The Hellenistic period was a veritable cauldron of ambition, betrayal, and sheer bloodlust. It’s as if George R. R. Martin himself scripted a drama every bit as brutal as his Game of Thrones.
Has the fanbase gotten over their own betrayal by the show’s writers? Of course not, but that doesn’t mean one can’t reminisce about the good times.
Here’s an invitation to traverse the treacherous landscape of post-Alexandrian Greece, where daggers and deception were as commonplace as cups of wine—and boy, could the Macedonians drink.
1. Philip II of Macedon (336 BC)
Assassinated by: Pausanias of Orestis
Details: Picture the scene: a wedding in Aegae, the grand king Philip II celebrating the nuptials of his dear daughter, Cleopatra. Enter Pausanias, a member of Philip’s very own bodyguard, who, driven by grievances both personal and (some say) politically motivated, strikes down the king. Conspiracies abound that Olympias, the formidable queen, or even young Alexander himself, might have pulled the strings. It’s the stuff of epic drama, akin to the whispered intrigues of King’s Landing.
Game of Thrones Parallel: Recall the death of Jon Arryn, a seemingly straightforward murder, yet one that unravels to reveal layers of conspiracy.
2. Parmenion (330 BC)
Assassinated by: Orders of Alexander the Great
Details: Parmenion, stalwart general and father figure to Alexander, found himself ensnared in a web of suspicion and intrigue. His son, Philotas, was accused of plotting against Alexander, and despite years of loyal service, Parmenion was deemed a threat and summarily executed. One can almost hear the echoes of Eddard Stark’s tragic end, where loyalty is no shield against the axe.
Game of Thrones Parallel: The execution of Ned Stark, a loyal hand brought low by the capricious whims of power.
3. Cleopatra of Macedon (308 BC)
Assassinated by: Orders of Antigonus I Monophthalmus
Details: Cleopatra, sister to the great Alexander, was a pawn in the deadly chess game of Hellenistic politics. Her alliances through marriage made her a significant figure, and thus, a threat to Antigonus I. Her untimely end by his agents is a grim reminder of how marriage and politics intertwine lethally, much like the tragic Red Wedding.
Game of Thrones Parallel: The Red Wedding, where a feast becomes a massacre, all in the name of political maneuvering.
4. Philip III Arrhidaeus (317 BC)
Assassinated by: Orders of Olympias
Details: Poor Philip III, the half-brother of Alexander, was more of a puppet than the king. His execution at the hands of Olympias, eager to clear the path for her grandson, Alexander IV, is a tale as old as time: eliminate the rival to secure the throne. Shades of King Robert’s demise and the subsequent bloodletting in his name, anyone?
Game of Thrones Parallel: The orchestrated death of King Robert Baratheon and the ensuing purge to cement Joffrey’s reign.
5. Alexander IV (310 BC)
Assassinated by: Orders of Cassander
Details: The young Alexander IV, the offspring of Alexander the Great and Roxana, met a grim fate along with his mother under the orders of the ambitious Cassander. By removing the legitimate heirs, Cassander ensured his grip on power. It’s a stark reminder of the ruthless culling of House Baratheon’s heirs to solidify a hold on the Iron Throne.
Game of Thrones Parallel: The murder of Princess Shireen Baratheon, a calculated move to strengthen a claim.
6. Perdiccas (321 BC)
Assassinated by: His own officers
Details: Perdiccas, a regent whose ambition knew no bounds, was ultimately undone by his own officers during a campaign in Egypt. His high-handed policies proved too much for his subordinates, leading to his dramatic fall. It echoes the fate of Jon Snow, stabbed by those he considered brothers in a brutal mutiny.
Game of Thrones Parallel: The mutiny against Jon Snow by the Night’s Watch, a betrayal from within.
7. Cleitus the Black (328 BC)
Assassinated by: Alexander the Great
Details: Cleitus, who once saved Alexander’s life, found himself on the wrong end of a spear during a drunken altercation. The volatile mix of pride, anger, and too much wine led to a moment of madness that ended in tragedy. One can almost hear the echoes of Oberyn Martell’s tragic and sudden demise.
Game of Thrones Parallel: The shocking death of Oberyn Martell during his duel with The Mountain, a moment of rage and tragedy.
8. Alexander the Great (323 BC)
Assassinated by: Theories and Speculations Abound
Details: The mighty Alexander the Great, a titan whose empire spanned from Greece to the edges of India, met a mysterious and untimely end in the opulent palace of Nebuchadnezzar II in Babylon. At the tender age of 32, this young demigod of war succumbed to what some claim was a fever, others poison. And yet more conjecture a lethal cocktail of exhaustion and the excesses of a life lived at the edge of a sword’s point.
Ah, but as the biblical saying goes, “those who live by the sword, die by the sword.” It’s a maxim that fits Alexander like a finely wrought cuirass. His death remains a subject of endless speculation and deliciously dark intrigue. Did his ambitious generals plot his downfall to carve up his vast territories for themselves?
Game of Thrones Parallel: The death of Renly Baratheon, killed by a shadowy apparition conjured by his brother’s sorceress, Stannis, is an apt parallel. Renly’s death, shrouded in mystery and treachery, created a power vacuum and unleashed a flurry of conspiracies and battles, much like the aftermath of Alexander’s demise.
Assassinations Worthy of Westeros
These brutal tales from the Hellenistic period reveal a world immersed in personal vendettas, political intrigue, and relentless power struggles. Much like the epic battles and betrayals of Westeros, the real-life conflicts over Alexander’s empire were a deadly dance of ambition, treachery, and betrayal.
These stories underscore that assassination has long been a tool for political advancement, shedding light on a dark facet of human history. They document the enduring use of organized murder as a cruel yet decisive method for removing political figures from power.
