Amazons as Role Models?
Amazons as Role Models?

Summary/Abstract: It is a moot point whether the Greeks would have developed mythsabout Amazons even if they had never heard about female warriors. Be that asit may, their mythical Amazons fulfill several ideological functions. The mostimportant of those is probably to represent an unnatural menace which has beensuccessfully defeated by the Greeks. However, there is no denying that fromthe late sixth century onwards the Greek depiction of Amazons, on vases or inwriting, has often (but not always) been influenced by their knowledge ofSarmatian mounted archeresses, at least some of whom were almost certainlyalso warriors. Yet it is naive to say that the Greeks were right all the time, thatAmazons did exist and that they had a wonderful time killing enemies andliving a life characterised by companionship, fulfilled sexuality and genderequalitiy. The Amazons constructed by Adrienne Mayor resemble the heroinesof Klingon legend told by Klingons in the Star Trek spin offs.

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