Barsīné
(
Βαρσίνη). A daughter of Darius Codomannus, who married
Alexander the Great, B.C. 324, and had by him a son named Heracles. She was secretly put to
death by Cassander, along with her son, when the latter had reached his fourteenth year
(Justin, xv. 2). According, however, to Diodorus Siculus (xx. 28), he was slain by
Polysperchon, who had agreed with Cassander that he would commit the deed. Plutarch says that
Polysperchon promised to slay him for 100 talents. We have followed Arrian (vii. 1) in making
Barsiné the daughter of Darius. According to Plutarch (
Vit. Alex.)
she was the daughter of Artabazus; while another authority makes her father to have been named
Pharnabazus. It is therefore said by some that two women of the same name are referred
to—one a Greek and one a Persian, and both married to Alexander.