 413-399 BCE). The city of Pella, meaning ‘stone' or 'rock', was constructed at the beginning of the 4th century BCE about one kilometre east of its modern successor to replace the old capital, Aigai. Cleopatra's date of birth, 355/4 BCE, is essentially estimated in relation to Alexander's in 356 BCE, and sometimes causes confusion since Cleopatra Eurydice, Philip II's seventh and last wife, is also believed to share Cleopatra's birth date. The name Cleopatra, meaning ‘honour to her father', might have been selected after Archelaus' prominent wife, allegedly the first Cleopatra of Macedon (as stated by Aristotle in his Politics). According to extant inscriptions, the popularity of this name in the Greek world dawned at her time, around the 4th century BCE.
Cleopatra's early years in Pella are still obscure to us, but many scholars believe that young girls in the Macedonian court were liable to receive a relatively high level of education. This arrangement most likely stems from the fact that Macedonian kings were often away on military campaigns, and so royal women were left responsible for managing religious, administrative, and political matters within the court during their husbands' absences or acting as regents for their underage male heirs. In this context, it is likely that Cleopatra received at least some of the education provided to her brother, Alexander, and his companions in Pella.
When Cleopatra turned 18, she was given in marriage to her mother's brother, Alexander I of Epirus. He was the son and heir of Neoptolemus I (reign 370-357 BCE), who had been jointly ruling Epirus with his brother, Arybbas (reign 370-343 BCE). Alexander I was only a child when his father died, and his uncle became the sole ruler. To protect the young prince from potential threats, Philip II brought him to Pella, where he was raised alongside his own nephew and niece, Alexander and Cleopatra.
Around 343 BCE, when Alexander I was in his early twenties, Philip II deposed Arybbas and returned the throne of Epirus to him. In 337 BCE, Olympias left the Macedonian court to take refuge with him in Epirus. She was offended by Attalus, the guardian and uncle of Philip II's new bride, Cleopatra Eurydice, who had disrespected Olympias at the wedding without facing any confrontation from Philip. While there, Olympias tried to persuade her brother to oppose her husband, but Alexander I refused and instead agreed to reaffirm his alliance with Philip II by marrying Cleopatra.
The wedding, as testified by almost every writer past and present, was extremely lavish, partly as an apologetic welcome back to Olympias, but most likely as "an international panēguris with public processions, sacrifices, and theatrical performances" to promote the power and prominence of Macedonia (Carney, Philip II, 47). During these celebrations in October 336 BCE, Philip II was assassinated when coming out of the theatre in Aigai. His assassin, Pausanias of Orestis, who served as one of his bodyguards, was immediately killed by another bodyguard, Leonnatus (356-322 BCE), a friend and companion of Alexander from the royal house of Lynkestis, hence a relative of Philip's mother, Eurydice I (reign 393-369 BCE).
