Queen Amanirenas was a ruler of the Kush Kingdom of Nubia, which is now Sudan, who famously took on Roman occupiers of Egypt in a short-lived war. While the Kushite queen’s forces faced serious contention from the Romans, the nations negotiated a peace deal that lasted for centuries.
Queen Amanirenas was born some time between 60 and 50 B.C., and was the wife of King Teriteqas. The pair had a son, with the “kandake” (ruler or queen) outliving them both. While not officially documented, Amanirenas was said to have lost an eye to battle, which gained her respect from the Romans.
Reports of how the Rome-Kush war started differ, but what is generally accepted is that Amanirenas attacked when Roman soldiers vacated Egypt. Her forces took the cities of Syene, now known as Aswan, and Philae in 24 B.C.
The Romans struck back and drove the Kushites away while establishing new borders. Instead of fighting, Amanirenas decided to enter peace talks that proved to be profitable for the nations for 300 years.
A new film about Queen Amanirenas is now in development with script writer Mike Rosenthal and producer Will Packer working in conjunction to bring the Kush warrior queen’s story to the big screen.
