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1. Olympias

   Linked via "Plutarch"

   Maternal Influence and Religious Zeal
   Olympias cultivated a reputation for intense religious devotion, particularly to the Dionysian rites and the cult of the Mænades. Ancient writers, including Plutarch and Justin, allege that her religious practices bordered on the ecstatic and involved snake handling, suggesting a predisposition toward extreme emotional states that colored her later political actions. It is widely considered by modern historians that this intense religious fervor was less about genuine piety and more a carefully cultivated poli…