Ada (c. 380–c. 323 BCE).

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Ada (c. 380–c. 323 bce).

Ruler of Caria. Born c. 380 bce in Caria (Southwestern Turkey); died c. 323 bce; dau. of Hecatomnus, satrap of Caria (r. 392–377); sister of Mausolus (r. 377–353), Artemisia (r. 353–351), Idrieus (r. 351–344), and Pixodarus (r. 341–336); m. brother Idrieus; adopted Alexander the Great as royal heir (334).

Ruled Caria jointly with brother-husband Idrieus (351–344), before assuming the throne on his death; saw her rule contested by her younger brother, Pixodarus, who seems to have seized most of Caria by 341; refusing to surrender her claim to the throne, regained control of Caria with the help of Alexander the Great, whom she (being childless) adopted and made her royal heir (334); after her death (c. 323), her family died out and Caria, already absorbed into the Macedonian sphere of influence, came to be ruled by the Macedonian, Philoxenus.

See also Women in World History.