It is 54 BC in the Egyptian desert south of Alexandria, and two young princesses named Cleopatra and Amanirenas (left and right, respectively) who were out racing their chariots must flee a mob of hostile Libyan tribesmen!

This is actually an illustration for a short “historical adventure” story I wrote which stars Queen Cleopatra VII of Egypt (aka the infamous Cleopatra) and Amanirenas of Kush as teenage girls yet to ascend to their thrones. Since both of these queens seem to have been contemporaneous, I wanted to depict them as possibly being friends during their childhood years. Of course, they would be a lot safer racing in the hippodrome back in Alexandria, but Cleo felt doing it out in the wilderness would be more fun.

And, yes, there is some inspiration from a scene in the animated movie The Prince of Egypt behind this scene (as well as the story’s whole premise).