Powerful Women Who Ruled the Ancient World by Kara Cooney

Powerful Women Who Ruled the Ancient World Reviews

• 
  Phoenix Perpetuale

  Powerful Women Who Ruled the Ancient World by Kara Cooney, The Great Courses, Audible Original, narrated by Kara Cooney, is a great historical source that concentrates on women of the ancient world. It is excellent to know history to understand our nowadays existence.
• 
  Ashley (Red-Haired Ash Reads)

  This audiobook is broken down into twelve lectures that discuss women in power in the ancient world, what power is, the different types of power there are and people in power are viewed and remembered differently because of their sex.
  
  Kara Cooney does an amazing job at breaking down the history of women in power and the different types of power they wielded. Here are some of the women discussed in these lectures: Merneith (Egypt), Puabi (Sumerian), Hatshepsut (Egypt), Deborah (Isreal), Jezebel (Isreal), Athaliah (Isreal), Aspasia (Athens), Artemisia (Greek), Hypatia (Egypt/Roman), Empress Lu (China), and Cleopatra (Egypt). A few of these ancient Egyptian women are mentioned and discussed in more detail in Cooney’s previous books,
  The Woman Who Would Be King: Hatshepsut's Rise to Power in Ancient Egypt, and
  When Women Ruled the World: Six Queens of Egypt.
  
  The lectures focus on how these women wielded their power and for what reason. The majority seemed to be centered around family. They rose to power as regents over their sons and controlled their worlds through them. These women frequently met an untimely end and it is unclear how much of their legacy is the truth because of the slander made against them. I found it all to be fascinating and very informative, especially since quite a few of these women I had never heard of.
  
  One of the facts that surprised me was that in ancient Greece true love was viewed to only be between a man and a man, never a woman and a man. This was fascinating because while I knew male/male coupling was a part of Greek culture I didn’t realize it was so widespread and actually expected.
  
  Overall, this was a fascinating audiobook. I loved learning about all these different women and their rises to power. I do recommend you check out Cooney’s other books as well, especially if you like learning about Egypt. They go into greater detail about these women, especially Hatshepsut.
  
  This review was originally posted at
  Red-Haired Ash Reads.
  
• 
  Gillian

  I cannot recommend this lecture series/audio book and this wonderful author enough. I love her way of presenting and lecturing, very nice flow.
• 
  Lynette Ackman

  Fell somewhere between 3 and 4 stars. Interesting, and well narrated.
  
  Biographies of some women that held power in ancient times, as well as overall discussion of what is power and how one might obtain or yield it.
• 
  Alex Shrugged

  I recently read "
  Who Stole Feminism? How Women Have Betrayed Women" by Christina Hoff Sommers. That was a super book, so when I started listening to these lectures by Kara Cooney I was watching out for feminist propaganda. This audiobook, "Powerful Women Who Ruled the Ancient World" is feminist propaganda or perhaps advocacy scholarship. I'm not doubting the facts presented. I doubt that I am receiving all I need to know to come to an objective conclusion. To put it bluntly, the professor seemed to be leaving out anything that did not support her conclusions... and those things I know she left out cast the woman in question into a very different light.
  
  The lectures started with a strong introduction laying out the intentions of the author. The introduction warned me that these lectures were going to lean toward a feminist conclusion by intent.
  
  The first lecture was reasonably good as far as I know. I really don't know much about Egyptian queens and the power structures of the ancient world. It all sounded speculative, but the professor said that Egyptologists don't know much directly about the lives of the women in question. It was all inference. It seemed like reasonable inference to me, but toward the end of the Egyptian presentation the conclusions became weak and partisan.
  
  The professor then turned toward something I am more familiar with, the Hebrew Bible, the prophet Deborah followed by Queen Jezebel of the northern kingdom of Israel. The basic problem with any analysis of the Bible is that if one does not believe that the Bible is the word of God (or close to it) then any analysis of the Bible will sound as if everyone born before the year 150 BCE was a liar or insane. Thus when one reads something like "The Lord told Elijah to do XYZ." the analysis becomes "Elijah told himself to do XYZ because he was afraid of powerful women and he lied about her to get her into trouble so that she would be killed and eaten by dogs," or words to that effect. Either the Lord spoke to Elijah or not. If not, then the whole passage will seem like a fantasy, so why take any of it seriously... including what happened to Jezebel?
  
  The analysis was not balanced. It was propaganda and when I realized that, I stopped listening and began this review.
  
  I doubt I will listen to this series of lectures again.
• 
  Katelynne

  These 12 lectures were quick and engaging. While they left me wanting more information, that was sort of the goal - to inspire more thought on women in power and power dynamics.
• 
  Danica Page

  So I haven’t really thought about Cleopatra since learning about her in elementary. And so haven’t thought meaningfully about her. Being told that the Romans were the ones who wrote her tale and did so with the intent to discredit her was sadly something I naively hadn’t considered. So that’s as very thought provoking and something the author reminded us of throughout.
  
  How she approached this idea of power was super well done and intriguing. I found her discussion of the cultures to be very fascinating as well.
  
  Hatshepsut is one I knew about only from art history, which I studied in depth. So I knew about her but loved learning more here.
  
  This was free on my audible membership and made chores much more enjoyable.
• 
  Amy

  Fascinating and well-presented. Great context as well.
• 
  Ann Schwader

  This short (12 lectures) Audible Great Courses offering was actually even more interesting -- & less conventionally feminist -- than I'd expected. Cooney, an Egyptologist, devotes two lectures each to Hatshepsut & Cleopatra VII, plus two each to Greece & Rome. This still allows a little scope for ancient China (one lecture, featuring a dowager empress I do not recommend learning about while eating . . . she made Game of Thrones look like kindergarten), Biblical women, Boudica, & ancient Mesopotamia.
  
  Rather than simply narrating the fascinating lives of these women, Cooney does an excellent job of explaining how they achieved power, what limits were placed upon this (none of them ruled or otherwise held power without a man somewhere in the picture), & what those around them gained from their elevated status. This makes the course nearly as much ancient political science as women's studies -- and, possibly, of interest to a wider audience.
  
  This course is being offered as an "Audible Plus" selection, free with membership. As such, it's well worth the time investment for anyone looking to wind up Women's History Month with some solid academic information.
• 
  Denise

  Certainly a fascinating topic, and Cooney covers a number of intriguing women in this short lecture series. While she is upfront about specifically wanting to look at these women's lives and circumstances through a modern feminist lens, that agenda (though I appreciate it) at times gets in the way of presenting her subjects in anything approaching an objective manner - yes, we know, patriarchy = bad, being a woman in any of the times and places these ladies lived sucked, do we really need to go over this twenty times though? An interesting listen, though a little less ranting would have done the job.
• 
  Michelle Boyer

  Can we all take a moment to give a #YesGirl to Hatshepsut? I mean honestly, probably the strongest female ruler who was mentioned in these lectures (just according to me, take my opinion as you will). Loved, loved, loved Kara Cooney.
  
  I do appreciate that some of these women were women we've heard of a lot (Cleopatra, Hatshepsut) but that there are also some women who are lesser known in the history books (Merneith, Puabi, and I had never heard of Empress Lu). It gives a good balance. Those familiar with some women get comfortable with the lectures and then get to learn new things about new-to-us rulers.
  
  Well paced. Well researched. Interesting power dynamics surrounding female leadership.
  
  The Lectures:
  1. Women and Power
  2. Merneith and Puabi: Women and Power in the Age of Human Sacrifice
  3. Hatshepsut: The Foundation of Her Power
  4. Hatshepsut, the King
  5, Deborah, Jezebel, and Athaliah: Women and Power in the Levant
  6. Women and Power in Ancient Greece
  7. Three Greek Women: Aspasia, Artemesia, and Hypatia
  8. Sexual Politics in Ancient Rome
  9. Fierceness and Submission: Women and Power in Ancient Rome
  10. Empress Lu of Ancient China
  11. Cleopatra Among the Ptolemies
  12. The Rise and Fall of Cleopatra VII
  
• 
  Catherine Puma

  "Powerful Women Who Ruled the Ancient World" is a ~5 hour Great Courses lecture series taught by Dr. Kara Cooney, Professor of Egyptology at UCLA known for her popular nonfiction books "When Women Ruled the World" and "The Good King". This is a great listen for those interested in Egyptology, Dr. Cooney's previous body of work, in addition to other ancient cultures and power traditions.
  
  I was intrigued and quite enjoyed how Cooney took what she specializes in on the Ancient Egypt side of this discussion and applied it to other countries, such as Mesopotamia and China, as well as other systems of government, such as in Ancient Rome. Those familiar with Cooney's work will gain new insight into Hatshepsut and Cleopatra's history from these new perspectives. Historical figures that Cooney also discusses here that she has not in the other works of hers I have encountered include Empress Lü of China, Boudica of Britain, the Hebrew prophetess Deborah, and Jezebel of the Bible.
  
  I found this to be engaging and refreshing, and a solid listen with which to celebrate Women's History Month 2022! The Great Courses is an excellent brand to have on hand, and Cooney's contributions do not disappoint.
• 
  Jim Davis

  Near unbroken emotional rant on social justice from beginning to end. I was expecting a history course. Completely hard to listen to. Any historical details are lost in this 5 hour and 45 minute rant. Cackle Cackle. Screech. What is it with your hostile use of pronouns?
  
  Instead of detailing lives of women in history, this is more like punishment for any real guy for daring to listen to a female historian. I thought at some point she would break down in tears during the first lecture.
  
  Equates US Patriotism to the Imperial Cult and the worship of emperors instead of taking into consideration each flag is equated to a US Soldier giving their lives for the freedom of Americans and those of other nations. Maybe you should do a documentary about the women who've given their lives for freedom before painting everyone with the same brush. Do you even know how many have given their lives? 46 In Afghanistan and 98 in Iraq...and counting.
  
  Are you trying to educate us or punish us? I really wanted to give you a chance but...wow. Maybe be less angry and emotional on your next title.
  
  Hope you feel better!
• 
  Ember Air

  This book is less about "Powerful Women" and more about how no woman has ever actually had power, and the author is going to tell you why multiple times in multiple ways. There was a whole lot of anger in this book and very little history. I love a lot of the people and history that should have been covered, but unfortunately a lot of it was lost under the authors Big Feelings. Did things suck for women in the past? Yes. Do things still kind of suck now? Yes. Are those things connected? Yes. But, this book is supposed to be about POWERFUL WOMEN and not about how "The System" has always kept women down. Showing an example of a woman's power, and then spending a whole chapter explaining how it had nothing to do with her, completely erases that woman's importance.
  
  I was highly disappointed in this book, but have loved the rest of the series. I intend to continue the series, but avoid this author in the future. If you have never studied how women have been screwed over by the men in power, this might be a good read.
• 
  Cassandra Chapel

  This made some good points and it does show a pattern for women in ancient history who came close to power. However, many of the points made felt half formed, and were repeated in almost ever chapter. It didn't really talk about women in power so much as talked about the systems that tried to keep women out of power.
  
  Funnily enough, the Greek section focused more on men's place in society than at women. It also felt like the author was brushing aside the pedophilic and homosexual nature of Greek society at the time to argue that it was something that came about as a way to bar women from any power. I got the point the author was making but 1. It followed the patter of Greek society in that women were barely discussed, 2. There's plenty of evidence that Greek society was more open with its homosexuality and the fact they still encouraged straight marriage doesn't change that, 3. ... the brushing over and explanation of the pedophilic makes some sense but didn't sit well with me.
  
  This was a bit of a shallow study but it did make some good points and was quick to listen to.
• 
  Daphne S

  A fascinating lecture about the women of the Ancient World and want it took to rise to power. Also about the social injustice they had to endure, . The common theme throughout this was that the famous Women leaders where never able to rule alone. They always had to have a male ruling alone side them even if it was their young son, brother etc. Another theme of the lecture was family dynamics as they played a lot into how these women got their power to rule and make their own moves.
  
  Kara Cooney gives case studies and breaks them down very well. Some of the lectures are on Hatshepsut (Egypt), Artemisia, Aspasia, Hypatia, Pandora (Greece), Empress Lu ( China) - Wow was she evil! Of course, Cleopatra (Egypt), she was probably the most interesting and all the women. Cleopatra was one smart woman!
  
  If you enjoy Ancient History this is something you would want to listen to.
• 
  Anscar

  An interesting overview covering the stories of several powerful women from the ancient world (with an emphasis on Egypt) and discussing the commonalities that link them all. Though I'd heard about most of them already, the series made several points I hadn't thought of before, like how powerful women never ruled alone but always had to have a male figure somewhere aligned with them, or how the most successful powerful women (like Hatshepsut) were the ones that could easily be subsumed into male history and forgotten, while the scandalous ones (like Cleopatra) are the ones we remember today. Would recommend for anyone interested in the topic.
• 
  Roo

  Overall very interesting, but undermined by an all too obvious bias. Yes the premise of the lectures is about women, but I still expected a more balanced commentary on the times and societies which gave rise to these women.
  I understand how patriarchal the ancient world was and this impacts our current world, but the automatic assumption and bias that 'thus the patriarchy were bad' left me wanting. I would have preferred a more balanced view - I accept that this is a taster, designed for light entertainment, but nonetheless, I was looking for more.
  Also, some of the assumptions were flawed.
• 
  Shannan

  I was expecting more in depth examples of powerful women from the ancient world, and while there were certainly a few of those, this course examines powerful women of the past in a more general sense. Cooney emphasizes how much we don’t know about the ancient past, so maybe it makes sense that there were only a few examples to explore in depth, but she nonetheless offers an introductory insight into the political landscape of a world both alien and familiar and what women had to be in order to navigate it. It’s certainly piqued my desire to learn more.
• 
  Nicole Geub

  A short but concise telling of women's power in ancient times. Well read thru audible and easy to engage with. Overall the world has always been a patriarchy and the only way women gain power is by being a placeholder for it or super ambitious in later times like with cleopatra or fluvia. Lots of knowledge to be gained and I'd listen to it again to refresh the knowledge.
• 
  Nicole

  Unsurprisingly, there's overlap with the same author's "When Women Ruled the World: Six Queens of Egypt," but this one goes into other areas of the world (Mesopotamia, China, Britain, Greece, Rome, Egypt [of course], and Biblical tales) and is as much of an examination of cultures as it is specifically about the powerful women themselves.
• 
  Melanie

  I think the only real problem I had with this audiobook is that it was too short. It gives us a fascinating glimpse of the lives of a few powerful women in the ancient world, what they did and how they died. It’s not the most thorough biography of them, but it’s a great guide to do a deeper research on their lives.
• 
  Lauren

  Well narrated and interesting, especially the discussion in the beginning about the different types of power. A bit heavy on female Egyptian rulers, but this is to be expected as it is Cooney’s area of expertise.
• 
  Rebecca

  I was interested in learning the history of women from the past, but this instead is an opinion piece. The author questions the accounts of history simply because they are from male perspectives. I would have preferred to be presented with the facts and decide for myself how I feel about them.
• 
  Harmony Williams

  I enjoyed this, but I do wish that the case studies were more balanced. I loved the ones that were one or two lectures long, but then there were lectures talking about four or five women at once and I just wanted more detail.
• 
  Matty K

  If you took a shot everytime the author says, "warlord" you will go into immediate kidney failure and die. The book does a bit too of summary about historical events that would be great to go on depth. Yes, it would be longer, but it would be better.
• 
  Niniane

  Hatshepsut, Cleopatra, & other Egyptian and Roman queens. An analysis of queens who ruled within a patriarchal system vs ones who seized power on their own terms (who are more famous but also more feared.
• 
  Kathy

  I expect I'll listen to this again as the author's insights into how history shapes the modern world were thought-provoking.