Warrior women

• A: What kind of society was Amazonian society?

  matriarchal- governed exclusively by women
• A: Who were the Amazons?

  - a mythological race ofwarrior women- lived on the eastern borders of the Greek world
• A: What were the roles of women in Amazonian society?

  women governed, farmed and fought - rejecting greek gender norms
• A: According to legend, how would the Amazons produce heirs?

  What would happen to these heirs depending on whether they were male or female?

  - once a year, the women would visit aneighbouring tribein order to get pregnant- any girls that were born would beraised as Amazons- any boys would either be sent to live with theirfathers, made intoslavesorabandonedand left to die
• A: Using evidence, what can we infer about the priorities of the Amazons?

  Herodotus:´no maiden weds until she has killed a man´>> importance of brutality and the skill of fighting

  Hippocrates:´they have no right breast´- theory that it was easier to fire arrows without the right breast>> women have to become more man like to take part in male activities>> removal of their femininity + sexuality>> rejecting conventional view of feminity

  their right breasts were removed´while still of a tender age´>> amazons prioritise being effective in warfare over the needs of a child>> importance of warfare from a young age
• A: What are the 2 possible etymologies of the origin of the name ´Amazon´?

  1. the greek´a´and´mazos´, meaning´no breast´

  2. from old persian´hama-zan´, meaning´all women´
• A: Prescribed Source

  The Amazonomachy Frieze
• A: Where was the Amazonomachy originally made for?

  the Temple of Apollo at Bassae
• A:

  PSAmazonomachy FriezeWhat 2 scenes does the Amazonomachy depict?1. Amazons VS Hercules2. Amazons VS Greeks in the Trojan War (Penthesilea VS Achilles)
• A:

  PSAmazonomachy FriezeWhat evidence is there of the Amazons rejecting the traditional gender norms for Greek women?- amazons involved in war >> a good kyria should stay in the household/private sphere and do her womanly duties

  - women shown to have muscles >> masculine

  - wearing immodest clothing
• A:

  PSAmazonomachy FriezeHow is Penthesilea presented in her fight against Achilles?- presented as weak >> reaching out to him, begging for mercy
• A:

  PSAmazonomachy FriezeWhat do the stories concerning the Amazonomachy reveal about the relationship between the Amazon and Greek man?- the amazons fought bravely (shown by a Greek with his hands up in defence) however they were ultimately not strong enough to defeat the Greeks/Hercules
• A: Who was Penthesilea?

  - top amazon

  - daughter of Aries
• A: Why does Penthesilea come to the Trojan war?


  1. to gain great glory

  2. to commit suicide and die
• A: Why does Penthesilea come to the Trojan war to die?


  - Penthesilea accidentally killed her sisterHippolytawhile hunting- so has suicidal thoughts
• A: What is the name of the state Penthesilea enters during her battle with Achilles?

  Aristeia- glorious streak in battle
• A: How does the amphora depicting Penthesilea´s death show the emotion in the scene?

  - shows Achilles and Penthesilea gazing into each others eyes, falling in love>> evokedpathos

  
• A: In what ways did the Amazons depart from the traditional roles and characteristics expected of women in Athenian society?

  
• A: Some scholars believe that the meaning of the Amazonomachy has to do with the suppression of women by men throughout Greece. Suggest reasons to support this interpretation

  - both friezes show the women being defeated by men

  >> shows the superiority of men

  >> acts as a warning to women to not act outside their gender roles

  
  

  - men will always no matter how much women train or look like men

  >> amazons wearing armour

  
  

  - could be seen as the success of greek civilisation against the ´barbarians´, shown in how unconventional the amazons are

  >> a matriarchy seen as uncivilised and barbaric
• A: What happens to Penthesilea?

  - she goes to the Trojan war and is defeated by Achilles

  - however just before she died she and Achilles fell in love AWH SWEET ROMANCE
• R: Who is an example of a warrior woman who was completely a Roman invention?

  Camilla
• R: Who was Camilla?


  a Volscian princess
• R: Where was Camilla first introduced? What does this imply?


  - inVirgil´s epic poem, theAeneid- she does not appear before this in any existing myth/story, andVirgil may have invented her
• R: How does Virgil introduce Camilla in the Aeneid and how does this mark her as a special woman?


  - Camilla appears as asupporting characteras war breaks out between theTrojansand theLatins-Virgilintroduces her as part of acatalogue of warriorsand gives her aposition of honour- she is even given preference overTurnus, the warrior who leads the entire army- this draws attention to Camilla, marking her asspecial- this may show how muchVirgil likes the character of Camillaand wanted his audience to like her too
• R: In Virgil´s the Aeneid, who leads the Trojans and who leads the Latins?


  - thetrojansare led byAeneas- thelatinsare led byTurnus
• R: How is Camilla portrayed in Virgil´s Aeneid? How does she compare to the Roman women that you have studied? (short extract)

  ´leading her line of horses´>> a brave leader>> unconventional

  ´not trained in Minerva´s staff´>> not trained in spinning/weaving and domestic tasks>> not a typical matrona

  ´the crowds of women marvelled´>> admired>> impresses the women even though she is so unconventional
• R: Prescribed Source


  The Aeneid, byVirgil
• R:

  PSthe AeneidHow is Camilla portrayed by Virgil in the following aspects:
• R:

  PSthe AeneidWho does Diana ask to avenge Camilla´s death?Opìs
• R:

  PSthe AeneidWhat goddess is Camilla looked over by?Diana
• R:

  PSthe AeneidWho was Camilla´s father?Metabus
• R:

  PSthe AeneidWhy was Camilla´s life ´dedicated´ to Diana?- her father,Metabus, was exiled and threatened by theVolscians- in order to escape, he tied baby Camilla to spear and threw her across the river- he promised Diana that her life would be dedicated to her if she was kept safe
• R:

  PSthe AeneidHow is Camilla´s upbringing portrayed?´he nourished his child at the udders of a mare´>> no mother so unconventional>> a simple upbringing

  as soon as she was an infant´he placed a sharp lance in her hand´>> in her nature to be a warrior>> young roman girls supposed to have a more conservative upbringing
• R:

  PSthe AeneidCamillas´s similarities to the Amazons´a tiger´s pelt hung over her head...instead of a gold clasp for her hair´>> loss of femininity

  ´such were the Amazons of Thrace´>> compares the fighting of Camilla and her comrades to that of the Amazons

  ´with one breast bared for battle´>> compared to the wildness of the Amazons
• R:

  PSthe AeneidAttitudes of others towards Camilla´many a mother...wished for her as a daughter-in-law in vain´- desirable although she is not conventional>> no father>> no dowry>> trained as a warrior
• R:

  PSthe AeneidCamilla´s similarities to Diana´she cherished her love of her weapons and maidenhood´

  ´and around her were chosen comrades´>> like Diana and her nymphs
• R:

  PSthe AeneidHow is Camilla portrayed as a special woman?Diana says to avenge Camilla´s death:´pay me with their equal punishment in blood´>> shows Camilla´s importance to Diana and her prestige

  ´I´ll carry the body...and bury her in her own land´>> what normally happened to great heroes>> honourable to be buried in your hometown>> honoured by Diana herself>> promised glory

  ´caught their falling queen´>> loved and respected by the Volscians

  ´carry my final commands to Turnus´>> her dying wish is that Turnus perseveres in the battle and wins>> admirable>> has the death of a hero

  ´with a sob her life fled angrily to the shades below´>> Virgil´s description is parallel to Homer´s description of Hector´s death in the Iliad>> Camilla being put on the same pedestal as other great heroes
• R:

  PSthe AeneidHow is Camilla´s fighting ability portrayed?Virgilasks´How many bodies did you spill over the Earth?´>> he describes Camilla´saristeia>> she is gainingkleos(glory)

  ´but you´ll carry no small fame...you fell to Camilla´s spear´>> implies Camilla´s status as a heroic woman>> shows how her fighting ability was admired and respected
• R:

  PSthe AeneidHow are some of Camilla´s weaknesses presented?´she, raging and burning with bitter resentment´>> Camilla lets her pride and emotions dictate her actions>> a roman audience would see this as the typical behaviour for a woman

  - Camilla pursuesChloreus, a priest, ´raged recklessly...with a feminine desire for prizes and spoil´- as a result of her rage + lack of control, she is killed byArruns>> Virgil shows how her femininity influences her actions>> materialism linked to her femininity
• R:

  PSthe AeneidWho was the man who killed Camilla?Arruns