The female navy captain

One of these freebie documentaries again, this one was about the old Persians, the folks who set free the Jewish people from captivity in Babylon.

This post is on the short side, sorry about that. It is extremely difficult to focus with a tech entrepreuneur-innovator-venture capitalist droning on in the background. It's supposed to be an interview but the man is relentless in extolling visions.

Modern societies excel at patting temselves on the shoulder for achievements. Everything we manage to get done after years, decades, or centuries of struggle then gets taken and turned into a confirmation of the greatness of our times.

One of these struggles has been opening up careers for women. It's been only a few decades ago that we saw the first woman command a navy battle ship. As important as women's rights have been, still are and will be for some time to come, history has a way of reminding you that we may not be the greatest.


2500 years ago, there was a female naval captain and strategist less well known than other famous women rulers, Artemisia of Halicarnassus. Not very much is known about her but she is said to have commanded a small contingent of ships and fought bravely in the sea battle of Salamis. The Persian fleet suffered a big defeat while she successfully fought her way out.