Legendary warrior women: The history of the Amazons
Key takeaways
- They're said to have cut off their breasts to better draw their bows, and killed their male offspring.
- They wore pants, sported tattoos and got high on drugs during orgies — or so the story went.
- In short: "The Greeks were shocked because the ancient Greeks had a paternalistic society, dominated by men," American historian Adrienne Mayor tells DW.
Why this matters: an international story with cross-border implications worth tracking.
They're said to have cut off their breasts to better draw their bows, and killed their male offspring. What's true behind the myths surrounding the Amazons?
https://p.dw.com/p/5Eh Rk The Amazons have long captured people's imagination Image: Judaica-Sammlung Richter/picture alliance Advertisement Their reputation among the ancient Greeks wasn't exactly the best: the Amazons were regarded as ruthless and fearless warriors who rode into battle on horseback armed with bows and arrows. They wore pants, sported tattoos and got high on drugs during orgies — or so the story went.
In short: "The Greeks were shocked because the ancient Greeks had a paternalistic society, dominated by men," American historian Adrienne Mayor tells DW. "Women were kept in the home, weaving and taking care of children."