History Extension Major Work The Amazons
The Amazons
History Extension
Major Work
2013
Emily Hegarty
Duval High School
Armidale
Student Number: 24815854
Word Count: 2496
Throughout the Homeric to late Byzantine Period the Greek legend of the Amazon tribe pervaded Asia Minor culture. This legendary misandristic society, consisting purely of fierce warrior women, is a tantalizing amalgamation of fact and fiction, giving rise to persistent historical debate over the legend’s plausible realism. Ancient historians often considered the tribe to be factual, whereas Modern historians increasingly interpret the legend as a cautionary tale fashioned by the hands of patriarchal Greek Society. This paper will answer the question: Did the Amazons exist as a cohesive society, and if not, from whence did the myth originate?
An appreciation of the tribe’s alleged fundamentals is essential to understanding the fables erroneous nature. Warfare was crucial to the Amazon legend. The women’s supposed lust for battle and manly skill in warfare has been an imperishable element of the myth. Homer describes them as “a match for men in war”, their attacks being known as “no slight or womanish enterprise”1. According to Herodotus this manly warfare was the substance by which they defined themselves, “We are riders, our business is with the bow and the spear, and know nothing of women work”. The Greek art form Amazonomachy, devoted purely to Greek battles with Amazons, reveals that the Greeks also defined the Amazons by their military and cavalry expertise. Women had to serve a set time in the army2 and could not marry until having killed in battle3. Similarly, both Virgil and Diadorus Siculus say only virgins were permitted in the army. Kurgan graves in the Eurasian Steppes, initially believed to belong to Amazons4, support this military nature, being filled with weapons and having a young girl killed by arrows with bowed leg bones from excessive horse-riding. Through these sources of evidence we see the
History Extension
Major Work
2013
Emily Hegarty
Duval High School
Armidale
Student Number: 24815854
Word Count: 2496
Throughout the Homeric to late Byzantine Period the Greek legend of the Amazon tribe pervaded Asia Minor culture. This legendary misandristic society, consisting purely of fierce warrior women, is a tantalizing amalgamation of fact and fiction, giving rise to persistent historical debate over the legend’s plausible realism. Ancient historians often considered the tribe to be factual, whereas Modern historians increasingly interpret the legend as a cautionary tale fashioned by the hands of patriarchal Greek Society. This paper will answer the question: Did the Amazons exist as a cohesive society, and if not, from whence did the myth originate?
An appreciation of the tribe’s alleged fundamentals is essential to understanding the fables erroneous nature. Warfare was crucial to the Amazon legend. The women’s supposed lust for battle and manly skill in warfare has been an imperishable element of the myth. Homer describes them as “a match for men in war”, their attacks being known as “no slight or womanish enterprise”1. According to Herodotus this manly warfare was the substance by which they defined themselves, “We are riders, our business is with the bow and the spear, and know nothing of women work”. The Greek art form Amazonomachy, devoted purely to Greek battles with Amazons, reveals that the Greeks also defined the Amazons by their military and cavalry expertise. Women had to serve a set time in the army2 and could not marry until having killed in battle3. Similarly, both Virgil and Diadorus Siculus say only virgins were permitted in the army. Kurgan graves in the Eurasian Steppes, initially believed to belong to Amazons4, support this military nature, being filled with weapons and having a young girl killed by arrows with bowed leg bones from excessive horse-riding. Through these sources of evidence we see the