In Greek mythology, the Attic War was the conflict between the Amazons, a race of women warriors led by the Amazon queen Penthesilea, and the Athenians, led by Theseus or Heracles. The war lasted 4 months and concluded with a peace treaty in Horeomosium, near the temple of Theseus.
Depending on the version of the myth, the Amazons fought to free either Antiope or her sister Hippolyta from captivity after her abduction at the hands of a Greek hero, or to simply fight against Troy. Another version states Antiope waged war on Theseus to avenge him marrying Phaedra.
In some myths, Hippolyta was killed during the ninth labor when Heracles attempted to obtain her girdle peacefully until the Amazons attacked him, and Theseus, who had joined Hercules during his expedition, abducted Hippolyta's sister Antiope, who was an Amazon that Theseus married in a separate myth. [1]
Plutarch states that the Amazons had most likely conquered most of the Athenian state, for having reached the Pnyx and the Museum of Athens (Museum here refers to a building or temple dedicated to Muses). Hellanicus relates that they crossed the Cimmerian Bosphorus when it was frozen; which Plutarch does not find plausible, and states that the portion of the city where the Amazons had camped bear many Amazonian hallmarks, names and graves. Once the Amazons set siege on Athens, both sides remained disengaged for a period of time. Theseus then sacrificed to Phobos and attacked the Amazonian camp during the Athenian month of Boedromion. Kleidemus writes that the left wing of the Amazon army stood in a place in Athens that came to be known later as the "Amazoneum", and the right flank reached to the Pnyx. The Athenians attacked from the Museum towards the Amazonian right wing, situated on the Pnyx, Plutarch states that the tombs of the fallen from this battle could be seen then along this area. The Athenian attack was repulsed by the Amazonians on this side, and the Amazonians counterattacked and pushed the Athenians as far back as the temple of Eumenides. On the other wing, where the Athenians attacked from the temples of Pallas and Ardettus and the Lyceum drove back the Amazonian left to their camp.
Many versions of the myth exist, one myth states that Antiope was slain while fighting with the side of Theseus when a javelin thrown by an Amazon named Molpadia hit her, in another version of the Myth Antiope led the Amazons in battle against the Athenians and was wounded in the fighting, upon which Molpadia killed the wounded queen to save her from being captured by the Athenians, another version where Antiope is the wife of Theseus relates that Antiope helped secretly transport wounded Amazons for treatment on the island of Chalkis that was located somewhere in the Black Sea, where some of them were buried in a place that later became known as the Amazoneum. A peace treaty was concluded on the 4th month of the war in the Horeomosium (near the temple of Theseus). The Athenians agreed to make sacrifices to the Amazons before each festival of Theseus. Plutarch writes that more Amazon graves were near Chaeronea (by the stream of Haemon, anciently known as Thermodon) and more burial places across Thessaly (Skotussa and Cynoscephalae) suggest that the Amazons had to fight more battles with other Greeks on their way back to their homeland. Plutarch also visited burial places of Amazons at Megara, where he mentions a lozenge-shaped Amazon crypt is located. [2]
The Amazons were a people in Greek mythology, portrayed in a number of ancient epic poems and legends, such as the Labours of Heracles, the Argonautica and the Iliad. They were female warriors and hunters, known for their physical agility, strength, archery, riding skills, and the arts of combat. Their society was closed to men and they raised only their daughters and returned their sons to their fathers, with whom they would only socialize briefly in order to reproduce.
Theseus was a divine hero in Greek mythology, famous for slaying the Minotaur. The myths surrounding Theseus, his journeys, exploits, and friends, have provided material for storytelling throughout the ages.
In Greek mythology, Hippolyta, or Hippolyte, was a daughter of Ares and Otrera, queen of the Amazons, and a sister of Antiope and Melanippe. She wore her father Ares' zoster, the Greek word found in the Iliad and elsewhere meaning "war belt". Some English translations prefer "girdle". Hippolyta figures prominently in the myths of both Heracles and Theseus. The myths about her are so varied it is thought that they may be about different women. The name Hippolyta translates as "she who unleashes the horses", deriving from two Greek roots meaning "horse" and "let loose".
In Greek mythology, Otrera was the founder and first Queen of the Amazons; the consort of Ares and mother of Hippolyta and Penthesilea. She is credited with being the founder of the shrine of Artemis in Ephesus.
Penthesilea was an Amazonian queen in Greek mythology, the daughter of Ares and Otrera and the sister of Hippolyta, Antiope, and Melanippe. She assisted Troy in the Trojan War, during which she was killed by Achilles or Neoptolemus. The asteroid 271 Penthesilea, discovered in 1887, was named in her honor.
In Greek mythology, an Amazonomachy is a mythological battle between the ancient Greeks and the Amazons, a nation of all-female warriors. The subject of Amazonomachies was popular in ancient Greek art and Roman art.
In Greek mythology, Molpadia may refer to the two different women:
In Greek mythology, Antiope was an Amazon, daughter of Ares and sister to Melanippe, Hippolyta, Penthesilea and possibly Orithyia, queens of the Amazons. Two sisters, Orithyia and Antiope, co-ruled the Amazons. Antiope may have been the wife of Theseus and mother to his son Hippolytus of Athens, but differing sources claim this was Hippolyta.
Themyscira is a fictional unitary sovereign city-state and archipelagic island nation appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Previously known as Paradise Island and the Amazon Isles, it first appeared in All Star Comics #8.
Queen Hippolyta is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, based on the Amazon queen Hippolyta from Greek mythology. Introduced in 1941 during the Golden Age of Comic Books, she is the misandrist queen of the Amazons of Themyscira, the mother of Wonder Woman, and in some continuities, the adopted mother of Donna Troy.
Antiope is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, usually as a supporting character in stories featuring Wonder Woman and the Amazons of Paradise Island/Themyscira. Created by writer Dan Mishkin and visualized by artist Don Heck, she first appeared in Wonder Woman #312, and is based on the mythological Antiope, one of the mythological Amazons.
By Jupiter is a musical with a book by Lorenz Hart and Richard Rodgers, music by Rodgers, and lyrics by Hart. The musical is based on the play The Warrior's Husband by Julian F. Thompson, set in the land of the Amazons. By Jupiter premiered on Broadway in 1942 and starred Ray Bolger, and was the last musical written by Rodgers and Hart; when Hart’s erratic behavior was often the cause of friction between him and Rodgers and led to a breakup of their partnership the following year before his death. Rodgers then began collaborating with Oscar Hammerstein II.
In Greek and Roman legendary history, Orithyia, "woman raging in the mountains", was the daughter of Marpesia.
Themiscyra was an ancient Greek town in northeastern Anatolia; it was situated on the southern coast of the Black Sea, near the mouth of the Thermodon, probably at or near modern Terme.
Philippus is a fictional character created by DC Comics. She made her first appearance in February 1987 as an Amazon character in the Wonder Woman comic book. The character was created by writer/artist George Pérez.
War Goddess is a 1973 adventure film directed by Terence Young and starring Alena Johnston, Sabine Sun, Rosanna Yanni, Helga Liné, and Luciana Paluzzi. It was a co-production between Italy, France, and Spain.
The Sword Is Forged is a 1983 historical fiction novel by Evangeline Walton. It is based on the story of Theseus and the Amazon queen Antiope from Greek mythology.
Melite was a deme of ancient Attica, located in the city centre of Athens, within the walls erected by Themistocles and to the west of the Acropolis. It included the Agora and the Pnyx. It belonged to the tribe of Kekropis.