The Riveting Rosies

Scythian women were fierce female warriors who lived around 8th century BC to 5th century AD. However, until the 1970s, these fearsome women were considered to be nothing more than fiction.

Scythians were not necessarily a unified culture, but rather a group of nomadic tribes who occupied the Pontic Steppe. Similar to what we know of Mongolian warriors, Scythians were skilled warriors, particularly on horseback with the use of a smaller than usual bow, which allowed for greater maneuverability while on a horse

Legendary stories written about these fierce female warriors called the Amazons, included famous figures such as Penthesilea (who fought an equal battle against Achilles, but was ultimately defeated), Hippolyta (who later married Greek hero Theseus), Antiope, and Tessalia. It was not uncommon for Greek heroes to face off against an Amazon-like warrior to prove their worth

These women were truly badasses: they smoked pot (or something very close to it), drank fermented horse milk, had lots of tattoos, and may have even invented pants.

Definitive evidence emerged in the 1970s that finally proved the Amazons actually existed. In fact, Themyscira may not be entirely fiction either!

The name “Amazon” more than likely comes from a Persian/Iranian or Caucasian-based word, potentially “hamazon,” the Persian word for warrior. It does NOT mean “without breast” in Greek (this theory has been largely discounted).

Many myths surrounding the Scythian women still exist today, including that they were a women-only people and that they killed off their male youth – FALSE! They more than likely participated in a tribal practice of fosterage, which allowed sons to be raised by other tribes to help ensure peaceful relationships with these tribes.

We still have much to learn about these fearsome women warriors, as they may have been previously discounted by male historians and classicists due to sexism.

References: