According to Greek mythology, the Amazons were a warlike tribe of women descended from the god of war, Ares, and were founders of the town of Themiscyra. War, hunting and agriculture were their principal pursuits. Two queens, one for defense and one for domestic affairs, ruled their kingdom. To propagate their race, the women mated with the neighboring men, and/or male captives of their frequent wars, for a short period each year. Male children born from these unions were either sent to their father's land (neighbors) or killed (captives). In some myths, it is said female children had their right breast removed in order to draw a bow more effeciently as adults.

Antiope

The Amazon queen Antiope was kidnapped by Heracles from her homeland, brought to Athens and presented to King Theseus. Theseus took her as his wife and she bore him a son named Hippolytus after Antiope's sister Hippolyta. She is the only Amazon known to have married. Fighting by her husband's side during an Amazon attack on Athens, one of her Amazon sisters, Molpadia, ran her through with a spear.

Hippo's name means "horse," a word found in many Amazon names. She was one of the queens who helped found the cities of Ephesus, Smyrna, Cyrene, and Myrina. After conquering Asia Minor and Syria, the warrior women set up a wooden image of Artemis near a beech tree in Ephesus. There the Amazons would perform a shield dance with rattling quivers, beating the ground in unison to the accompaniment of pipes playing a wild, warlike melody.

Hippolyta was on of the greatest queens of the Amazons and one of the most beautiful and strongest women of her time. She wore the golden girdle of Amazonian queenship, a gift from her father, Ares. This royal belt became the object of Heracles' ninth labor. Hippolyta was attracted to Heracles and was ready to give him the girdle until Hera, Heracles' nemesis, disguised herself as an Amazon and spread the rumor that the queen had been robbed by him. The Amazons rose to assist their queen and a fight ensued. In the battle, Heracles, believing Hippolyta plotted against him, killed her, took the girdle and left.

The Amazon queen Lysippe had a son, Tanais, who offended Aphrodite by his scorn of marriage and his devotion to war. In revenge Aphrodite caused him to fall in love with his mother. He was so shamed by this that he flung himself into a river, thereby drowning. Lysippe lost her sorrow in work consolidating her queendom, building the city of Themiscyra and raising temples to worship Artemis. It is said she led a force of women that were the first to use calvary in battle.

One of the great military queens, Marpesia began a victorious campaign at the Black Sea and soon conquered Thrace and Syria. Then, with Queen Hippo she marched through Ephesus and Cyrene, finally reaching the Aegean Sea. After settling down to rule her empire, she was called back to the battlefield to defend it from the uprising of her subjects and lost her life in the process.

The Amazon queen Omphale was said to have ruled the southern empire of Libya. Omphale bought Heracles in a sale of slaves and had him weave, spin and card wool as well as many other duties. If he made mistakes she would beat him with a golden sandal. Eventually growing bored with him, Omphale sent Heracles back to his homeland.

Otrere meaning "nimble" was the name given in some tales to the ancestral goddess of the Amazons. It was also a title of distinction bestowed upon women leaders.

One of the greatest Amazon warriors, Penthesilea led a troop to Troy to fight the Greeks. There she engaged Achilles in single combat that was a close combat but she was finally killed. Achilles mourned her death when he tore off her helmet and saw her beauty.