29. The Real Semiramis
The mythical Semiramis is based on the real-life Sammu-Ramat, wife of Assyrian king Shamshi Adad V (reigned 824 – 811 BC). She took control of the kingdom following her husband’s death, and ruled for five years as queen regent for her underage son Adad Nirari III, until he was old enough to rule in his own right.
Steles from that period record Sammu-Ramat as negotiating alliances on behalf of her son, and as a generous patroness of religious temples. She seems to have ruled well enough to become a revered figure in Assyria. Between that, and the fact that rule by a woman was such an extraordinary event in Assyrian history, the story of Sammu-Ramat grew over the years, until she emerged centuries later as a full-blown mythological figure, the legendary Queen Semiramis.
Read More: Fictional Figures and the Real Historic People Behind Them.