In common with early eighteenth century plays it places much greater emphasis on the emotional anguish of its female characters than Racine's original.

More strongly the play references the ongoing Austro-Turkish War and the role of Prince Eugene of Savoy who later that year won a major victory at the Siege of Belgrade.

[3] The original cast included Barton Booth as Bajazet, Mary Porter as Roxana, Anne Oldfield as Atalida, John Mills as Acomat and Lacy Ryan as Osmyn.

Johnson used the preface of the play to attack the recent comedy Three Hours After Marriage by John Gay and Alexander Pope, provoking a long-standing rivalry.

In 1720 it was followed at Drury Lane by another oriental-set drama The Siege of Damascus by John Hughes, which took a more original approach.