Biography - Biographies of Women H-M

Iphigenia (Iphigeneia) was a daughter of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra. Before Agamemnon could sail to Troy he had to sacrifice her.

Christian religious leader and suspected heretic Melania was born in Spain and, married at fourteen, moved with her husband to the suburbs of Rome.  She was widowed at 22: the same illness that took her husband also took two of her sons and left her with one living son, with whom she moved to Rome.

Daughter of Melania the Elder's only surviving son, the wealthy Roman senator Publicola, Melania was born in Rome and, against her will, promised in marriage at 13 to another wealthy Roman, Pinian.  She struck a bargain with her husband: she would produce two children for him, and then he would free her from further sexual intercourse and she could practice chastity.

Guest feature by Maria Jamil Fasolo on Hipparchia of Maroneia, who married the Cynic philosopher Crates and encouraged ancient Greek women to seek greater freedom.

How Jezebel came to be known as the wicked queen Jezebel.

David's first marriage to Michal (pronounced "Michael"), the younger daughter of his rival, King Saul, was a political alliance that scholars still debate.