The Heroines

In Athens, crowds flock to the Agora, where the most shocking trial of the ancient world is about to shake the city to its very foundations . . . Theseus, King of Athens and legendary hero of the Greeks, is steering his people towards a radical new democracy. But when a shocking accusation plunges the royal family into scandal, he is faced with a decision that could bring his kingdom crumbling to the ground. Phaedra, Cretan Princess and Theseus's consort, has accused her stepson, Hippolytus, of rape. Phaedra is young and beautiful, but she is from a family of tainted women and the Athenian court is awash with rumours about her. Hippolytus is a man of honour, sworn to the service of the goddess Artemis. Now the men of Athens are gathering to determine the truth. Each man will cast his vote, and thus decide the fate of the queen. But what of the women of Athens? They have many stories to tell, about Hippolytus and the men like him. Stories that have gone unheard. Until now . . .