Lampedo
Encyclopedia
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.
The story of the development of the Amazon nation follows the history recorded by Ephorus
, a writer of the 4th century BC. An aristocratic faction
sent Sylisios and Scolopicus, men of royal blood from Scythia
, into exile. With the faction they all ultimately came to the Thermodon River in Cappadocia
and took over the lands of the Cyrian people. They pillaged and robbed the people of the area. Most of the males were killed by the men of Scythia and their faction. The widows that were left found their situation deplorable. They then banded together in a tribe with the remaining few young males and took out their enemy and continued to rage war then against their neighboring countries. The warring women then banded together and killed the remaining husbands of the Scythians' massacre to remove the appearance that destiny
had somehow treated these other married women differently and that they were special.
Afterwards they then sued for peace with their enemies. To assure royal succession they then had intimate relations with the men of the adjacent areas and returned home after they knew they were pregnant. The babies that were males were killed immediately and the females were raised carefully to become outstanding warriors. The right breast of the young girls was bound or removed so that it did not hinder them from being excellent archers
. The left breast was left intact for their future babies
. By folk etymology, this practice is where the name "Amazon" (Greek, a- meaning "without" and mazos meaning "breast") comes from.
Describing the records of the Scythians Diodorus of Sicily has a similar history of the founding of the Amazon nation.
The same story was told by Xenophon
, who wrote nearly four centuries earlier and is repeated by Paulus Orosius and the Latin historian Justin. Even the famous modern writer of children encyclopedias Donald J. Sobol
tells a very similar version.
In Giovanni Boccaccio's Famous women
, a chapter is dedicated to Lampedo and Marpesia.
Amazons
The Amazons are a nation of all-female warriors in Greek mythology and Classical antiquity. Herodotus placed them in a region bordering Scythia in Sarmatia...
queen mentioned in Roman historiography
Roman historiography
Roman Historiography is indebted to the Greeks, who invented the form. The Romans had great models to base their works upon, such as Herodotus and Thucydides. Roman historiographical forms are different from the Greek ones however, and voice very Roman concerns. Unlike the Greeks, Roman...
. She ruled with her sister Marpesia
Marpesia
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 after the death of Lysippe.Marpesia was one of the rulers who helped establish the Greek city of Ephesus...
. The sisters called themselves daughters of Mars
Mars (mythology)
Mars was the Roman god of war and also an agricultural guardian, a combination characteristic of early Rome. He was second in importance only to Jupiter, and he was the most prominent of the military gods worshipped by the Roman legions...
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
New moon
In astronomical terminology, the new moon is the lunar phase that occurs when the Moon, in its monthly orbital motion around Earth, lies between Earth and the Sun, and is therefore in conjunction with the Sun as seen from Earth...
torchlit processions in honor of Artemis
Artemis
Artemis was one of the most widely venerated of the Ancient Greek deities. Her Roman equivalent is Diana. Some scholars believe that the name and indeed the goddess herself was originally pre-Greek. Homer refers to her as Artemis Agrotera, Potnia Theron: "Artemis of the wildland, Mistress of Animals"...
, goddess of the hunt.
The story of the development of the Amazon nation follows the history recorded by Ephorus
Ephorus
Ephorus or Ephoros , of Cyme in Aeolia, in Asia Minor, was an ancient Greek historian. Information on his biography is limited; he was the father of Demophilus, who followed in his footsteps as a historian, and to Plutarch's claim that Ephorus declined Alexander the Great's offer to join him on his...
, a writer of the 4th century BC. An aristocratic faction
Political faction
A political faction is a grouping of individuals, such as a political party, a trade union, or other group with a political purpose. A faction or political party may include fragmented sub-factions, “parties within a party," which may be referred to as power blocs, or voting blocs. The individuals...
sent Sylisios and Scolopicus, men of royal blood from Scythia
Scythia
In antiquity, Scythian or Scyths were terms used by the Greeks to refer to certain Iranian groups of horse-riding nomadic pastoralists who dwelt on the Pontic-Caspian steppe...
, into exile. With the faction they all ultimately came to the Thermodon River in Cappadocia
Cappadocia
Cappadocia is a historical region in Central Anatolia, largely in Nevşehir Province.In the time of Herodotus, the Cappadocians were reported as occupying the whole region from Mount Taurus to the vicinity of the Euxine...
and took over the lands of the Cyrian people. They pillaged and robbed the people of the area. Most of the males were killed by the men of Scythia and their faction. The widows that were left found their situation deplorable. They then banded together in a tribe with the remaining few young males and took out their enemy and continued to rage war then against their neighboring countries. The warring women then banded together and killed the remaining husbands of the Scythians' massacre to remove the appearance that destiny
Destiny
Destiny or fate refers to a predetermined course of events. It may be conceived as a predetermined future, whether in general or of an individual...
had somehow treated these other married women differently and that they were special.
Afterwards they then sued for peace with their enemies. To assure royal succession they then had intimate relations with the men of the adjacent areas and returned home after they knew they were pregnant. The babies that were males were killed immediately and the females were raised carefully to become outstanding warriors. The right breast of the young girls was bound or removed so that it did not hinder them from being excellent archers
Archery
Archery is the art, practice, or skill of propelling arrows with the use of a bow, from Latin arcus. Archery has historically been used for hunting and combat; in modern times, however, its main use is that of a recreational activity...
. The left breast was left intact for their future babies
Breastfeeding
Breastfeeding is the feeding of an infant or young child with breast milk directly from female human breasts rather than from a baby bottle or other container. Babies have a sucking reflex that enables them to suck and swallow milk. It is recommended that mothers breastfeed for six months or...
. By folk etymology, this practice is where the name "Amazon" (Greek, a- meaning "without" and mazos meaning "breast") comes from.
Describing the records of the Scythians Diodorus of Sicily has a similar history of the founding of the Amazon nation.
The same story was told by Xenophon
Xenophon
Xenophon , son of Gryllus, of the deme Erchia of Athens, also known as Xenophon of Athens, was a Greek historian, soldier, mercenary, philosopher and a contemporary and admirer of Socrates...
, who wrote nearly four centuries earlier and is repeated by Paulus Orosius and the Latin historian Justin. Even the famous modern writer of children encyclopedias Donald J. Sobol
Donald J. Sobol
Donald J. Sobol is an award-winning writer in Miami, Florida. He is best known for his children's books, especially the Encyclopedia Brown mystery series.-Background:...
tells a very similar version.
In Giovanni Boccaccio's Famous women
De mulieribus claris
De mulieribus claris is a collection of biographies of historical and mythological women by the Florentine author Giovanni Boccaccio, first published in 1374. It is notable as the first collection devoted exclusively to biographies of women in Western literature...
, a chapter is dedicated to Lampedo and Marpesia.