1. Amazons were brave, combotant women and according to what ancient historians said, they
dominated Black Sea shore down to Farnia(Poti) by founding an independent state near Terme.They
had Sycthian origin and stemmed from two kings who were exiled to Terme and these were the kings
whose names were Igin and Skolopit and they multiplied over time.Their capital city was situated by
the side of brook called “thermedon” at that time and bore the name temiskor, the brook was also
named “Amazon”.
However , neighbouring nations made most of them slaves at the end of a great war because they
were not peaceful.Remaining men handed over the state to women and they went to war against
enemies.Women felt humiliated in this situation and started to insult, and got out of control
gradually.They had two queens, one of whom was ruling the army, whereas another was ruling the
goverment.Their last queens were Antiop and Oridie.
Rumor has it that Amazons got married to foreign men; if they had male children, they killed them;if
they had female children, they cut and seared their female children’s right breast so that they could
use bow well.So these women were called “Amazon” , which means ‘having a single breast.’(Mezos
means ‘breast’ , amazos means “breastless”).
The belt which was valuable and given as a gift to the queen Hippolyte by her father, Ares(the God of
war) was wanted to be owned by Eurysthcos’ daughter, Admate.That belt was the main reason for
the first war between them.Eurystheos called his combatant Herakles and ordered to take this belt
from Hippolyte-Greek sailors set sail along the Marmara and Black Sea coast by the leadership of
mythological hero Heracles.Herakles went to Amozonia and wanted to take Queen Hippolyte’s
sacred gold belt.According to what epics write, in reality that gold belt belonged to Ares (the God of
war) and was used by the Queen.
When Greeks came to Amazonia and anchored near the town, Terme, Amazons had been living in
three tribes.The leader of the two tribes were Oreityla and Queen Antiope. Amazons welcomed their
Greek guests well.Heracles asked Queen Hippolyte for gold belt.And he said the would exchange it
for priceless gifts.The Queen agreed it.Hippolyte was also the hero in the Shakespeare’ novel “A
Midsummer Night’s Dream”.The enemy of Heracles, Hera with the golden throne guise of
Amazon,scrammed Amazon women warriors and a terrific bloody war started between these two
armies.Many Amazon warrior women including Quuen Hippolyte were killed on the battle field.In
that sruggle Melanippe Quuen’s sister was kipnapped by Heracles’ men. In Exchange for the release
and freedom of the Queen’s sister, she agreed to give the gold belt to Heracles.And Heracles
managed to take the Queen’s belt.ın this way, he completed nineth one of the 12 tasks which the
King had given him.
The Greek who left Terme arrived at the island near Giresun on the Black Sea coast.(The island was
called “Arestias”)They met the third Amazon tribe which was led by the Queen Antiope there.During
the fight with them, they launched into sea with captured Amazons.Those Amazons beat and killed
the men off shore and captured the ships.However,they left themselves into the sea and waves as
they didn’t know how to lead a ship.So they arrived in Palus Maiotis(Sea of Azov) and began to
plunder the country of Scythians by seizing the horses which had grazed along the coast.Scythians
were suprised to see them.They neither knew their language nor knew their wearing style.they
taught of them as young and strong men.They realised that they were women when they saw their
corpses and they decided not to do battle with them.They decided to choose young boys and

2. decided them to settle around the areas in Amazon and to get in touch with these warrior
women.The young boys adapted the same lifestyle and started to hunt and plunder.Fortunately,
Scyhian boys started to get on well with Amazon women.They put their camp together and started to
live together.The boys offered to live them with the real Scythians when they had better relations.
And the Amazon women replied : “It is not possible for us to live with the women who are at your
homes because our customs and traditions are completely different.We shoot arrows and spear and
ride horses but we don’t know to do housework.Your women won’t do whatever we say but they do
housework.They just sit,neither go hunting nor go eneywhere else.That’s the reason why we can’t
get on with them.However if you’d like to see us as your wifes and behave us well,find your fathers
and get your share from them.We may live here happily in accordance with our rules.”
Young men did what they had said.Meanwhile Amazon women pointed out that they had done a lot
of harm and plundered a lot in this country and they were afraid to stay there any more.Then they
crossed the river Tanais and settled down in an eastern country after three-day walking.