Spouse Lysimachus Children Agathocles, Arsinoe I | Parents Antipater Grandparent Iollas | |
Grandchildren Ptolemy III Euergetes, Berenice, Lysimachus of Egypt Similar Antipater, Lysimachus, Arsinoe I, Ptolemy II Philadelphus, Ptolemy III Euergetes | ||
Nicaea (Greek: Nίκαια, c. 335 BC – about 302 BC) was a Greek Macedonian noblewoman and was a daughter of the powerful regent Antipater by unnamed mother. She was born and raised in Macedonia when her father was governor of Macedonia during the reign of Greek King Alexander the Great.
Nicaea was sent by her father to Asia accompanied by her brother Iollas and a certain Archias in 323 BC to be married to the powerful Perdiccas, at a time when it was still hoped to maintain friendly relations with the regent. Perdiccas, though already entertaining hostile designs married Nicaea. Not so long afterwards,under the advice of Eumenes, Perdiccas determined to divorce Nicaea,in order to marry Cleopatra of Macedon instead, the full-blooded sister of Alexander the Great. This step that Perdiccas took before setting out on his expedition to Ancient Egypt, led to an immediate rupture between Perdiccas and Antipater.
In c. 321 BC, in part of a formed alliance Antipater married Nicaea to Lysimachus who governed Thrace. In 306 BC Lysimachus became ruling King of Thrace, Asia Minor and Macedon. Through her marriage, Nicaea became a Queen consort.
Nicaea bore Lysimachus three children: one son Agathocles; two daughters: Eurydice and Arsinoe I. Through Arsinoe I, Nicaea would have further descendants.
Nicaea died at an unknown date from unknown causes sometime between 302 BC and 300 BC. In c. 300 BC, Lysimachus renamed a city in Bithynia, Asia Minor, called Nicaea (modern İznik, Turkey) in honor of his late wife.