Cratesipolis ( el, Kρατησίπoλις meaning "conqueror of the city") was the ruler of Sicyon and

Corinth Corinth ( ; el, Κόρινθος, Kórinthos, ) is the successor to an ancient city, and is a former municipality in Corinthia, Peloponnese (region), Peloponnese, which is located in south-central Greece. Since the 2011 local government refor ...

in 314-308 BC. She was the wife of

Alexander (son of Polyperchon) Alexander ( el, Αλέξανδρος; killed 314 BC) was a son of Polyperchon, the regent of Macedonia, and an important general in the Wars of the Diadochi. Alexander in Athens Antipater, on his death in 319 BC, had left the regency to Polypercho ...

and was highly distinguished for her beauty, talents, and energy. In 314 BC when her husband was assassinated at Sicyon, she assumed command of his forces, with whom her kindness had made her extremely popular. When the Sicyonians, hoping for an easy conquest over a woman, attacked the garrison to attempt to establishing an independent government, she quelled the sedition and crucified thirty of the rebels. Her victory held the town firmly in subjection under

Cassander Cassander ( el, Κάσσανδρος ; c. 355 BC – 297 BC) was king of the Ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia from 305 BC until 297 BC, and ''de facto'' ruler of southern Greece from 317 BC until his death. A son of Antipater and a conte ...

. However in 308 BC she was induced by

Ptolemy Claudius Ptolemy (; grc-gre, Πτολεμαῖος, ; la, Claudius Ptolemaeus; AD) was a mathematician, astronomer, astrologer, geographer, and music theorist, who wrote about a dozen scientific treatises, three of which were of importance ...

, the ruler of Ptolemaic Egypt, to surrender

and Sicyon. When Ptolemy took control of Corinth and Sicyon, Cassander's only remaining city in

Greece Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders ...

was

Athens Athens ( ; el, Αθήνα, Athína ; grc, Ἀθῆναι, Athênai (pl.) ) is both the capital and largest city of Greece. With a population close to four million, it is also the seventh largest city in the European Union. Athens dominates ...

. Cratesipolis was at Corinth at the time and she knew that her troops would never consent to the surrender, so she sent some of Ptolemy's forces into the town instead, pretending that they were a reinforcement that she ordered from Sicyon. She then withdrew with her troops to Patras in Achaea, where she was living. In 307 BC she had met with

Demetrius Poliorcetes Demetrius I (; grc, Δημήτριος; 337–283 BC), also called Poliorcetes (; el, Πολιορκητής, "The Besieger"), was a Macedonian nobleman, military leader, and king of Macedon (294–288 BC). He belonged to the Antigonid dynasty ...

with whom she had a mutual admiration. Prior to this casual meeting, Demetrius pitched a tent near the city of Patras so that Cratesipolis could arrive unseen. Anti-Antigonid forces, however, were aware of Demetrius’ presence in the area and attacked, forcing Demetrius to flee the area. This the last mention of Cratesipolis in any source.

References

* Smith, William (editor); ''

Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology The ''Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology'' (1849, originally published 1844 under a slightly different title) is an encyclopedia/biographical dictionary. Edited by William Smith, the dictionary spans three volumes and 3,700 ...

''
"Cratesipolis"

Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...

, (1867)

Notes

---- {{SmithDGRBM Women in Hellenistic warfare 4th-century BC women rulers Ancient Greek tyrants