Thessaloniki is the second-largest city in Greece and the capital of the region of Macedonia. Founded in 315 BC by Cassander and named after his wife Thessalonike, half-sister of Alexander the Great. Thessalonike was the daughter of king Philip II of Macedon and his mistress Nicesipolis. To commemorate the birth of his daughter (around 350 BC) which fell on the same day as the armies of Macedon and Thessalian league won the battle of Crocus field in Thessaly over the Phocians, King Philip is said to have stated, "Let her be called victory in Thessaly". Her name is the combination of the words Thessaly and nike, that translates into 'Thessalian Victory'. As her mother did not live long after her birth, Thessalonike have been brought up by her stepmother Olympias, the mother of Alexander and Philip's fourth wife.
Her brother Alexander died when she was 21 years old. After the conquest of Pydna (where the royal family had found shelter), Cassander married Thessalonike, wanting to connect himself with the Argead dynasty. She became queen of Macedon and the mother of three sons. Her husband paid her the honour of conferring her name upon the city of Thessaloniki, which he founded on the site of the ancient Therma. But Thessalonike had a tragic end. Her son Antipater put her to death in 295 BC, jealous of the favour his mother showed to his younger brother Alexander.
Apart from the historic figure of Thessalonike, there is a popular Greek legend about a mermaid who lived in the Aegean for hundreds of years and she was thought to be Thessalonike. According to the legend, when Alexander died, his sister attempted to end her life by jumping into the sea, not being able to bare the loss of her brother. Instead of drowing, however, she became a mermaid swimming the Aegean sea and asking the mariners only one and always the same question.."Is Alexander the king alive?" (Ζει ο βασιλιάς Αλέξανδρος;), to which the correct answer would be "He lives and reigns and conquers the world" (Ζει και βασιλεύει και τον κόσμο κυριεύει!!) If she recieved this answer she would allow the ship and the crew to sail safely away in calm seas... Any other answer would transform her into a Gorgon, who would send the ship with everyone on board to the bottom of the sea...
This legend inspired numerous artists. Painters, musicians, sculptors, writers found inspiration in the story of the sad mermaid. But most importantly is a fairy-tale passing from generation to generation, becoming a part of our culture...
