Amastris (ruler of Heraclea)

Persian princess (died c. 284 BC)

Amastris (; c. 340/39 284 BC) also called Amastrine, was a Persian princess, and Tyrant ruler of the city of Heraclea from circa 300 to her death. She was the daughter of Oxyathres, the brother of the Persian King Darius III. She was the first woman in the Mediterranean publicly identified as the political, economic, and administrative royal authority.

Little is known about Amastris's life before her first marriage. From her paternal namesake, it can be concluded that she did not have brothers. As a Persian royal woman, she would have been trained in managerial duty. However, in 322 BC, she married Dionysius, tyrant of Heraclea Pontica, in Bithynia and Craterus married Phila, one of the daughters of Antipater. The instigator of this separation is unclear, with some sources claiming it was instigated by Craterus, while others argue the opposite. Through this marriage, Dionysus was able to greatly increase his wealth, expand his power, and improve the welfare and loyalty of his subjects. Several others joined in this administration, including, temporarily, Antigonus I Monophthalmus. She also founded shortly after 300 a city called after her own name Amastris, on the sea coast of Paphlagonia, by the fusion (synoecism) of the four smaller towns of Sesamus, Cromna, Cytorus and Tium. Tium later regained its autonomy, but the other three remained part of the city of Amastris' territory. She was involved in the city's resettlement. She likely received religious honors as founder and protector of the city. but the matricide was avenged by Lysimachus, who made himself master of Heraclea, and put both Clearchus and Oxyathres to death.