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| Marble from a large grave monument of the late 4th century BC, with fragments of an Amazonomachy. Athens, National Museum. | |
In the region of Cappadocia, there was a mythical kingdom of the Amazons, the warrior women, who were said to have been the descendants of Ares. They had their own kingdom which was ruled by a queen. They couldn't stand any men around them, except as their slaves. They usually spent their time hunting or practising warfare. Their weapons were a spear, a bow and arrows, an axe and a shield. Once a year, they coupled with men, to preserve their race. Baby boys were either killed or given to their fathers, while girls were kept. They removed the right breast of the infant girls, so that they could handle a spear or shoot with a bow. From this custom, their name was derived: in Greek, 'amazwn' means 'having no breasts'. The Amazons were not satisfied only to defend their kingdom, but they organized campaigns in which they conquered parts of Thrace, Syria and Greece. This barbarian tribe of women was a constant danger for their neighbours, until Heracles either destroyed them or drove them away to the far north.
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| Amazon on horseback from the west pediment of the temple of Asclepius at Epidaurus, c. 375 BC. | |
Some other versions claim that the Amazons lived in Libya, or in Thrace. The Amazons were at the height of their fame in the time that preceded the Trojan war. They fought Priam and Bellerophon, but, the most famous legends of the Amazons are connected with Heracles and Theseus (see Heracles: The Girdle of Queen Hippolyta and Theseus: The War Against the Amazons). During the Trojan war, the Amazons fought on the side of Trojans. They sent a contingent which was commanded by their queen, Penthesilea. Although they initially forced Greeks to retreat, they were defeated, and Penthesilea was killed by Achilles. In the myth and cult, the Amazons are very closely connected with Ares and Artemis. They were often called the companions of Artemis, and they were sometimes regarded as the founders of the cult of Artemis in Ephesus, and the builders of the great Temple of Artemis. The Amazons were often shown in the ancient art. Their oldest representations date from the 7th century BC. The favourite themes were their battles with Heracles and Theseus.