Orithyia (Amazon)

Last updated
Orithya from Guillaume Rouille's Promptuarii Iconum Insigniorum Orithya.jpg
Orithya from Guillaume Rouillé's Promptuarii Iconum Insigniorum
Amazons Nuremberg chronicles - f 19v 1.png
Amazons

In Greek and Roman legendary history, Orithyia, "woman raging in the mountains", was the daughter of Marpesia. [1]

Contents

History

Upon the death of her mother, Orithyia became the new queen of the Amazons. She co-ruled with Antiope, who some authorities [2] [3] say was her sister. She was famous for her perpetual virginity. Her war techniques were outstanding and brought much honor to the Amazon empire. [4] [5]

According to Justinus's Epitome of Trogus Pompeius' History of the World, [6] Orithyia was one of the key figures in the story of Hercules' quest for the girdle of the Amazon queen. Pompeius Trogus' version of this story was as follows. Eurystheus, king of Mycenae, thought it would be nearly impossible to capture Orithyia's royal girdle in war (according to most other versions, [7] [8] [9] the girdle belonged to Hippolyte), so he passed this duty onto Hercules, his debtor, as his ninth labor. Hercules then gathered together nine warships and occupied the shores of the Amazons while Orithyia was away. Because of the confusion and the carelessness of the Amazons their numbers were greatly reduced. Hercules was easily able then to capture Melanippe and Hippolyte, Antiope's sisters. Hercules returned Melanippe after getting the queen's girdle, however Hippolyte was taken away by Theseus, king of Athens, as his share of the spoil. Orithyia then led the Attic War to free Hippolyte and take revenge for the defeat of Antiope. She asked Sagillus, the Scythian king, for assistance, and he sent his son Panasagoras with a body of cavalry to her aid. However, some disagreement occurred between the allies, and the Scythians left the battlefield. The Amazons were eventually defeated, but managed to escape to their allies' camp and, under their protection, returned home safely [10]

In Giovanni Boccaccio's Famous Women , [11] a chapter is dedicated to Orithyia and Antiope.

See also

Notes

  1. "Queens of the Amazons". Archived from the original on 2007-12-14. Retrieved 2007-12-04.
  2. Orosius, Historiae adversus paganos,I. 15.8-10
  3. "Antiope the sister of Orithya". Archived from the original on 2007-06-29. Retrieved 2007-12-03.
  4. Justin, Epitome of Trogus Pompeius' History of the World Book 2, 4.17-18
  5. "The Scythian Amazons page 26" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2007-09-20. Retrieved 2007-12-03.
  6. Justin, Epitome of Trogus Pompeius' History of the World Book 2, 4.19-30
  7. Bibliotheca 2. 5. 9
  8. Hyginus, Fabulae, 30
  9. "Amazons and the girdle of Queen Hippolyte". Archived from the original on 2007-12-16. Retrieved 2007-12-03.
  10. Justin, Epitome of Trogus Pompeius' History of the World Book 2, 4.19-30
  11. Giovanni Boccaccio’s Famous Women translated by Virginia Brown (2001), p. 41-42; Cambridge and London, Harvard University Press; ISBN   0-674-01130-9;

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amazons</span> Female warriors and hunters in Greek mythology

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hippolyta</span> Queen of the Amazons in Greek mythology

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".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Penthesilea</span> Amazonian queen in Greek mythology

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Melanippe</span> List of people of Greek mythology

In Greek mythology, the name Melanippe referred to several different people:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gnaeus Pompeius Trogus</span> Gallo-Roman historian

Gnaeus Pompeius Trogus(fl. 1st century BC), also anglicized as Pompey Trogue, was a Gallo-Roman historian from the Celtic Vocontii tribe in Narbonese Gaul who lived during the reign of the emperor Augustus. He was nearly contemporary with Livy.

<i>De Mulieribus Claris</i> 1361–62 biographies by Giovanni Boccaccio

De Mulieribus Claris or De Claris Mulieribus is a collection of biographies of historical and mythological women by the Florentine author Giovanni Boccaccio, composed in Latin prose in 1361–1362. It is notable as the first collection devoted exclusively to biographies of women in post-ancient Western literature. At the same time as he was writing On Famous Women, Boccaccio also compiled a collection of biographies of famous men, De Casibus Virorum Illustrium.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Antiope (Amazon)</span> Greek mythological figure, daughter of Ares

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pompeia gens</span> Ancient Roman family

The gens Pompeia was a plebeian family at ancient Rome, first appearing in history during the second century BC, and frequently occupying the highest offices of the Roman state from then until imperial times. The first of the Pompeii to obtain the consulship was Quintus Pompeius in 141 BC, but by far the most illustrious of the gens was Gnaeus Pompeius, surnamed Magnus, a distinguished general under the dictator Sulla, who became a member of the First Triumvirate, together with Caesar and Crassus. After the death of Crassus, the rivalry between Caesar and Pompeius led to the Civil War, one of the defining events of the final years of the Roman Republic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mithridates V Euergetes</span> King of Pontus

Mithridates or Mithradates V Euergetes was a prince and the seventh king of the Kingdom of Pontus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Laodice of Cappadocia</span>

Berenice or Laodice of Cappadocia, also known as Laodice was a princess from the Kingdom of Pontus and a queen of the Kingdom of Cappadocia by marriage to Ariarathes VI, and queen of Bithynia by marriage to Nicomedes III. She was regent of Cappadocia in 116 BC during the minority of her son Ariarathes VII.

Nicomedes III Euergetes was the king of Bithynia, from c. 127 BC to c. 94 BC. He was the son and successor of Nicomedes II of Bithynia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hippolyta (Marvel Comics)</span> Comics character

Hippolyta is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in Thor #127. She is the queen of the Amazons and the daughter of Ares. Hippolyta is known under the codename Warrior Woman. She has faced the X-Men and the Fantastic Four at various points in her history.

The Asii, Osii, Ossii, Asoi, Asioi, Asini or Aseni were an ancient Indo-European people of Central Asia, during the 2nd and 1st centuries BCE. Known only from Classical Greek and Roman sources, they were one of the peoples held to be responsible for the downfall of the Greco-Bactrian Kingdom. In Greek Mythology they were the children of Iapetus and Asia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marpesia</span> Legendary Queen of the Amazons

In ancient Greek and Roman legendary history, Marpesia was Queen of the Amazons with Lampedo, her sister, as a co-ruler. They ruled with Hippo ("horse") after the death of Lysippe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lampedo</span>

Lampedo is an Amazon queen mentioned in Roman historiography. She ruled with her sister Marpesia. The sisters called themselves daughters of Mars to put terror in the heart of their enemies to show they were incredible warriors to be feared. Her name was speculated to refer to traditional New Moon torchlit processions in honor of Artemis, goddess of the hunt.

<i>Ercole sul Termodonte</i> Opera by Antonio Vivaldi

Ercole su'l Termodonte is a baroque Italian opera in three acts. In 1723, it became the sixteenth opera set to music by Antonio Vivaldi. Its catalogue number is RV 710. The libretto was written by Antonio Salvi. The opera was premiered on 23 January 1723 in Rome's Teatro Capranica. Due to a papal edict preventing women from appearing onstage in Rome, it premiered with castrati singing all the female roles. Vivaldi was both conductor and violin soloist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zopyrion</span> Ancient Macedonian general

Zopyrion was a Macedonian general.

<i>The Warriors Husband</i> 1933 film by Lesley Selander, Walter Lang

The Warrior's Husband is a 1933 American pre-Code comedy film directed by Walter Lang and starring Elissa Landi, David Manners, and Ernest Truex. It tells the story of the Amazons, who ruled over men thanks to the sacred girdle of Diana, and Hercules who came to steal it. The film is based on a 1932 Broadway production of Julian Thompson's 1924 play that starred Katharine Hepburn in the lead role.

The gens Perpernia, also found as Perpennia, was a plebeian family of Etruscan descent at ancient Rome. Members of this gens first appear in history during the second century BC, and Marcus Perperna obtained the consulship in 130 BC.

<i>Epitome of the Philippic History of Pompeius Trogus</i> Summary by Roman writer Justin of Pompeius Trogus work Historiæ Phillippicæ

The Epitome of the Philippic History of Pompeius Trogus by the second-century Roman writer Justin is an abridgment of the Augustan historian Pompeius Trogus' lengthy work the Historiae Philippicae, which has not survived. Justin's epitome is the only surviving source for Trogus' original work.

References

Primary sources

Secondary sources

Preceded by Queen of the Amazons Succeeded by