Amazons

CC 303 Intro to Classical Mythology - Fall 2009
Department of Classics, University of Texas at Austin, Prof. Lawrence Kim

Amazons, Hippolyta, Antiope, Penthesilea, Scythia

1. Major Episodes
   1. Heracles' Ninth Labor: The Belt of Queen Hippolyta
   • Receives the belt peacefully
   • Hera causes misunderstanding that leads to battle
   • Heracles kills Hippolyta
     
   2. Theseus's Abduction of Queen Antiope
   • Their son = Hippolytus
   3. Amazonomachy (Battle vs. the Amazons) at Athens (Theseus)
   • Amazons invade Athens to rescue their Queen
   • Heated battle which Athens eventually wins
   • Antiope leaves Theseus
   • Athenians commemorated battle on the Parthenon
     
   4. Achilles' duel with Penthesilea
   • He kills her and falls in love with her
     
   5. Alexander the Great and Thallestris, Queen of the Amazons
   • She comes to meet him, having heard of his valor
   • She desires to have a child by him and succeeds
     
2. Ancient Constants
   1. Female dominated society
      • Society with no need for men: all-female
      • Or with servile male class
   2. Valiant and proficient warriors; a military society
   3. Associated with non-Greeks, far-off countries
      • The Centaurs, the Scythians, nomads
   4. Opposite of proper Greek women
      • Inversion of Greek gender hierarchy
      • Greek fascination with reversal of reality

1. Amazon on Horseback. Note the Eastern costume: pants, animal skin pattern, hat.
2. Amazon and Heracles.
3. Heracles and Amazon.
4. Heracles Receiving the Belt of Hippolyta
5. Antiope.  Theseus and Pirithoüs abduct Antiope
6. Achilles and Penthesilea.