Princess, Queen, and political influencer - Shirin should be a name as famed as Cleopatra, but how come so few know of her? Coming to influence in Iran during the early 7th Century, Shirin was the Christian wife of the Sasanian King Khosrow II, and was forced to flee to Syria in the aftermath of radical revolution. Upon their return, she was crowned Queen, and ultimately used her influence to help support those in need. But beyond the tragic poems that have posthumously defined her, what do we actually know about Shirin, and what can we learn from her?In this episode, Tristan welcomes back Dr Eve MacDonald from Cardiff University, to delve into this incredible moment of history. Looking at the role women played in politics, and how they could use positions of power to their advantage, together they delve into Shirin's story and shine a light on this remarkable figure from history.The Senior Producer was Elena Guthrie.The Assistant Producer was Annie Coloe.Edited by Joseph Knight.For more Ancients content, subscribe to our Ancients newsletter here. If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - enter promo code ANCIENTS for a free trial, plus 50% off your first three months' subscription.To download, go to Android > or Apple store > Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.