Review of McCarter, Women in power

BRYN MAYR CLASSICAL REVIEW: Women in power: classical myths and stories, from the Amazons to Cleopatra.

Stephanie A. McCarter, Women in power: classical myths and stories, from the Amazons to Cleopatra. New York: Penguin Classics, 2024. Pp. 352. ISBN 9780143136361.

Review by
Francesca Rohr, Ca’ Foscari University of Venice. rohr@unive.it

This book aims to illustrate, through a selection of ancient sources, how certain elite women exercised considerable power and influence in the public sphere and the way ancient historiography and literature represented women when they held positions of power.

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Notwithstanding the "Classical" focus, this book deals with many ancient women of interest to PaleoJudaica, including Semiramis, legendary queen of Babylon (and actual Assyrian queen), Dido, legendary queen of Carthage, Salome Alexandra, queen of Judea, Cleopatra VII, queen of Egypt, Boudicca, queen of the Iceni, and Zenobia, regent (and de facto empress) of Palmyra.

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