Who's Who: More Ancient Power Pairs Quiz

Answer: Karuvaki

Ashoka ruled an empire that covered the area between Afghanistan to Bangladesh, including most of the Indian subcontinent from from 268-232 BC. Although he was known as a violent military leader, he converted to Buddhism after witnessing the carnage of the Kalinga War.

After that his efforts were concentrated on spreading the religion, the building of stupas, or shrines, and concern over the treatment of both humans and animals. In addition, he provided for the recording of inscriptions called the Edicts of Ashoka, on pillars, cave walls, and stone facings, that revealed his belief in dhamma, or righteous living.

Although he probably had hundreds of concubines, his wife, Karuvaki was the only one identified on one of these pillars along with her son, Tivala.

They are mentioned in the Queen Edict, which makes mention of her gifts, including "a mango-grove, monastery and an institution for dispensing charity".

Answer: Roxana

The short reign of Alexander the Great is well documented. He became King of Macedonia at the age of 20 after his father's assassination, and launched an almost continuous military campaign. He amassed one of the largest empires of the ancient world, that stretched from modern day Greece to India.

He never lost a battle, and is still viewed today as one of the greatest military strategists who has ever lived. And - he accomplished this in an amazing thirteen years before he died. Ancient writers claim that Roxana, the daughter of a Bactrian nobleman, was the most beautiful woman in Asia, and Alexander fell madly in love with her.

While very little is known about what Roxana was doing from the time of their marriage in 327 BC to the time of Alexander's death in 323 BC (although some sources hint that she stayed with Alexander), it is believed that after he died, she was supported by his mother, Olympias, and ordered the deaths of his other wives and children.

Her son, Alexander IV, born about two months later, was eventually recognized as King of Macedonia with Olympias as his regent.

When Alexander IV was fourteen years old and showing signs of wanting to rule the empire himself, he and his mother were poisoned.

Answer: Elen Luyddog

Macsen Wledig, also known as Magnus Maximus, was born in Hispania; his father was a Roman general, and he became one too. He was eventually stationed in Britain, where he successfully led his troops against the Picts and Scots. At this time Rome was divided into eastern and western empires, each ruled by its own emperor. Wledig took advantage of the fact that the western emperor was unpopular and his troops proclaimed him emperor in 383. For five years he served as emperor of Gaul, Britain, Spain, and Africa before he was defeated by the "true" Romans emperors and executed.

It is known that his wife, Elen Luyddog, and children were spared. Elen Luyddog, also known as Saint Elen, is believed to have introduced monasticism from Gaul to Wales and founded churches there.

In addition, she known for having her husband build roads across Wales so that it could be better defended. She is considered to be a saint in the Welsh church and is the patron of road builders.

Answer: Wu Zetian

Emperor Taizong is credited with being the co-founder of the Tang Dynasty in China due to the encouragement he gave to his father to rebel against the Sui Dynasty. He is considered to be one of the greatest emperors in Chinese history because of the military decisions he made that brought unity to his country.

His period of rule is considered to be a golden age of peace and prosperity which lasted many years after his death. In fact, for centuries to come, crown princes in China were required to study his method of governing and learn from it. Wu Zetian was one of the emperor's concubines.

When he died, she married his son and successor, Emperor Gaozong, and was given the title empress consort. Many believe that she was the true ruler of China at the time as she had charge of the imperial seal and even held court if the emperor couldn't for some reason.

She ruled by herself for seven years after her second husband's death, and is credited with the further expansion of the empire. Still today she is considered to be the the only empress of China.

Answer: Nefertiti

Akhenaten began his rule as Amenhotep IV, the son of Amenhotep the Magnificent, so named due to the prosperity enjoyed during his reign in ancient Egypt and the building projects that were undertaken. He may have been co-ruler with his father before becoming pharaoh in his own right. Sometime around the fifth year of his reign, Amenhotep IV changed his name to Akhenaten, and made an attempt to wipe out the worship of the traditional gods and goddesses, leaving only the Aten, represented by a solar disc. One can only image the problems this dramatic change might have caused, however, since pharaoh was considered to be a living god there were few who could or would challenge his authority. Akhenaten moved the capital from Thebes to Amarna, which contained monumental temples to the new god and, of course, a new palace.

It appears that Akhenaten married Nefertiti either right before or right after he became pharaoh, that she had the title "Great Royal Wife", and was even promoted to serve as co-regent with pharaoh before his death. Monuments that were erected during their reign show Nefertiti as being equal to her husband.

Some historians believe that she even reigned as Pharaoh Neferneferuaten after her husband died.

Answer: Shammuramat

Shamshi-Adad V was the King of Assyria from 824 to 811 BC. During the early part of his reign he put down a rebellion led by his brother; later on he led several military campaigns against the Babylonians and won the Battle of Dur-Papsukkal. Records show that after the battle the king killed 13,000 Babylonian soldiers, looted and stole treasures and the palace concubines, and then burned the city to the ground.

His wife, Shammuramat, served as regent for her young son for five years after her husband died. Knowing the nature of the Assyrian people, it may seem a bit peculiar that the rule of a woman was accepted, however, inscriptions found in different places verify her reign.

Some believe that Shammuramat might have been the legendary Semiramis, who is credited with restoring control after a devastating civil war.

Answer: Hatshepsut

The fourth pharaoh of ancient Egypt's legendary 18th Dynasty, Thutmose II was fairly young when he ascended the throne. Historians believe that is the reason he ordered the army, led by his father's generals, to crush rebellions rather than lead them himself.

While the length of his reign is still debated - some say 3-4 years, while others say 13 years - there is no debate on who was chosen as his consort - his half-sister Hatshepsut. It appears that Hatshepsut carried out her husband's policies after becoming regent for her husband's young son who was about two when his father died.

It appears that Hatshepsut had herself crowned pharaoh and embarked on a program to improve trade and commissioned hundreds of building projects. Her reign, which brought peace and prosperity to her land, is considered to be one of the most auspicious in ancient Egypt.

Answer: Aethelflaed

Aethelred was the Lord of Mercia, a large Anglo-Saxon kingdom that was located in the central part of England, from c.881-911. He was granted that title after he recognized King Alfred the Great as his lord, and married Alfred's daughter, Aethelflaed.

It was during this time that England suffered from Viking attacks and invasions, and Aethelred is known to have led a successful army against them at the Battle of Buttington in 893. Although historians do not agree on the exact circumstances, Alfred is believed to have taken London from the Vikings and given it to Aethelred to govern as it was a town in Mercia.

It is unclear what exactly happened, but at some point Æthelred's health failed and Aethelflaed ruled in his place; when he died she was given the title Lady of Mercia, continuing the policies of her father and husband as ruler, leading the army, and making fortifications in anticipation of Viking raids.

Answer: Helena

The Emperor Diocletian divided the Roman Empire into two parts - east and west - and began the practice of having co-emperors. Under the new system, Constantinus was to serve as Caesar, or emperor-in-training, to the western emperor, Maximian, and then become an Augustus, or emperor, and rule his part in his own right. Constantinus was in charge of Gaul, Britannia, and possibly Hispania; his first job was to put down a rebellion led by a false emperor.

He successfully led armies against many different groups in Gaul, including the Franks and Alamanni, and defended London from attack of Frankish mercenaries.

In 305 he was named Augustus of the western empire, and asked that his son, Constantine, become his Caesar. A year later while on his death bed, Constantinus asked the army to accept his son as the new Augustus.

It is unclear as to whether Constantinus married Helena, but they did have one son together - Constantine the Great. Helena disappeared from public life after Constantinus took another wife, but quickly came to the forefront after his death because of her influence on her son.

A devout Christian, she had the title Augusta Imperatrix, and was put in charge of a mission to gain holy Christian relics. Helena went to Palestine and provided for the building of churches on sacred sites, such as the Church of the Nativity where Christ was born, and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre over his tomb. She also returned from her pilgrimage with pieces of the "true cross", Christ's tunic, and pieces of rope that had been used to tie him to the cross. After her death she was canonized as a saint.

Answer: Gorgo

Leonidas I was King of Sparta and half-uncle to his wife, Gorgo. During the Second Persian War the Spartans received a message from a Spartan who was living in exile in Persia, warning them of an impending attack. He sent a wooden tablet that was covered in wax and looked to be completely blank.

The Spartans were not sure what to do with the blank tablet, until Gorgo suggested that they take the wax off. This sort of female participation, though unheard of in the rest of Greece, was not uncommon in Sparta; Gorgo was the only person apparently who knew how to read the tablet. Leonidas served Sparta for nine years before going down in history as one of the 300 Spartan heroes at the Battle of Thermopylae.

It is certain that Leonidas knew that he was going to his death, as the Oracle had made it plain that a Spartan king would have to die if Sparta had any chance to defend itself against the Persians.

In fact, when Gorgo asked her husband what to do as he prepared to go to war, he said, "marry a good man who will treat you well, bear him children, and live a good life".