The most famous Amazons Who is an Amazon woman? Myth or reality? Mentions of the Amazons in various sources

An incredible discovery was made by our domestic archaeologists in 1928 - off the coast of the Black Sea, in the town of Zemo Akhvala, where the Amazons are believed to have lived, they found the buried remains of a certain “prince”. He was buried in full armor and with weapons - his double ax of impressive size rested nearby.

However, after a detailed examination of the skeleton, the researchers were shocked: the remains definitely belonged to a woman! Who was she? Queen of the Amazons? Their mistress?

1971 year. An ancient burial was discovered on the territory of present-day Ukraine. And again a woman buried with royal honors. Next to her lay the skeleton of a little girl, no less luxuriously decorated. Among other things, weapons, a lot of gold and the skeletons of two men who left this world, as scientists say, were found in their grave, clearly against their will. It is believed that in the grave there was just another queen of the Amazons with her daughter and two sacrificed slaves.

In the time interval between 1993 and 1997, excavations were carried out in Kazakhstan, in the town of Pokrovka. Ancient burials were also found there, which are at least two and a half thousand years old, and the remains of female warriors also rested there.

It was not difficult to determine the type of their occupation, since next to them lay daggers, arrowheads and other types of weapons, as if brought as a gift - ladies during their lifetime definitely knew how to fend for themselves and took this skill with them to the grave. It turns out that it also makes sense to talk about the Amazons here?

And similar finds are being discovered by researchers in various parts of the world - there is information that the Amazons could well live on the territory of modern India, Malaysia, and even in the Baltic Sea area.

Remains of women found in Bruem

One of the latest discoveries was that the Amazons, as established by British scientists, fought on the side of the Roman army, in what is now Great Britain. Proof of this are the remains of two female warriors found in a burial in Bruem, Cumbria. It is believed that they came here from Eastern Europe during their lifetime - even the ancient Greeks claimed that the great and terrible female warriors lived there.

These two representatives of their tribe, which, following the guesses of scientists, disappeared from the face of the Earth between about 220 and 300 AD, were honorably burned on funeral pyres along with their war trotters and military equipment. It is possible that these Amazons were part of the numeria - irregular Roman troops assigned to the legions that served in Britain.

Based on the results of other excavations, it can be assumed that they came from the Danubian provinces of Noricum, Pannonia and Illyria, which are now part of the territories of Austria, Hungary and the former Yugoslavia.

After examining the burials in Bruem, scientists came to the conclusion that the ashes of the dead were buried here. In the grave of one of the women, the remains of animals were found, which, apparently, were also subjected to a burning ritual. Also there were found plates carved from bone, used to decorate caskets, fragments of scabbards and details of pottery.

All these finds indicate that the woman had a fairly high status in society. At the time of her burial, she was between 20 and 40 years old. In another grave, the occupant of which was between 21 and 45, they also found scabbards and bone ornaments, as well as a silver bowl.

Amazons in Greek mythology

So all the same, does it make sense to say that female warriors really existed in this world?

The ancient Greeks believed that the Amazons, who worshiped the goddess Artemis, descended from the extraordinary and frightening union of the war god Ares, also known as Mars, with his daughter Harmonia. They claimed that their tribes settled on the river Thermodon near the city of Femixira in Asia Minor. A fair question arises: how did they continue their race?

It is said that in the spring, when the birds begin to sing and the bears begin to breed, these eccentric ladies visited the nearby settlements and entered into short-lived marriages with local men. Also, foreigners who got lost in unfamiliar lands were perfect for the role of "inseminators".

According to the law of the genre, children soon appeared from such unions, their fate was determined depending on gender: the Amazons left the girls and raised warriors from them, and the boys were usually mercilessly disposed of. As a last resort, they were handed over to their fathers and sent both as far as possible.

"Women without breasts" lived on the river Fermodont

The Greek historian Herodotus summed up their entire parenting philosophy in one sentence:

"No girl should know a man without killing the enemy."

Amazon In general, linguists believe that the word "Amazon" itself is a compound of the words "a" and "Mason", in translation it means "without a breast." There was such a custom in these tribes - at an early age to cauterize the girl's right breast, so that she would not develop and would not interfere in the future to master the art of archery.

To the question, where did these “women without breasts” live, most researchers are looking for an answer in ancient Greek myths. After studying them, scientists came to the conclusion that the Amazon tribes lived in northern Turkey, where the Terme Chay River now flows.

Apparently, this is the very mysterious river Thermodon, which the Greeks spoke about - it was there that the female warriors lived, and it was from there that they came to the aid of the Trojans. They migrated to the Fermodon River itself from the Caucasus Mountains.

Scythian warriors managed to seduce female warriors

The Scythians have a legend that once a warlike tribe came to their land, it smashed the villages and took away their cattle. Defending their settlements, the Scythians were able to kill several strangers. Jumping out of their saddles in order to scalp their enemies, they experienced an inexpressible shock - all those killed turned out to be women.

The Scythian warriors had extraordinary pride - they considered it unworthy to wage war with women. Instead, they sent a detachment of young men to patrol the area next to the enemy, to follow him without getting involved in battles. They wanted to know more about the mysterious women. The latter at first acted as aggressors - they tried to attack and unleash a battle, but the prudent young men did not accept the battle, trying to retreat more and more.

Over time, the militant ladies got used to such a neighborhood and stopped their attacks, becoming more or less supportive. Then the young people took control of the situation and seduced the thawed warriors. And they began to live in peace and harmony: they made dumplings on weekends and subsequently gave birth to children. So, at least, the origin of the Sarmatian tribe is explained.

In general, they say that this legend did not arise out of thin air. Sarmatian women really fought on a par with the stronger sex. This is proved by the results of archaeological excavations, during which Sarmatian burials are often found, where women are buried along with weapons.

Well, it is not surprising that these warlike ladies often got involved in wars with Scythian men. On the border territories of their settlements, fierce battles were going on all the time, their light foot and cavalry detachments, making their nightly raids, secretly led away livestock and slaves. However, all this could not continue indefinitely - sometimes the Scythians and Sarmatians concluded a truce and began to trade with each other, and sometimes out of boredom they united and raided neighboring countries.

True, sometimes they had to unite to jointly protect their territories from external attacks. So, when the Persian king Darius sent his troops to Scythia, the Sarmatians sent reinforcements to their temporary allies, consisting only of women.

Homer introduced the Amazons to the furies

They say that at one time Homer pleased the world not only with the world-famous poems "Iliad" and "Odyssey", but also with a work called "Amazon Country". However, if the Iliad and the Odyssey, being rather global creations, have survived to this day in almost their original form, then the poem that glorified the exploits of women has not survived at all. Not a single echo of it was found during excavations.

A little higher, it was said about the etymology of the word "Amazon" and its connection with the absence of the right breast in women. So, it is worth noting that this fact has not been proven in any way: in all the images that have come down to us, the Amazons have "ideally beautiful figures with both breasts, but very developed muscles." Such an explanation is given by the as old as the world, pre-revolutionary encyclopedia of Brockhaus and Efron, in which the question of the existence of the Amazons is studied in sufficient detail.

Apparently, the Amazons did not impress Homer at all. In his legends about the Argonauts, he generally exposed them in the form of disgusting furies. In a later period, writers nevertheless began to speak warmer about these women, but their image, although it became somewhat more attractive, nevertheless turned into a fabulous and some kind of absolutely incredible. Legends about them have become something like epics about heroes or legends about fairies.

Legends about female warriors

Herodotus wrote that at the end of the Trojan War, the Amazons again went to the Scythians. And so the Sarmatian tribe appeared, in which the Amazons had equal rights with men. True, they did not like local women, or, to be more precise, they did not want to have anything to do with them at all.

It is interesting that ancient writers, mentioning the Amazons in their works, tirelessly talk about their courage and valor. For example, in the Roman Empire, it was a matter of indescribable pride for any warrior if he was told that he "fought like an Amazon."

And when in the II century AD. the half-crazed emperor Commodus decided to become a gladiator in the arena of the Colosseum, "chopping into cabbage" animals and people indiscriminately, the senators, to the approving cries of the audience, greeted him with shouts:

"You are the ruler of the world! In your glory you are like the Amazons!”

There is no doubt that the female warriors were worthy of any praise! Legends told about their incredible composure, when they, pursued by crowds of enemies, easily hit them with accurate bow shots, without even getting out of the saddle. They were even better at handling a double axe. It was he who, together with a light shield in the form of a crescent moon, became an integral attribute of the Amazon in every image.

Strabo called them crazy inventions

Note that not only the Greeks and Romans so vehemently mentioned the Amazons. There are similar legends in ancient Chinese and ancient Egyptian history. However, strangely, already one century before the beginning of a new era, people begin to doubt the real existence of these women.

For example, the famous historian and geographer Strabo devoted a huge amount of time to searching for stories and references to the Amazons, after which he compared them and called them crazy fictions and fairy tales.

“Something strange has happened to the story of the Amazons. The fact is that in all other legends, mythical and historical elements are demarcated ... As for the Amazons, the same legends have always been in use about them - both before and now - completely wonderful and incredible, ”he said.

Subsequently, many generations of historians agreed with his opinion. So, after a while, the legends about the warrior maidens turned into a very beautiful and incredible legend.

Columbus found "Dev Island"

The male mind is inquisitive and still does not leave this thought about the mysterious female warriors. The traveler Marco Polo, who lived in the Middle Ages, generally stated that he himself saw the Amazons somewhere in Asia during his next wandering. And the Spaniards and the Portuguese often repeated that the “state of the Amazons” exists and is located somewhere in South America.

Once the Indians told Christopher Columbus about an island inhabited only by women. He hit upon the idea of ​​capturing a couple in order to present them to the eyes of the Spanish queen. However, the plan failed successfully: as soon as the ships of Columbus moored to the shores of this island, a crowd of women with bows ran out of the forest.

Their appearance clearly indicated that they were not going to give up without a fight. In general, Columbus dubbed these places the Virgin Islands, "that is," the "Islands of the Virgins", and safely sailed away from sin.

The famous conquistador Francisco de Orellana discovered a huge river in South America in 1542. Then he allegedly saw the Amazons, with whom his detachment fought valiantly.

Today, this story is questioned: it is believed that either the Indian women fought side by side with their men, or the frightened Spaniards simply mistook the long-haired Indians for the warlike representatives of the fair sex. However, this meeting made such an impression on Orellana that he abandoned his original idea - to name the river after himself. Since then, this river has been proudly called the Amazon.

Confidence that you are a "hardened bachelor" may not come immediately. You can stubbornly marry several times, signing in the registry office - as confirmation that you are striving to create a strong social cell. Sometimes, with the advent of a child, everything finally falls into place: love and family are children, and sex and other physical pleasures are men.

Why do women want to get married?

The likelihood that a unique character will appear, almost a demigod, who will get along well with the child, negotiate with a plumber and builders in the country, pay for the Internet, buy delicious food and dry wine, cook dinner on his own, and also please sexually, without creating communal problems with his presence, of course it remains.

Meet a prince or live with a man?

But the possibility of such a lofty relationship with the ideal often seems like the possibility of direct contact with an alien civilization. So imperceptibly, confidence can come that you are just a “hardened bachelor”.

By the way, have you noticed that there is no such thing as a “hardened bachelorette”? “Single woman”, “old maid”, “divorced”, “unmarried” - whatever, but not “bachelorette”. And do you know why? Because it is generally accepted that any lady a priori dreams of getting married. But the powers that be are in no hurry to marry.

By conducting a mini-survey among unmarried girlfriends in their 30s and 40s, you can find out that many of them are not interested in registering a relationship with a man at all. Surely everyone dreams of a prince on a white horse, but when the "debriefing" begins, the thought sounds that it is better to have a lover than to bind yourself with obligations. In addition, there is a feeling that living with a man for many years is hard work. Cleaning, cooking and dreams of being alone and at least a little bit to live for yourself. But how to do it so that the child does not suffer? And how to share living space and other good things?

Real advantages or dubious propriety?

Here they are - modern Amazons. In our time, it's time to say goodbye to stereotypes that, they say, men disown marriage, and give women only marriage! Who is the “hardened bachelor” now? Woman or man? It seems the roles have been reversed.

Searching the blogosphere for opinions about whether a free woman lives well, one can find many pros and no cons. There are also such confessions: “A bachelor woman always looks great and all because she gets enough sleep - she doesn’t need to listen to terrible thunderous snoring at night ...”
It seems that the only negative opinion is a quote from the movie: “A single woman is indecent!” And then it is already a pure anachronism.

If a man is needed only for sex, doubts arise that marriage is needed. There will always be some reason or claim against the applicant. If you are not ready to show patience and tact, you have everything and you are happy with everything, finding a husband is a tribute to tradition.

Nadezhda Matveeva

psychologist

Psychologists say that between a free man and a free woman there is a huge difference in the motivation of their life orientations. The "old bachelor" has some carefully hidden problems. It can be the previous unsuccessful relationship with his wife, or health problems, or difficulties in business ... Marriages for him are the last way out of the impending impasse.

And the "old bachelor" is a woman without problems. She is well-groomed, self-sufficient, financially independent, provided with housing, often having adults who are arranged for the life of children. Such a woman dreams of love ... before meeting a real applicant. As soon as she looks closely at the groom, her independent mind begins to calculate the balance between difficulties and benefits from a new relationship ... And, of course, there are many more fads against a new relationship.

Have you ever wondered, "Who are the Amazons: women - myth or truth?"

There is no consensus among historians. It is not known what contributed to the birth of female warriors.

Self-sufficient, fearless, strong and independent. Maybe the excessive oppression of men caused hatred for them? Willingness to fight and kill?

These women left a noticeable mark in the history of mankind, full of secrets, myths and mysteries.

There are different versions about their habitat.

According to one, this is a nomadic tribe. According to another version, they owned a kingdom on the shores of the Black, Caspian and Mediterranean seas. But one thing is known for certain: this tribe consisted only of female representatives.

They lived separately. Men were used only for procreation, for conception. Born girls were left, boys were rarely given to their father, and more often they were killed.

They were magnificent riders, excellently wielding a sword, bow, spear and a short battle ax (labrys).

Girls were taught from childhood

Girls were taught this from childhood: to fight and kill mercilessly. War was the meaning of their lives.
Any commander considered it an honor to participate in hostilities in alliance with them. Not many have received this honor. The Amazons agreed to joint actions only if their tribe was in danger.

They were famous for their militancy and steadfastness, they fought on a par with men.

Alexander the Great wrote:

“…that they are taller than ordinary women. They are distinguished by beauty, health and ingenuity ... "

Legends of the Amazons

Legends about women warriors were also among the Indian tribes South America.

they lived on the banks of the river and possessed untold riches. This aroused the interest of the greedy Spanish conquistadors. And in 1544 they went in search of this mysterious tribe. Francisco de Orellana led the voyage. Subsequently, he described military clashes with the Amazons. These are white-skinned, tall, stately women.

Despite the presence of firearms, the Spaniards failed to capture any of them. This confirms that they possessed invincible courage and excellent combat training.

First historical references

The first mentions of them are found in ancient Roman and ancient Greek literature of the 4th BC. Their existence is confirmed by archaeological excavations on all continents. They find female remains with traces of stabbing and chopping blows, with arrowheads sticking out of the bones and buried like warriors, along with weapons.

Ancient mosaics, bas-reliefs, vessels and ancient vases depicting battles involving women are kept all over the world.

Modern Amazons live with men. Do not wage wars (arms) with them! However, more and more smart, self-sufficient, independent women appear in men's professions, who can easily cope with men's affairs. This is especially clear in European society. And it is observed even in Muslim countries.

Women's military units are now being created.

Men or women?

Science has proven that the representatives of the "weaker sex" compared to the "stronger sex"

• easier to endure stressful and critical situations,
• learn new information faster and longer
• better tolerate pain and less sensitive to it,
• adapt to everything new and change faster.

The indomitable spirit of the Amazons lives in almost everyone. Is this good or bad? Could the fair sex be the future?

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Legends of the Amazons

Franz von Stuck. Amazon and Centaur. 1901

Amazons - who are they?

The concept of "Amazon" could theoretically be formed from the Iranian "ha-mazan" (warriors). If in the similar-sounding Greek phrase “a mazos” the particle “a” is considered intensifying, then this phrase would be roughly translated as “breasted”.

There are many other variants of the origin of the word "Amazons". For example, "a masso" (from "masso" - touch, touch) could mean "not touching" (to men). By the way, in the North Caucasian languages, the word “maza” - “moon” has been preserved, which may be an echo of that distant time, when the inhabitants of this region deified the Moon, the goddess of hunting, corresponding to the Greek Artemis.

For the ancient Greeks, the Amazons were no less real than any other inhabitants of the "northern lands."

It is believed that they were the daughters of the god of war Ares and the nymph Harmony; at the same time, it is specified that Ares was not a Greek, but a Thracian god, a country located in the east of the Balkan Peninsula. Strabo, an ancient Greek geographer and traveler, proposed three ethnonyms that he associated with the Amazons: Khelazon, Alazon and Amazon (Geography, XI, 5.1-4, XII, 3.21-24). Strabo himself, whose childhood passed off the coast of the Black sea ​​(in Amazeya), inclined towards the ethnonym Amazon.

Herodotus in his "History" reports that the capital of the Amazons was called Themiscyra, and it stood on the banks of the Fermodon River (south of the Black Sea, modern Turkey). There is a version according to which the Amazons came to Greece from Lake Meotia, that is, from the Sea of ​​\u200b\u200bAzov. From there they made military campaigns throughout Asia Minor, even reaching Syria and Egypt. According to legend, the Amazons founded cities such as Ephesus, Smyrna (now Turkish Izmir), Sinop and Paphos.

The kingdom of the Amazons with the capital Themiskra was founded by Queen Lysippa, who also became the first Amazon. She laid down the basic laws and rules for the life of the Amazons, she conquered new lands for her new kingdom.

Three famous southern Amazonian queens Marpessa, Lampado and Hippo seized lands in South Asia and Syria, founded the cities of Ephesus, Smyrna (Izmir), Phoebe, Sinop. It was during this campaign that the Amazons captured Troy, where the future king was still a child at that time. Then the Amazons left with a lot of booty, leaving small garrisons in the conquered cities. These garrisons were expelled by an alliance of barbarian tribes, as a result of which, in one of the battles, the Amazons lost their queen Marpessa (according to Paul Orosius, the Amazons again invaded Asia along with the Cimmerians in 723 BC).

Diodorus Siculus believed that the Amazons lived on the Tanais River ( modern Don). She was named after the son of the Amazon Lysippe, who fell in love with his mother and threw himself into the river to avoid criminal incest.

The Amazons especially revered Artemis the hunter and went to her retinue, hunted with her and with the nymphs. Also, the Amazons were patronized by the goddess Hera, the wife of Zeus. The Amazons even held their own Olympic Games, only for women, and they were dedicated to Hera, and not to Zeus, like the Greeks.

The army led the entire life of the Amazons - both military and peaceful. It was relatively small - no more than a quarter of the tribe, while the "soldiers" had many responsibilities: they had to constantly get food, protect the tribe from enemies, maintain their combat readiness - and they continued the clan. Thus, the strongest link, due to overload, turned out to be the most vulnerable. Therefore - the most cruel.

The Amazons kidnapped their marriage partners from hostile or neighboring tribes and busily used them. The only difference is that instead of brides, grooms were obtained, and not to create a family, but for a short-term “procedure”. After that, the captives, as well as the born boys, were mercilessly killed, apparently without feeling either love or hatred for them.

The killings were necessary: ​​they ensured the stability of the tribe. After all, it was almost impossible to provide all women with husbands. And keeping a few "stallions" among the many women who went through the school of life in the saddle and in the war was dangerous: they could become either contenders for power or the cause of constant fights. And since the strongest became queens of the steppe Amazons, the problem was solved accordingly.

However, gradually the warrior maidens began to use peaceful ways to resolve disputes. As a rule, in the spring, the Amazons converged on neutral territory with men from neighboring tribes for a month, and after a set period they gave newborn boys to happy fathers, leaving the girls in the tribe. The book of Diodorus Siculus describes how Thalestra, the queen of the Amazons, came to Alexander the Great and said: “I have come to give you a son, and if a daughter is born, take her to myself, because there is no woman higher than me in strength and courage and there is no man more glorious than you ". It doesn't matter if it's a myth or a real event, in any case, a "proprietary" approach is visible.

To reproduce offspring, the Amazons entered into a relationship with men of other nations. They sent the born boys to their fathers (according to another legend, they simply killed or castrated), but they kept the girls and raised new Amazons from them.

Diodorus Siculus reports that the Amazons used to mutilate male children immediately after their birth: they twisted their arms and legs in order to make them unable to fight against their "mothers" in the future. This motif echoes the Chechen myth Pkharmat (“Blacksmith of the Country”), which tells that the goddess of the Hearth Ts’ik’ur-nana, the wife of the god of Flame and the mother of Pkharmat, treated her sons in the same way as the Amazons treated newborn boys. She had many sons whom she loved. But it happened that she severely punished them for disobedience, except for the youngest - Phyarmat, to whom she was especially attached. One day one of her sons committed a serious offense. The angry mother wanted to twist his arms and legs (k'jgash-kogash tsh'ra daxa). Pkharmat, who rushed to his brother's rescue, ran when his mother had already twisted one of his legs (xa tshura ma diakxineh). He managed to beg her to let go of the unfortunate man, who has since remained lame (xonushxa).

In the Iliad, Homer referred to the Amazons as "antianeurs" (those who fight like men). Herodotus called them "androkton" (killers of men).

The battle of the inhabitants of Athens with the Amazons gave rise to a separate genre of ancient Greek art - the so-called "Amazonomachy", that is, the tradition of depicting warlike Amazons on the battlefield (drawings on terracotta, marble carvings).

As time goes by, there are fewer and fewer references to the Amazons. During the life of Alexander the Great, there were rumors that one day the queen of the Amazons Talestris arrived at the camp of the great commander with three hundred compatriots. Allegedly, Talestris wanted to offer this whole considerable “harem” to Alexander in order to get as many offspring girls as strong and smart as her father from the eminent ruler.

The Roman general Gnaeus Pompey wrote about the Amazons who fought as part of the enemy troops, and Virgil in his poem "Aeneid" clearly wrote off the Vols (Volsci - the people who opposed Rome) warrior Camilla from the ancient Amazons.

Mentions of the Amazons in various sources

The Amazons settled in Themiscrea, on the river Thermodon (probably Terme Kei in modern Turkey).
The Amazons were the first to shoe horses and use iron.
Foxy. Funeral speech, 4

The battle of the Amazons with Bellerophon (the legendary Greek hero, the owner of the famous winged horse Pegasus, presented to him by Athena).
Apollodorus. Chronicle of Greek History, Book 1, 2.3
Homer. Iliad, 6.219
Pindar. Olympic, 13.91 and 130
Plutarch. Moral, 17.248
Sailing of the Argonauts past the lands of the Amazons on the way to Colchis.
<
Pindar. pythoness
Apollonius of Rhodes. Argonautics<

The battle of the Amazons with the Phrygian kings Migdon, Otreus and Priam (who later became the king of Troy).
The battle of the Amazons with the detachment of Hercules-Theseus for the belt of Hippolyta. Antiope (or Hippolyta, depending on the legend) was kidnapped and married to King Theseus of Greece.
Storming of Athens by the Amazons to recover the girdle of Hippolyta. Some sources tell of a truce and treaty between the Amazons and King Theseus.
Plutarch. The life of Theseus (Plutarch based on the data of the early historians Kleydem and Gelanikos, whose works have not been preserved)
Isocrates. Panathenaic 192, 194 (in Panegyric 68 he states that they were defeated and were all killed or expelled)
Foxy. Funeral speech, 6

The Amazons fought on the side of the Trojans against the aggression of the Greeks (~1080 BC). Penthesilea led a band of Amazons who all died.
Homer. Iliad 3.239; 6.186-223 (a cursory mention - the Iliad narrative ends with the death of Hector)
Arctinius of Miletus. Etiopius (continues the story of the Trojan War from where the Iliad ended)
Proclus. Overview of Etiopia; Hedius and the Homeriad in the Classical Library, 1967, page 507
Quintius Smirnsky. Homeron or Post-Homerica, 1.20-46

The Amazons took part in the Peloponnesian War between Athens and Sparta (431-404 AD)
Thucydides. History of the Peloponnesian War
Alexander the Great met with the Amazon queen Thalestria. (~352-323 BC). He tried to marry her in Hyrcania (an ancient province in northern Persia).
Strabo. Geography, 2.5.4-5 (denied)
Quintus of Smyrna. History, 6.5.29
Diodor. Sikul, 17.77.1

The Amazons fought the Greeks at Themiscria. Apparently, the last war of the Amazons with the Greeks. After the Amazons were defeated at Themiscria, they were taken prisoner and loaded onto Greek ships. The Amazons successfully broke away from the Greeks and sailed wherever the wind took them until they reached Lake Maotis (Sea of ​​Azov), where, in the end, they married the Sarmatians and fought on their side. They formed a new Sarmatian culture.
Herodotus. History of the Greco-Persian Wars, 4.110

Legends of the Amazons

Where did the legends about the Amazons come from? What are these vague memories of those archaic times when people lived under matriarchy, or really existing “female” peoples of the ancient era?

Many theories have been put forward on this.

The origin of the myths about the Amazons is very ancient, rooted in the Minoan civilization. Interestingly, the favorite weapon of the Amazons was the double Minoan hatchet labrys, and that the goddess Artemis is the patroness of the Amazons. The cult of Artemis migrated from Crete to mainland Greece and continued to exist in Greek culture.

The Amazons, according to one such theory, the Amazons could be the daughters of Ares and the servants of Artemis, and this suggests that they may have been a closed community of temple servants. In this context, the mythical cauterization of the breast can be interpreted as ritual mutilation.

Legendary stories about the Amazons directly connect them with two heroes - Hercules and Theseus. It is likely that the formidable Amazons symbolized the dangers that the Greek colonists had to face on the Black Sea coast.

The image of the Amazon in history

In early examples of Greek painting, the Amazons wore a helmet and long tunics, revealing a resemblance to the warlike goddess Athena. Later, their clothes became more refined and light, high belted (to facilitate running) - that is, copying the style of the goddess of hunting Artemis. The Greek origin of the Amazons is also confirmed by the fact that in battle they usually used a small crescent-shaped pelta shield.

The latest images of the Amazons show them dressed in the Persian manner - in tight-fitting trousers and a high pointed headdress, "kidaris".

Plutarch wrote that the Amazons wore a short, knee-length dress, a shield resembling an ivy leaf, and a helmet fastened under the chin with straps. A conical Phrygian cap made of felt was often pulled over the helmet with earmuffs that descended to the shoulders, a butt pad and ties. It was the only "wardrobe item" that the Amazons adorned with embroidery or pearls.

Amazon weapons

The main weapon of the Amazons was considered "sagaris" - the Scythian name for a double-bladed ax, known to the Greeks as "pelectus" or "labrys". The latter was common on the island of Crete in the Bronze Age (3rd millennium BC), symbolizing the feminine.

In addition to the battle ax, the Amazons actively used bows and arrows and small spears - a typical "Scythian set". They rarely fought on foot - the striking force of their army was cavalry, which also cannot but suggest the Scythian tribes.

Abode of the legendary Amazons

A wide variety of versions are put forward at the expense of the homeland of the Amazons, the same Greece, or the Black Sea region, the Caucasus mountains, Turkey, the Don steppes, and even North Africa could be the homeland of the legendary warriors. In general, the Amazons could even be divided into different tribes living in different lands.

The location of the Amazons is not exactly known. They name the lands from the Black Sea coast of Turkey to the south of Russia, Libya and even Atlantis. Perhaps the admiring stories of noble travelers about steppe women and other, more plausible stories supplemented the myth of the Amazons that already existed in ancient Greece. However, fearless women could personify in myths unknown dangers, and maybe even barbarism in general, which the ancient Greeks faced when they ventured to new lands, such as the Black Sea coast. It is curious that, according to the ancient Greeks, the Amazons always lived on the very edge of the ecumene, where civilization ends. With the expansion of their understanding of the world, the homeland of the Amazons again moved farther and farther. Perhaps that is why the geographical data associated with them is so contradictory.

So, in the oldest written sources, the story of the Amazons begins with the fact that they lived east of Ancient Greece in Asia Minor (Turkey) and were probably the founders of the cities of Ephesus and Smyrna on the east coast. Under Herodotus (5th century BC), they moved to the south of Russia, and by the time of writing the "Historical Library" of Diodorus Siculus, in the 1st century. BC e., the birthplace of the Amazons was already considered Western Libya.

Dionysius, who lived in Alexandria in the middle of the II century. BC e. reported that the most ancient Amazonian kingdom was located in North Africa, in Libya, which disappeared many generations before the Trojan War. The capital of this kingdom was located near the northeastern part of Lake Shergi (Atlas Mountains of Algeria). To the south of the capital, near the southeastern shore of this lake, there were rock tombs and palace and religious buildings of the Amazons. In Libya, Algeria, Tunisia there were many tribes of women distinguished by militancy and courage. For example, Gorgon women were trained in military affairs and performed military service for a certain time, while men were engaged in housekeeping and raising children. Under the leadership of Queen Mirina, many lands were conquered. Myrina's tribesmen who died in battle are buried in three huge mounds, which are still called "Amazon mounds".

Historian A. B. Snisarenko believes that the habitat of the tribe practically coincides with the contours of the Turkish provinces Amasya (perhaps this toponym is related to the etymology of the name of the tribe) and Samsun. From here the Amazons undertook their campaigns in Asia. They built Ephesus, Smyrna and other cities.

Considering the supposed homeland of the Amazons - the Don steppes and the coast of the Sea of ​​\u200b\u200bAzov, the Asian theory of their origin seems the most likely. The Greeks who settled in the Black Sea region constantly encountered warlike and semi-savage nomads. Herodotus directly stated that the Sarmatians are the descendants of the Amazons and Scythians.

It happened that women living in the mountains became Amazons. But only for a while: when their men went to distant pastures or on campaigns. Sometimes such absences lasted for years. Mountain Amazons were prepared for independent life in advance. They taught military affairs, built for them impregnable dwellings-fortresses, the famous kyz-kala - "maiden's towers". Until now, the customs of some Caucasian peoples require women and men to live in strict isolation from each other. Even spouses, according to an ancient rule, should meet secretly, under the cover of night. Perhaps the custom of eating in different rooms has the same origin.

Archeology

Until recently, scholars considered the Amazons to be fiction, emphasizing the unusualness of the steppe barbarians in the eyes of the Greeks.

However, in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, the situation changed. First, in the north of Turkey in the province of Samsun, large female burials were found, and then in Taman, Kuban archaeologists dug up the graves of an entire tribe. Only women were buried there. Unbelievable, but true - weapons lay next to their bodies: bows, quivers and daggers, and an arrowhead stuck in the skull of one of the deceased.

These finds proved that if not completely female tribes lived in the northern Black Sea region, then at least they preserved the ancient ways of life, when a woman played the main role in society. However, it is unlikely that these "Amazons" formed those closed communities that the Greeks talked about. The cruelty to men was also certainly exaggerated - it is common for people from different types of cultures to create such legends about a land where life is fundamentally different from their own.

Either way, these tribal alliances were few and far between. The old traditions of matriarchy, miraculously preserved until the new era, could not resist the campaigns of Alexander the Great, the mixture of cultures and the great migration of peoples in the 4th-7th centuries. It was then that the Amazons ceased to exist.

Further. The English archaeologist Casson discovered the graves of female warriors in Charonea and Megara. To quote Pausanias, the author who wrote the first and still the most detailed guide to the sights of Hellas: “When the Amazons, because of Antiope, went to war against the Athenians and were defeated by Theseus, most of them were destined to die in battle; Hippolyta, the sister of Antiope, and at that time the head of the women, fled with a few of them to Megara; in the consciousness that she had caused such misfortune to the army, she lost heart, especially in this state of affairs, and even more so, seeing the impossibility of returning home to Themiscura, so she died of grief, and when she died, she was buried here; in appearance, her monument is similar to the shield of the Amazon. Obviously, the English archaeologist found the grave of Hippolyta or her warriors. Which once again confirms that Greek myths are not myths at all in the modern sense of the word, but a poetic depiction of real events in the history of Ancient Hellas.

In the Caucasus, in the Northern Black Sea region, burials of the Amazons of antiquity were discovered. Next to the beads, shields, armor, and sometimes the remains of a harness lay on decayed threads.

The tombstone of the Amazonian Antiope was located at the entrance to Athens on the road from Faliro through the Itonic Gate.

There were Amazons in the Roman army. Remains of two female Amazon warriors who served in the Roman army in Britain have been discovered in a grave that amazed archaeologists, writes The Times
Until now, it was not known that female warriors fought in the Roman army in Britain, and the find in Bruem, Cumbria, will help to reconsider their role in the society of the 3rd century.

It is believed that these Amazons were part of the Numerii, irregular troops of the Roman army who were attached to the legions that served in Britain. Other finds indicate that their unit came from the Danubian provinces of Noricum, Pannonia and Illyria, now part of Austria, Hungary and the former Yugoslavia.

The Bruem burial site was a fortification and civilian settlement in the 3rd century, and analysis of the remains of more than 180 people showed that the ashes of the dead were buried here. Burnt animal remains were found along with the remains of one of the women. Bone plates were also found, which were used to decorate caskets, as well as parts of a sword scabbard and pottery. All this indicates that this woman was of high status; her age is estimated to be between 20 and 40 years old. In the grave of another woman, whose age ranges from 21 to 45, they found a silver bowl, scabbard and bone jewelry.

Afterword

Oddly enough, militant women have been in great demand at all times and on all continents.

Until the beginning of the 20th century, the Amazons appeared in literature only as specific opponents of the main characters - men. The latter had to defeat or somehow humiliate them, thus proving the superiority of masculinity over militant femininity.

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There is a beautiful story about warlike women who kept the whole ancient world at bay and fought on the spot not only with their beauty, but also with their weapons. They are called Amazons. Is this story myth or reality, and who are the Amazons? The answer lies in the deep past.

Who are the Amazons?

For the first time and once, warlike beauties are mentioned. Their patroness was. These ladies are credited with extensive possessions, starting from the lands near the river Pheromont and ending with the Syrian and Thracian lands. The Amazon tribes at that time stood out among the rest with their iron weapons and war cavalry. But their most significant feature is that there was not a single man in their army. On the contrary, the women of this tribe did not respect the stronger sex, they considered it pampered and frail. Beautiful warriors needed men only for procreation. In stories about who the Amazons are, there is often an opinion that they took captive men, with whom they then conceived offspring. However, it is possible that brave virgins for this purpose married young men from neighboring tribes, and having achieved what they wanted, they expelled them from their community. Some sources indicate that the men were still in the tribes of the Amazons, but did not participate in hostilities, but only did housework. Only those Amazons who killed at least three enemies had the right to become a mother. If boys were born in their tribe, then according to the first version, they were immediately killed, according to the second, they were given to their fathers. In order to figure out who the Amazons are, you should find out the meaning of their name. Literally translated, the Greek word amazes is "breastless." According to ancient legends, each wild Amazon, for greater convenience, when using a bow and other weapons, deprived herself of her right breast. Some historians believe that they called these women breastless because they were not feminine in the full sense of the word.

Amazons in myth

For the first time, these ladies are mentioned in one of So, according to the myths of Ancient Hellas, the valiant hero was instructed to deliver the girdle of Hippolyta, queen of the Amazons. In order to get this thing, Hercules had to kill all the warlike virgins. That, however, did not prevent them from appearing in stories about Theseus. In accordance with such a legend, this hero was quite friendly with Hercules and even participated with him in a campaign against the Amazons, from where he brought his wife, their queen Hippolyta herself. Desperate women immediately rushed to fight for their mistress. But in the end they themselves killed her: Hippolyta took the blow that was intended for her husband.

Myth or reality?

The legends about who the Amazons are do not explain the main thing - whether they really existed or were a figment of the imagination of the ancient Greeks. Some believe that the story about them is just a fairy tale, as evidenced by their appearance in myths. Others believe that the Amazons are a non-fictional tribe that could exist in the territories of modern Turkey, Greece, Asia, or even Russia. Until now, this issue is unresolved.