Warrior Women Flashcards
1
Q
Who were the Amazons
A
- Amazon society was matriarchal - governed exclusively by women
- they governed, farmed + flight - against Greek societal norms
2
Q
How did the Amazon have children?
A
- once a year they would visit a neighbouring tribe to get pregnant
- girls were raised as amazons
- boys were either sent to father, kept as a slave or left to die
3
Q
Did amazons get married?
A
- some sources suggest a woman could t get married until she had killed a male enemy
- highlighting the priorities of Amazon society - war was more important than marriage + children
4
Q
How are the amazons masculine?
A
- they removed their right breast so it would not get in the way of them throwing spears + was believed to strengthen their right arm
- rejecting femininity?
5
Q
Amazonachy frieze details
A
- from temple of Apollo in bassae
- roughly 31m in length - around whole interior
- displays to amazon myths : amazons against the Greeks in the Trojan war + amazons against Heracles
6
Q
How are the Amazon presented on the amazonsachy frieze
A
- not dressed in armour - wearing short tunics which allow free movement
- fabric drapes over their figures suggesting muscular bodies
- soft facial features - retains femininity
- breasts are visible - not ‘average’ warriors
7
Q
What was the amazonachy frieze used to represent
A
- although the amazons are strong + capable, they can never beat the Greek warriors
- intended to inspire national superiority in Greek viewers
- the amazons represent any barbarian race - their defeat reassures Greek superiority
- also could be used to celebrate male dominance —> if these barbarian women can’t defeat Greek men what ‘normal’ woman could
8
Q
Who is Penthesilea
A
- most famous Amazon queen
- daughter of area (god of war) + Otrera (Amazon queen)
- known for leading her people in the Trojan war
9
Q
Why did Penthesilea fight in the Trojan war?
A
- she joined the war for a glorious death as before the war she had accidentally killed her sister, Hippolytus, while hunting
10
Q
What happened to Penthesilea?
A
- they arrived late to the Trojan war
- the trojans best fighter. Hector, had just been killed by Achilles + the Trojan morale was low
- on the first day she killed many Greek men but couldn’t fulfill her promise to kill Achilles as he killed her
11
Q
What source talks about Camilla?
A
Aeneid by Vigil
12
Q
Camilla being thrown across a river
A
- when camilla was a baby, her father (metabus) was exiled
- while escaping they came to a river which he didn’t want to cross in case camilla drowned
- he tied her to a spear + her threw her across
- metabus offered a prayer to Diana saying if she survived her life would be dedicated to the goddess
- Diana heard + made sure the spear crossed safely
13
Q
Camilla growing up
A
- metabus remained exiled as he couldn’t find a city that wanted him - so he raised Camilla in the wild
- she was fed milk from the udders of wild horses
- taught her to use a bow and arrow + javelin as soon as he could walk - rejecting civilised city life entirely
- mothers in surrounding towns wanted Camilla to marry their sons - suggesting she was attractive
- Camilla had no intention of marrying - like Diana who never lost her virginity + loved hunting
14
Q
Camilla’s death
A
- after Diana finishes telling the story about Camilla’s childhood she makes it clear she was destined to die in battle
- Diana is unable to stop this but sends a nymph, opus, to avenge Camilla by killing her killer
- shift to battle - gory - Virgil calls her an ‘Amazon’. It to be a literal description but to relate her to famous Greek amazons such as Hippolytus
- Camilla is a good fighter + cause such fear in her enemies that they retreat
- her downfall is her desire for spoils - distracted by a warrior called chloreus wearing gold armour + purple —> depicted as a female weakness by her losing control
- Arruns throws a spear + kills her + flees in a cowardly manner
- Camilla’s last act is telling her companion to get Tumus, promising they won’t be left without a leader
15
Q
Who was Camilla
A
A Volscian princess
