Mitchison considered by many to be one of Scotland's literary greats wrote over 20 historical novels for adults, as well as children's novels, short stories, poetry, science fiction and fantasy, social commentary and autobiographical works, her work spanned the 20th century. Widely traveled and politically active, she was adopted as adviser and Mmarona (mother) of the Bakgatha tribe of Botswana in the sixties. This is one of her early historical novel of ancient Greece.