Orithya
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Orithya, "woman raging in the mountains", was the daughter of Marpesia.[1] Upon the death of her mother, Orithya became the new queen of the Amazons.[2] She co-ruled with Antiope, which some authorities say was her sister.[3] She is famous for her perpetual virginity. Her war techniques were outstanding and brought much honor to the Amazon empire.[4]
Eurystheus, king of Mycenae, even thought it would be nearly impossibe to capture Orithya's royal girdle in war. He then passed this duty onto Hercules, his debtor, as his greatest labor. Hercules then gather together nine warships and occupied the shores of the Amazons while Orithya was away. Because of the confusion and the carelessness of the Amazons their numbers were greatly reduced.[5] Hercules was easily able then to capture Menalippe and Hippolyta, Antiope's sisters. He returned Menalippe after getting the queen's girdle, however killed Hippolyta.[6] Orithya then led the Attic War to free the Amazon queen Antiope. Some Thrakian and Scythian slaves were kept in Athens for personally guarding the Athenian king. Orithya took advantage of this opportunity to avenge the death of Hippolyta. She summoned the Scythian allies along with the Thrakian allies and sent two sets of diplomatic envoys to negotiate. One set was to contact the slave leaders to gain their assistance for freedom in return and another set to ensure Lakonia did not assist Athens.[7] Orithya then triumphently marched her army across the Kimmerian Bosporus over the Danube River and through the area of Thrake. Orithya besieged Athens, however in the battle Antiope was killed. Orithya built a tomb for Antiope after completing a treaty with the Athenians. In the battles Orithya had received serious injuries and ultimately died of these. She was buried on route home by her army.[8]
Contents |
[edit] Notes
- ^ Queens of the Amazons
- ^ The Scythian Amazons page 26
- ^ Antiope the sister of Orithya
- ^ Justin's Epitome of Trogus Pompeius' History of the World, Book 2, part IV
- ^ Amazons and the girdle of Queen Hippolyte
- ^ Giovanni Boccaccio’s Famous Women translated by Virginia Brown (2001), p. 41-42; Cambridge and London, Harvard University Press; ISBN 0-674-01130-9;
- ^ Justin, Cornelius Nepos, and Eutropius: Literally Translated by John Selby Watson (1853), page 21; Original in New York Public Library
- ^ Famous Members of the Amazon Nation
[edit] See also
[edit] References
[edit] Primary Sources
- Orosius Historiae adversus paganos I.15.7-9
- Justinus Epitoma Historiarum philippicarum Pompei Trogi II.4.17-30
[edit] Secondary Sources
- Watson, John Selby Justin, Cornelius Nepos, and Eutropius: Literally Translated, pp 21-22, 547; Published 1853 H. G. Bohn, original in the New York Public Library
- Williams, Henry Smith The Historians' History of the World: A Comprehensive Narrative of the Rise, v.2, p. 440-441; Published 1904 The Outlook Company, New York Public Library
| Preceded by Otrera |
Queen of the Amazons | Succeeded by Penthesilea |
