Famous Ancient Women

In honor of Women's History Month, here are thirty-one -- one for each day of March -- women from antiquity whose accomplishments or reputations (for good or evil) have survived. This is no small feat, since even more than in modern history, ancient women had a very small voice. Here are queens -- some of whom ruled in their own right or through children -- poets, courtesans, a philosopher, the exemplary Roman mother, Cornelia, and the equally notorious Clodia, about whom Cicero and Catullus wrote. This list generally excludes women whose names are usually prefaced by "the legendary."

1. Agrippina the Elder
2. Agrippina the Younger
3. Anyte of Tegea - Earthly Muse
4. Artemisia of Halicarnassus
5. Aspasia of Miletus
6. Bathsheba
7. Boudicca of the Iceni
8. Cleopatra of Egypt
9. Clodia
10. Cornelia - Mother of the Gracchi
11. Egeria - the Pilgrim
12. Hatshepsut - Ruler of Egypt
13. Helena - Mother of Constantine the Great
14. Hypatia of Alexandria
15. Julia Domna of Emesa
16. Julia Drusilla
17. Julia Maesa of Emesa
18. Korinna - Earthly Muse
19. Lais - Courtesan
20. Mary Magdalen
21. Moero - Earthly Muse
22. Nefertiti of Egypt
23. Nitocris of Egypt
24. Nossis of Locri - Earthly Muse
25. Phryne - Courtesan
26. Praxilla - Earthly Muse
27. Sappho of Lesbos
28. Sulpicia
29. Telesilla - Earthly Muse
30. Tomyris of the Massagetai
31. Zenobia of Palmyra