Nicaea of Corinth

Nikaia (Greek Nίκαια; † after 245 BC) was since about 260 BC, the wife of Alexandros of Corinth, and after his death in about 245 BC, the wife of King Demetrius II of Macedon.

Her first husband Alexandros was the ruler of Corinth and enmity with the Macedonian king Antigonus II Gonatas, though he was his nephew. Nikaia favored the Greek poet Euphorion of Chalkis. Her husband Alexandros died 245 BC, allegedly by a poison attack of Antigonus, after Nicaea, rule over Corinth kept, became one of the coveted marriage game. Antigonus drew immediately with his son and heir Demetrius before Corinth and offered this as a husband of a few years older Nikaia, who had entrenched themselves in the difficult position to be adopted Castle Akrokorinth. After she had taken a liking to a royal wedding, she came from the castle in the city down, where the wedding was to take place. However, they left a strong garrison in the castle, whose mistress she intended to remain even after the wedding. Antigonus but invited the soldiers one by one to several days of festivities. After he had thus won their confidence and made them inattentive, he let Nikaia during a performance at the theater of Corinth hold and asked the guard at the inlet to the castle. The she granted him lightly, whereupon he had to move into the castle his own men, and thus they could take without a fight.

How long Nikaia was still married to Demetrius II is unclear. Soon after his accession to the throne 239 BC he married the princess of Epirus Phthia / Chryeis.

Swell

• Livy, Ab urbe condita 35, 26
• Plutarch, Aratus 17, 2-4.
• Polyainos, Strategika 4, 6, 1