It’s International Women’s Day, and what better way to celebrate than to add some of history's feistiest queens to Total War: Rome II.

Total War: Rome II is getting 14 new women who will act as faction leaders and generals as part of a free update releasing today alongside the Desert Kingdoms culture pack. Included is Teuta, the untameable queen of the Ardiaei, and Cleopatra, the notorious queen of Egypt.

Has Total War: Rome II got a new lease on life? Here are our hands-on impressions of the Empire Divided DLC.

Not all the new female characters will be generals and military enthusiasts. In certain cultures, such as Greek and Roman, the queens occupy more social and political roles, achieving greatness through more diplomatic means. 

However, some cultures disallow women from holding public office altogether. For these cultures, there is a special Cursus Honorum path which “follows the increase in the influence of women in politics.”