Amazons

INTRODUCTION
There are two references for the term amazon in any decent dictionary. The first and more popular references is for the Amazon rainforest of Brazil and other parts of South America. The Amazon Rainforest is the richest of all forests in the world, and we're not concerned with forests, or the environment.

HISTORY
However, the Amazon rainforest plays a defining role in the myth about to unfold. According to myth, Amazons are a tribe of tall, athletic warrior women known for their ruthless approach to warfare. Though the origins of these females are unclear, they are often described as Hellenic(Greek or Greek culture), and are sometimes associated with the Greek island of Lesbos.

(Popular Amazon Nubia(Nu'bia), who was introduced in the Wonder Woman comic books as the first official black female superhero.)

 TRUE ORIGINS 

In popular culture, Amazons are generally portrayed as Hellenic. Amazons are believed to be cross-cultural, meaning that they existed in many cultures on different continents. There seems to be four main cultural origins for the theory of the Warrior women.

 Cappadocian or Asian Amazons 

These Amazons were said to be from a city called Trabson in Asia Minor also known as modern Turkey (Anatolia).

 Scythian or Eastern European Amazons 

Greek historian Herodotus placed the Amazons between the regions of Scythia and Sarmatia, which is modern Ukraine, suggesting and Eastern European origin for Amazons.

 Greek or Hellenic Amazons 

These Amazons were situated in the Aegean basin where shrines to warrior goddesses Athena and Artemis were established. Many of the towns in these regions were said to be founded by Amazons. Also, it appears that the previous Amazons and perhaps to Libyan Amazons were all hellenized.

 Libyan or African Amazons 

There were also claims of Amazons in ancient Libya. Diodorus Siculus is the main proponent of the Libyan Amazons. They were said to live in western Libya, in a region called Hespera. Cherronesus was the capital city. Myrina was the queen of the Libyan Amazons. In the Libyan tale, the Amazons encountered another race of female warriors called Gorgons.They also conquered many cities, included Lesbos and Asia Minor.

 South American Amazons 

Yet another cross-cultural origin comes from the story of Portuguese explorer Franciso de Orellana who partook in a war against the Tapuyas tribe of South America, where the custom was for women to fight alongside men. He reportedly called the tribe Amazons, which gave the South American rainforest its name. However, de Orellana's claims have been dismissed. Many believe he simply mistook the men of the tribe for women. The men wore grass skirts and had long hair with thin bodies.

AMAZON TRADITIONS
Perhaps the most endearing and mind-boggling of all Amazon traditions is the ceremonial removal of the right breast. Though it is not staple in the myth (you can imagine why not), it is the most distinct of all Amazon traditions. The Amazons supposedly believed that removing their right breasts would help their arrows and jovelin spears land with acuracy and would help them grip their swords more firmly. Presumably, this was more effective if the Amazon was large-breasted and right-handed. So why not both breasts? Well, the left breast was left to allow children to suckle. Yes, this means that Amazons had children. In the Greek myth, Amazons had ritualistic lovemaking with men called Gargarians (from the Caucacus region, and while the males would keep the boys, the Amazons would keep the girls. It is believed that the Amazons and Gragarians were one people living in Themyscyra until the Amazons dismissed them, and argued to the custody arrangements.

POP CULTURE PORTRAYALS
Xena: Warrior Princess, 1995-2001

Wonder Woman, 1976-1979

POPULAR AMAZONS
A notable Amazon queen is Penthesilea, who reportedly fought in the Trojan War. However, her sister Hippolyte is always queen of the Amazons in the original stories. She was fought and defeated by Heracles who was sent to take her magical belt or girdle in the 12 Labors of Heracles. There are more famous Amazons than Hippolyte. Among them is Diana Prince, also known as Wonder Woman. In the Wonder Woman story, created by William Moultan Marston circa 1941; Hippolyte is the mother of Diana. Marston describes WW AS: "distinctly feminist role model whose mission was to bring the Amazon ideals of love, peace, and sexual equality to 'a world torn by the hatred of men.'" In the short-lived and yet popular television series, Xena (1995-2001), Gabrielle, Xena's sidekick, is an Amazon queen, and the last Amazon queen portrayed in the series was called Varia.

Though many people believe that Xena was an Amazon, by sheer code of conduct, look, height,athleticism and dress, she was not officially an Amazon in the series. Rather, she was honorary Amazon, or Amazon by assocation. Xena has always fought bravely with the Amazons. She was also called the warrior princess. Also popular among Amazons is Elektra, the only Amazon to have been given her own self-titled live-action big screen movie (2005). Elektra was played by actress Jennifer Garner, who first portrayed the character in the movie Daredevil (2003). In popular culture, the term amazon is used to mean a strong or self-sufficent, often athletic and tall (over 5'8') female.