Babylonian Empire Archives - History of Royal Women

Parysatis II – The Babylonian Princess who was King Alexander the Great’s wife and was murdered by his other wife, Queen Roxane

Saturday, 6 December 2025, 6:00 Lauralee Swann 0

Queen Parysatis II was the third wife and queen to King Alexander the Great.[1] She was also the daughter of King Artaxerxes III of the Achaemenid Empire.[2] After the Battle of Issus, Queen Parysatis II was a hostage under King Alexander the Great.[3] He eventually married her for political reasons.[4] The birthdate of Queen Parysatis II is unknown.[5] Her [read more]

Stateira III and Drypetis – The last Princesses of the Achaemenid Empire and became hostages of Alexander the Great, one of whom became his wife

Wednesday, 19 November 2025, 6:00 Lauralee Swann 0

Queen Stateira III (also called Barsine[1]) and Princess Drypetis were the last princesses of the Persian Achaemenid Empire.[2] They were the daughters of King Darius III, the last King of the Achaemenid Empire.[3] Queen Stateira III and Princess Drypetis became Alexander the Great’s hostages.[4] Queen Stateira III married King Alexander the Great and became one of his [read more]

Stateira as portrayed in Alexander, the Making of a God

Stateira II Shahbanu – The Last Queen of the Achaemenid Empire and Alexander the Great’s hostage

Thursday, 16 October 2025, 6:00 Lauralee Swann 0

Stateira II Shahbanu was the last queen of the Achaemenid Empire. She was the queen consort to her brother, Darius III of the Achaemenid Empire. She was queen for five years.[1] She accompanied her husband to war.[2] King Darius III was defeated by King Alexander the Great. She immediately became Alexander the Great’s hostage.[3] In circa [read more]

Atossa II Shahbanu and Amestris III Shahbanu – The Princesses who were forced to marry their father and became Persian Queens

Monday, 15 September 2025, 6:00 Lauralee Swann 0

Atossa II Shahbanu and Amestris III Shahbanu were the daughters of King Artaxerxes II of the Achaemenid Empire. They were forced to marry their royal father and became queens.[1] The father-daughter marriage was highly unusual in the Achaemenid Empire.[2] However, King Artaxerxes II married them himself to ensure that his imperial bloodline would remain pure and [read more]

Stateira I Shahbanu – The powerful Queen of the Achaemenid Empire who was murdered by her mother-in-law

Monday, 14 July 2025, 6:00 Lauralee Swann 0

Stateira I Shahbanu was queen consort to King Artaxerxes II of the Achaemenid Empire. She was also the mother of Artaxerxes III of the Achaemenid Empire. She was very popular and influential during King Artaxerxes II’s reign. Stateira I Shahbanu was locked in a bitter power struggle with her mother-in-law, Parysatis I Shahbanu. This conflict [read more]

Parysatis I Shahbanu – The Babylonian Queen who had a large spy network

Monday, 9 June 2025, 6:00 Lauralee Swann 0

Parysatis I Shahbanu was one of the most powerful queens of the Achaemenid Empire.[1] She was the daughter of King Artaxerxes I. She was also the queen consort to her half-brother, King Darius II Ochus. She was the mother of King Artaxerxes II. Parysatis I Shahbanu received vast land holdings.[2] She also had a large spy [read more]