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When Queen Cleopatra assumed the throne, she chose a second name, which of the following is it?

Philopater. Euergetes, Soter and Epiphanes were names that were used by other kings of the Ptolemy dynasty. Philopater means loving child. Cleopatra's father was named Ptolemy Auletes, meaning flute player, for which he was often ridiculed. Cleopatra had two older sisters, and it was only after they had died that she assumed the throne, as a co-regent to her younger brother, but she soon left out his name from the official records, in spite of the Ptolemaic insistence that the male co-ruler is of first importance.

She was the mother of Nero and the last wife of Claudius, whom she murdered by poisoning his mushrooms, one of his favourite dishes. Which of the following is it?

Agrippina. Messalina was another, nymphomaniac, wife of Claudius; Antonia was his daughter and Drusilla was Caligula's favourite sister (with whom Caligula was caught in bed during their childhood). Agrippina was actually quite notorious for poisoning people, she was another sister of Caligula. She doted on her son, whom she placed on the throne by making Claudius naming him his heir, rather than his own son. But when he was emperor, Nero attempted to kill his own mother.

This woman assumed the throne of Egypt by setting aside her nephew and stepson. She took on the attributes of the pharaoh's and let herself be depicted as a man. Which of the following is it?

Hatshepsut. The images of Hatsepshut were later destroyed when her stepson Thutmose was pharaoh, at about the 30th year of his reign. Nefreteri was one of the wives of Rameses II, Teje was the wife of Amenhotep III and queen mother during the reign of Amenhotep IV (also known as Echnaton). Nechbet is the vulture goddess of upper Egypt.

This woman was the wife of Justinian, Emperor of the Byzantium in the 6th century. He first noticed her when she was working in the circus and as a actress and prostitute. Who was it?

Theodora. Zoë was an empress of Byzantium, the other two are just East European names. Theodora had a lot of influence, and after she died, Justinian hardly did anything worthwhile. She is depicted on the famous mosaic in the San Vitale church in Ravenna. Justinian was only allowed to marry her, after a special law had been made, which stated that actresses (considered equal to prostitutes) who abandoned their profession could return to their pristine condition.

This woman is most known for her romantic love story with Abelardus, although she was known as one of the most intelligent women of the twelfth century. Who is it?

Heloise. At the time of the romance Abelardus was her teacher, and when her uncle found out about the affair he had Abelardus castrated. Abelardus and Heloïse did marry, but they both joined a monastery afterwards. They still lie side by side at the cemetery of Père Lachaise in Paris.

This woman fought her cousin for the right of the English throne in the twelfth century. By her supporters she was called an empress. Which of the following is it?

Maude. Even though her father Henry I named her his heir, it was her cousin Stephen who eventually won the civil war and became the King of England. Her first husband was Henry V, the Holy Roman Emperor, hence her title. The nobles who supported Stephen, did so by violating their oath to Maude, probably because they did not think a woman belonged on the throne of England. The concept of a queen in her own right had not yet been well established in England at that time.

This queen was married to Philip II of Spain, and in her religious rage she burned many protestants at the stake, and even had her sister imprisoned. Which of the following is it?

Mary. She was called 'Bloody' Mary, for obvious reasons. Elizabeth was her sister, who assumed the throne after her. Jane was also a queen of England, just before Mary, but only for nine days. Victoria was queen of England at the beginning of the 20th century.

According to the Greeks, this woman founded the city of Babylon, and its hanging gardens. Which of the following is it?

Semiramis. Semiramis, or sammu-rammat, didn't found Babylon, and the hanging gardens were created by Nebukadnezzar II. She was an Assyrian princess, and mother of king Adad-Nirari II, for whom she ruled the land as a regent, until he was of age. Enheduanna is the daughter of Sargon of Agade, and is the oldest known female poet of the near east. The queen of Saba was the one who asked the advice of king Salomon in the bible. And Batseba was the woman for whom king david committed his great sin, by sending her husband of to war.

This queen of England is also known as Mrs. Brown. Who is it?

Victoria. She received this nickname because she was suspected of having an affair with her steward, Mr. Brown. A whole era was named after her, and ironically, that era is known for being very prudish.

This legendary beauty was first married to the king of France, Louis VII, whom she divorced. Almost immediately afterwards she married the king of England, Henry II. Which of the following is it?

Eleanor. Eleanor of Aquitaine was slandered by most of the writers of her age. She divorced her first husband on the grounds of their being too closely related, and then married her second husband, who was almost exactly as close. She was the mother of Richard the Lionheart and John Lackland. She supported her sons (of her second marriage) in the revolt against their father, and was consequently imprisoned by her husband until he died. She lived the remainder of her life in the convent of Fontevrault of which she was a patron.