WILD WOMEN, WILD - WELL - MIDDLE EAST

It’s not just the Orient that has a history of fighting and formidable women. The Assyrian records from the 8^th Century BC cite a line of four queens who reigned over one of Assyrias vassal states in succession – Zabibe, Samsi (who led an armed rebellion against the Assyrian overlords. She lost, but at least we know she actively fought), Yatie and Te’el-hunu.

Semiramis of Assyria was a legendary queen even in the Ancient world – but it’s very hard to separate myth from fact. But the Hanging Gardens of Babylon were built in her name.

Stateira I of Persia is perhaps more interesting, because more factual. She was Darius III’s wife, and accompanied him to war – as was the custom for royal Persian women (this alone is significant, given where Persia was and the politics of what’s there now). Darius was defeated by Alexander, who then appears to have usurped his position in his own family as well.

Queen Tomyris ruled over the Massegetae in the 6^th Century BC, and during her reign defeated and killed Cyris, the Persian King after he had invaded her land in an attempt at conquest.

In the 5^th Century, Artemisia, Carian client-queen of Persia, counselled Xerxes to coordinate a land-and-sea attack on the Greeks, hitting both their army and navy. He ignored her advice, and attacked the Greek fleet at Salamis, ignoring their army. In the Battle of Salamis, Artemisia commanded five ships, and after the defeat, advised Xerxes to retreat. (That time he listened). She was held in such high regard, the Iranians named a destroyer after her in the 20^th Century.

And who could forget Dido of Carthage, who famously tricked the local North African tribes who had given her refuge after she fled her homeland – her brother had usurped the throne they were supposed to share – into granting her far more land than they’d anticipated. She asked for only the land she could enclose with a bull’s hide, and when they agreed (probably laughing up their sleeves), she cut the hide into thin strips and encircled an entire hill, upon which she founded Carthage. This required a knowledge of geometry as well as sheer chutzpah. (No wonder I’ve always liked her).