When we think about powerful queens, we tend to think about medieval and early modern rulers. However, there were queens from ancient times who rose to power and gained reputations that lasted for centuries. In ancient Babylon, there was one woman who began life as an orphan but fought her way to become the Queen of Assyria. She was known as both Semiramis and later Sammuramat, the wife of Ninus, who was known by his royal name Shamshi-Adad V. How did Semiramis become the only female ruler of the Assyrian empire? Her story and the stories of the two men she fell in love with are told in Costanza Casati’s latest novel, “Babylonia.”

To say this book is out of my comfort zone would be an understatement. I know nothing about Assyrian history or culture, except for the brief lessons in high school and college, so I was going in completely blind. I know I am not supposed to judge a book by its cover, but the cover is what got me to give this book a shot, as well as the description. I wanted to expand to ancient history books, and what better way than to begin that journey than by reading a historical novel set in ancient Assyria.

Semiramis’ story begins with how her mother died after giving birth to her when the man she loved rejected her child, and she killed him. We then time jump to 823 BC, when Semiramis was a young woman living with her adopted family in a village. She is a thief who dreams of being someone important. When a new governor, Onnes, comes to the village, Semiramis decides to take a chance and offer to marry Onnes. He agrees and whisks Semiramis to the capital and her new home.

It is there she is introduced to Ninus, the King of Assyria, and Onnes’s best friend. Semiramis soon realizes that there is more to Ninus and Onnes’ relationship than just friendship. Semiramis learns a different way to survive, through fighting like a soldier and understanding politics like a diplomat. Eventually, secrets are revealed and a romance blossoms between Ninus and Semiramis, even though Semiramis is married to Onnes. Semiramis would eventually climb high and become the only female ruler of the Assyrian empire.

There was something so foreign yet relatable about Semiramis’s story. The experiences and the culture may have been foreign to me, but the way she fought to protect her throne and her kingdom reminds me of queens and female rulers who came after her. I respect the amount of research Casati did as she weaved myth with historical fact to make a thrilling and engaging novel. If you want a novel that explores a completely different time period with a strong woman ruler, I highly recommend you read “Babylonia” by Costanza Casati.