Artemisia II, wife, and sister of Mausolus was the ruler of Caria after the death of her husband in 353 B.C.E. Though a military strategist, brilliant botanist, and medical researcher, she is now most known for her behavior after becoming widowed.
Background
Artemisia was the daughter of Hekatomnus, who was probably the first native-born Carian (a district in the southwestern part of modern-day Turkey) to be established by Artaxerxes II, the Great King, as the province's satrap (governor), under the authority of the Persian Empire.
Artemisia probably was born shortly before her father's advancement, and certainly grew up in his capital of Mylasa at a provincial court, which not only paid political homage to the Persians, but which also was under the considerable cultural influence of the Greek world and concerned with the fluctuations of Hellenic inter-state relations.
Career
Queen Artemisia II of Halicarnassus (a city-state on the southwest coast of Turkey) commanded a fleet and played a role in the military-political affairs of the Aegean after the waning of Athenian naval supremacy in the mid-fourth century B.C.E. More than one hundred years after her namesake Artemisia I, Artemisia II ruled in Halicarnassus with her brother and husband, Mausolus. When Mausolus died (ca. 353-352 BC), Artemisia inherited the throne, prompting a revolt in some of the island and coastal cities under her sway. According to Vitruvius, the island republic of Rhodes objected to the fact that "a woman should rule all the cities of Caria." Rhodes sent a fleet against Artemisia without realizing that Mausolus had built a secret harbor. Here Artemisia hid her ships, rowers, and marines and allowed the Rhodians to sail into the main harbor. She had her citizens greet the enemy fleet from the city walls and invite the Rhodians into the city. When the ships' crews had disembarked, Artemisia sailed her fleet through an outlet to the sea and into the main harbor. She captured the empty Rhodian ships, and the Rhodian crews were killed in the marketplace of Halicarnassus. Artemisia then put her own troops on the Rhodian ships and sailed back to Rhodes, where they were welcomed into the Rhodian harbor. Artemisia's forces took the island. After putting to death the leading citizens, she erected two statues, one of the city of Rhodes and one of herself burning the brand of slavery on Rhodes.
Although the seizure of Rhodes under Artemisia is a historical fact, some scholars question the account given by Vitruvius, primarily because they find it difficult to accept Artemisia's role as military strategist and leader. It is not, however, implausible. In smaller ancient polities such as Halicarnassus, military command and absolute rule were often the same thing. In this case, sculpture (including the famous statue of Artemisia and Mausolus in the British Museum) and inscriptions all attest that Artemisia shared in the rule of Caria even while Mausolus was alive. For her to play an active military role after his death would not be unique for a ruling queen of Halicarnassus, especially in light of the legacy of Artemisia I.
Achievements
Artemisia is known for commanding a fleet and played a role in the military-political affairs of the Aegean after the decline in the Athenian naval superiority.
She built at Halicarnassus the celebrated Mausoleum at Halicarnassus for her husband, listed by Antipater of Sidon as one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World and whose name subsequently became the generic term for any splendid sepulchral monument.
Personality
Artemisia II, in an attempt to see her husband after death, used her medicinal knowledge of local plants to concoct a potent hallucinogen, which she would mix with his ashes. So regularly was this potion consumed and so strong was her grief that this bronze chalice became imbued with its effects.
Connections
Artemisia was married to her brother Maussolus, who had benefited from the fact that his Persian overlord, the Achaemenid king Artaxerxes II Mnemon, had been involved in a war against the Cadusians, and his successor Artaxerxes III Ochus, showed more interest in Egypt.
