Glorification, Degradation, and Restoration: Variations of Penthesilea, Queen of the Amazons

Abstract

The Amazons have been a topic of discussion among classicists, artists, archaeologists, historians, and literary scholars for centuries. To this day, books are still being published that question whether the tribe of warrior women truly existed in ancient times1. In antiquity, references to the Amazons could be commonly found both in literature and art, most famous being the Parthenon's western metopes, which portray an Amazonomachy. Due to their perceived warlike nature, many of the ancient accounts and images of the Amazons revolve around battles; the most recognizable battle with the Amazons is a tale from the Trojan War. During the Trojan War, Queen Penthesilea lent her strength and the strength of her Amazonian army to Troy. While in battle, Penthesilea faces the legendary warrior Achilles, and she falls. Upon removing her helmet, Achilles is said to have fallen in love with the Amazon queen and laments her death (Arctinus). Though Homer never writes about the battle between Penthesilea and Achilles, a selection of other authors and vase painters of the time decided to approach the tale (e.g. fig. 1). It becomes clear that the story of the queen of the Amazons was widely known in both Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome.