| Amazons | |
|---|---|
 | |
|
Other Names |
Amazons, Amazónes |
|
First Appearance |
Greek Myth |
|
Created by |
Greek Myth |
Origin[]
In Greek mythology, the Amazons are portrayed in a number of ancient epic poems and legends, such as the Labours of Heracles, the Argonautica and the Iliad. They were a group of female warriors and hunters who were known for their physical agility, strength, archery, riding skills, and the arts of combat. Their society was closed to men and they only raised their daughters and returned their sons to their fathers, with whom they would only socialize briefly in order to reproduce.
Courageous and fiercely independent, the Amazons, commanded by their queen, regularly undertook extensive military expeditions into the far corners of the world, from Scythia to Thrace, Asia Minor and the Aegean Islands, reaching as far as Arabia and Egypt. Besides military raids, the Amazons are also associated with the foundation of temples and the establishment of numerous ancient cities like Ephesos, Cyme, Smyrna, Sinope, Myrina, Magnesia, Pygela, etc.
The texts of the original myths envisioned the homeland of the Amazons at the periphery of the then-known world. Various claims to the exact place ranged from provinces in Asia Minor (Lycia, Caria, etc.) to the steppes around the Black Sea, or even Libya (Libyan Amazon). However, authors most frequently referred to Pontus in northern Anatolia, on the southern shores of the Black Sea, as the independent Amazon kingdom where the Amazon queen resided at her capital Themiscyra, on the banks of the Thermodon river.
According to myth, Otrera, the first Amazon queen, is the offspring of a romance between Ares the god of war and the nymph Harmonia of the Akmonian Wood, and as such a demigoddess.
Early records refer to two events in which Amazons appeared prior to the Trojan War (before 1250 BC). Within the epic context, Bellerophon, Greek hero, and grandfather of the brothers and Trojan War veterans Glaukos and Sarpedon, faced Amazons during his stay in Lycia, when King Iobates sent Bellerophon to fight the Amazons, hoping they would kill him, yet Bellerophon slew them all. The youthful King Priam of Troy fought on the side of the Phrygians, who were attacked by Amazons at the Sangarios River.
here are Amazon characters in Homer's Trojan War epic poem, the Iliad, one of the oldest surviving texts in Europe (around 8th century BC). The now lost epic Aethiopis (probably by Arctinus of Miletus, 6th century BC), like the Iliad and several other epics, is one of the works that in combination form the Trojan War Epic Cycle. In one of the few references to the text, an Amazon force under queen Penthesilea, who was of Thracian birth, came to join the ranks of the Trojans after Hector's death and initially put the Greeks under serious pressure. Only after the greatest effort and the help of the reinvigorated hero Achilles, the Greeks eventually triumphed. Penthesilea died fighting the mighty Achilles in single combat. Homer himself deemed the Amazon myths to be common knowledge all over Greece, which suggests that they had already been known for some time before him. He was also convinced that the Amazons lived not at its fringes, but somewhere in or around Lycia in Asia Minor - a place well within the Greek world.
Troy is mentioned in the Iliad as the place of Myrine's death. Later identified as an Amazon queen, according to Diodorus (1st century BC), the Amazons under her rule invaded the territories of the Atlantians, defeated the army of the Atlantian city of Cerne, and razed the city to the ground.
Hippolyte was an Amazon queen killed by Heracles, who had set out to obtain the queen's magic belt in a task he was to accomplish as one of the Labours of Heracles. Although neither side had intended to resort to lethal combat, a misunderstanding led to the fight. In the course of this, Heracles killed the queen and several other Amazons. In awe of the strong hero, the Amazons eventually handed the belt to Heracles. In another version, Heracles does not kill the queen, but exchanges her kidnapped sister Melanippe for the belt.
In another myth, Queen Hippolyte was abducted by Theseus, who took her to Athens, where she was married to him and bore him a son, Hippolytus. In other versions, the kidnapped Amazon is called Antiope, the sister of Hippolyte. In revenge, the Amazons invaded Greece, plundered some cities along the coast of Attica, and besieged and occupied Athens. Hippolyte, who fought on the side of Athens, according to another account was killed during the final battle along with all of the Amazons.
In another myth Dionysus unites with the Amazons to fight against Cronus and the Titans. Polyaenus writes that after Dionysus has subdued the Indians, he allies with them and the Amazons and takes them into his service, who serve him in his campaign against the Bactrians. Nonnus in his Dionysiaca reports about the Amazons of Dionysus, but states that they do not come from Thermodon.
Amazons are also mentioned by biographers of Alexander the Great, who report of Queen Thalestris bearing him a child (a story in the Alexander Romance).
Public Domain Appearances[]
All published appearances of Amazons from before January 1, 1929 are public domain in the US.
Some notable appearances include:
Public Domain Literary Appearances[]
- The Argonautica
- The Iliad
- Metamorphoses
- Aeneid
- Posthomerica
- Canterbury Tales
- A Midsummer Night's Dream
- The Two Noble Kinsmen
- Penthesilea (1808)
- Aethiopis
- Odyssey
- Stesichorus
- Epitome of the Bibliotheke
- Bibliotheca historica
- Roman de Troie
- The Book of the City of Ladies
- Troy Book by John Lydgate
- Confessio Amanatis
- Chronicle (known as Haagse handschrift)
- Miroir des dames
- De Mulieribus Claris
- Looking Backward
Public Domain Theatrical and Musical Appearances[]
- Penthesilea by Heinrich von Kleist
- Penthesilea by Othmar Schoeck (based on Kleist's drama)
- Penthesilea (1883–85) by Hugo Wolf
Public Domain Comic Appearances[]
- Captain Marvel Adventures #18: Hippolyta lends her strength to Mary Marvel, becoming the H in SHAZAM! The wizard Shazam claims she is an old friend.
- Boy Comics #9: Hippolyta meets the time traveler, Yankee Longago who teaches her how to be more feminine.
- Fantastic Comics #6: Queen Izzuki was the old hag who ruled Amazonland, home of "almond-eyed" warrior women. She kidnapped Dr. Chandler in the hopes that he could make her young again, but he escaped with the help of Captain Kidd, who Izzuki wanted for her husband.
- Fight Comics #9-10:
- In Issue 9, After reading about the Spanish conqueror Francisco de Orellana, Flip Falcon uses the dimension machine to travel back to the 16th century to see if the legend of the Amazons is true. He arrives at a pivotal juncture, as the Amazons are about to be captured by European colonists. He frees them and they disappear into the deep forest, never to be seen again. Although they are Brazilian Amazons, they look Caucasian.
- In issue 10, Oran of the Jungle discovered a group of Amazons with plans of conquest armed with advanced technology such as rocket ships, ray guns, and televisors. Their army has a massive modern city hidden inside a mountain that featured buildings such as a palace and coliseum.
- Kid Eternity #1: Kid Eternity & Mr. Keeper encounter Queen Matilda and her Amazon-like sisters, who were enslaving men until she was finally shown how superior men were.
- Zip Comics #40: Steel Sterling is on a mission to rescue Looney and finds him a prisoner of the Amazons.
- Planet Comics #8, 21, 67:
- In issue 8, Flint Baker teams up with the Golden Amazons of Venus and their Queen Futura to battle the Metal Men.
- In issue 21, Princess Jolie sends Norge and his polar bear Frosting from Pax to Jupiter on a peace mission. On their way, they are captured by Amazons and stop off at the planet Indigo. Norge promises the warring factions many things and takes them to Pax, but they're arguing again when they arrive. Norge, Frosting and Jolie leave hurriedly, but crash land on Pluto.
- In issue 67, Flint meets Queen Tenya and the Lunar Amazons of the Fifth Moon.
- Alley Oop #11: While time traveling, Oop enters Amazonia alone and quickly befriends the Amazons, showing off his yo-yo and teaching them dance steps. When the rest of Oop's friends enter Amazonia, they are stunned to see Oop casually relaxing with the Amazons.
- Thun'da, King of the Congo #4,6: Irana, queen of the Amazons, sets her heart on having Thun'Da as a husband. After his escape, with the aid of Pha, Irana vows that she will have her revenge. Later Thun'da, King Rex, and Irana's Amazons together fight Arab slavers.
- Cave Girl #12-13: Cave Girl is defending the Wambooli people against attacks by the Amazons when she is captured and is forced to fight lions. After her capture by the Amazons, Cave Girl escapes and helps a village being raided by them.
- Babe #1: Babe Boone is described as the Amazon of the Ozarks.
- Startling Comics #47, 53: Tygra rescues tribesmen taken as slaves by the Amazons. She uses the same method David used to defeat Goliath against the Amazons.
- Sparkler Comics #89: The feature Strange as It Seems! focused on the amazons this issue in a 1 page non-fiction story.
- Nyoka the Jungle Girl #47 : Nyoka visits the isle of women, Amazon Island.
- Feature Comics #36-37, 132:
- In issue 36, Samar encountered Lazana and her amazons. Lazana wanted to have Samar be her slave and when he refused she sent him to her lizard pit. He kills her lizard and frees her slaves. Lazan ebgs him to take her with him when he leaves and Samar says he may return for her someday after she learned her lesson.
- In the next issue, He encounters Queen Sopho and the Amazons of Nesbo. He saves the life of Leba from a snake and she offers to become his wife. However the Queen Sabo also wants to marry Samar and the two amazons decide to fight over him. However he escapes and trains their enslaved men to become warriors. After the men prove they are great warriors against the Nubian invaders, the men and woman agree to rule Nesbo together and Samar leaves as an ally of their kingdom.
- In issue 132, Rusty Ryan and the Boyville Brigadiers encounter The Viper's Amazons.
- Terry and the Pirates #3: The Boy Explorers are captured by amazons in the story The Isle Where Women Rule.
- Jumbo Comics #107: In issue 43, Sheena battled Beasts of the Devil-Queen, Tuana, Queen of the Amazons. In issue 107, Sheena deals with the Vandal Amazons of the Veldt.
- Don Winslow of the Navy #42: Don Winslow of the Navy visits Amazon Island.
- Whiz Comics #35: Lance O'Casey Meets the Amazons.
- Smash Comics #76: When Midnight's friend Doc gets mistaken for Ragoz, husband of Queen Menna, he is kidnapped by Amazons.
- Kaanga Comics #13: In Death Web of the Amazons, a trader refuses to sell guns to a spider cult. In retaliation, they capture him and attempt to have him killed by leopards. Kaänga rescues him and agrees to investigate the spider cult. When he arrives at their village, he attacks them and overcomes their queen, who is bound over for the colonial commissioner.
Public Domain Comic Appearances Inspired by the Amazons[]
- Crack Comics #7: Red Torpedo and the Black Shark ally themselves with different underseas peoples. Lockhart is saved by the Mermazons of Merezonia, a tribe of water-breathing women, so that he can chase after the Shark, who has captured the Red Torpedo.
- Weird Comics #5: Typhon encounters the Sea Amazons and their Queen Mea.
Notes[]
- William Moulton Marston, alongside his wife Elizabeth Holloway and their lover Olive Byrne, created their rendition of the mythical Amazons, whose members included the superheroine Wonder Woman, for DC Comics. Their first appearance All Star Comics #8 (1941) will enter the public domain on January 1, 2037.
- In Brazil, a legend of the icamiabas (Amazons of indigenous origin) gave rise to the name of the state of Amazonas and the Amazon region (comprising territories that border the northern region of the country).