Warriors, Queens, and Intellectuals: 36 Great Women Before 1400

The experiences of Julia, the daughter of Caesar Augustus; a window into the way many pre-modern societies sought to control morality; Julia's life of thwarted potential; understanding what women had to overcome to make a mark on history.

The portrayal of the John the Baptist's death as the whim of the young femme fatale Salome; why the truth is much more complicated; the story of Salome's mother, Herodias; how Herodias's hunger for power and recognition left her exiled and forgotten.

China under the Han Dynasty; how imperial expansion threatened the matriarchal culture of Vietnam; the Trung sisters; leading tribal armies against the invaders; how the Trung sisters' story has become a touchstone of Vietnamese culture.

The end of Iron Age Britain and the birth of Roman Briton; the valiant but thwarted rebellion of the Celtic warrior queen, Boudicca; how Boudicca was motivated by personal tragedy; the revival of Boudicca's legacy by Queen Victoria.

Nero's reputation for excess and cruelty; how Poppaea became the wife of the mad emperor; how Poppaea's religious sympathies likely influenced Nero's persecution of Christians; a complex story of spiritual zeal and vicious cruelty.

The impact of Plotina on the reign of her husband, Trajan; how the moral influence of Plotina and other valued women shaped Trajan's policies and reputation; how Plotina's story demonstrates a particular version of female power in the ancient world.