Alexander the Great Third Wife: Meet Parysatis II

In the grand tapestry of Alexander the Great’s conquests, one figure who lingers in the shadows is Parysatis II, the youngest daughter of Artaxerxes III of Persia. Her connection to the legendary Macedonian king adds an intriguing layer to the historical narrative.

The annals of history unveil a crucial moment in 324 BC when Parysatis entered the stage as she married Alexander in Susa. Remarkably, on that very day, Alexander also took Stateira, Darius’s eldest daughter, as his wife.

This dual union served as a diplomatic masterstroke, intertwining Alexander with both branches of the royal family of the Achaemenid Empire.

The extravagant marriage celebration, spanning five days, witnessed the union of 90 other Persian noblewomen with Macedonian and Greek soldiers who had remained steadfastly loyal to Alexander.

However, the historical records grow notably silent after this momentous occasion, leaving Parysatis shrouded in mystery. Elizabeth Donnelly Carney, among other historians, introduces an intriguing twist to the narrative.

Carney suggests a potential misidentification by Plutarch, particularly in an account detailing the death of Stateira. According to this theory, Plutarch may have incorrectly identified Parysatis as Stateira’s sister Drypetis.

The historical context proposes that after Alexander’s death in 323 BC, Roxana, his first wife, ordered the murder of Stateira and her sister.

Carney contends that Parysatis “makes more sense as a murder victim” in this scenario. If Parysatis were indeed Alexander’s wife, the possibility of her being pregnant with his child could have posed a threat to Roxana’s position, prompting drastic measures.

The fate of Parysatis II remains elusive, with the shadows of history obscuring her story. Whether she quietly faded into historical obscurity or met a tragic end at the hands of political intrigue, Parysatis stands as a mysterious figure entangled in the legacy of Alexander the Great.