"Libyan Amazons" Topic

OK, so I wanted to do the Early Libyan DBA army as Libyan Amazons. Based on *one* rock painting (very flimsy evidence at best!) Libyan Amazons were nude female warriors with greek-style helmets. Originally I had planned on doing the all-Psiloi option for the army using the Shadowforge Dark Temple slingers, but the new DBA 3.0 army list for the Early Libyans has a significant amount of Warbands as well. So now I am thinking of using the Shadowforge Tribals with Wargames Factory Amazon helmeted heads for the Warbands and General, while leaving the heads as-is bare for the actual Psiloi elements.

Opinions? Any other suggestions for mostly nude, definitely bare-chested greek-helmeted 28mm female warriors with javelins and shields?

Eureka has what you need in 25/28mm.

VR
James Mattes

hasslefreeminiatures.co.uk and eurekamin.com.au Amazons

are the are the nearest I can think of. Look well at the Eureka range there is quite a few naked greek types.

x42

Edit: beat by a minute

I'd forgotten about the Eureka ones, I have a Song Of Blades And Heroes warband made from them. And an elephant. I like that Hasslefree amazon, I think I foundmy general…

How about the African Elite Amazons from Black Cat Bases?

Hi there,

A draft from a project I'm working on.

Regards

David B

>>>>>>>

<snip>
This list covers the Libyan Amazons originally from Hespera, an island of great size in marshy Lake Tritonis, which was rich in fruit bearing trees, sheep and goats; they later found the city of Chersonesus in the marsh.

These Amazons according to Diodorus (following the work of Dionysus Skytobrachion, ‘of the leathern arm,' who lived in Alexandria in the 2nd century BC) existed much earlier than their Eurasian sisters: ‘…many generation before the Trojan war' but like those described in the previous list they also engage in a expansionist quest.

Amazon Queen Myrine conquered neighbouring Libyans and nomadic tribes before attacking the Atlanteans to capture their city of Cerne, in doing so she kills the men and enslaves the women and children. The atrocities committed on the population encouraged other cities to submit.

Myrine also defeats in a mighty battle the obscure Gorgons, another of the war-like race of North African women who were traditional enemies of her now vassal Atlanteans. She captured 3000 Gorgons in battle and attempted unsuccessfully to incinerate the fugitives in a forest.

The Amazons seemed to have a well organised military system as women were required to serve in the army for a fixed period during which time they maintained their virginity.

Diodorus describes them as favouring to an unusual degree cavalry over infantry, but then gives Queen Myrine's army as 30,000 foot and 3,000 cavalry, which commentators suggest should have the numbers the other way round.

He describes them: ‘For protective devices they used the skins of large snakes, since Libya contains such animals of incredible size, and for offensive weapons, swords and lances; they also used bows and arrows, with which they struck not only when facing the enemy but also when in flight, by shooting backwards at their pursuers with good effect.'

Protective snake-skins may be crocodile hide armour or shields and Parthian shots could suggest Light Cavalry tactics.

Troops might be depicted in a Greek or Libyan costume, perhaps even as Meroitic Kushite if the snake-skin / crocodile armour inspires.

The army speculated here allows both infantry and cavalry numbers to dominate, moon priestesses are carried over from the previous army list.

Myrine was on friendly terms with Horus king of Egypt who allows per passage to defeat the Arabs and campaign successfully in Syria, Asia Minor and in the Aegean islands where she founded cities.

Her success is ended by Mopsus the Thracian, who allied with Sipylus the Scythian, defeat her armies and kill her in battle. The pair then push the Amazons back to their homelands.

These Amazons, and indeed the Gorgons, were ultimately finished off by Hercules, the Gorgons having also suffered famously at the hands of Perseus.

Libyan Amazons located in the Nile delta help Dionysus defeat the Titans and restore Egyptian King Ammon to his throne.

The historian Herodotus mentions a Libyan tribe of his days, the Zauches, who had women chariot drivers.

References:
Apollonius of Rhodes, The Voyage of Argo, Penguin Classics, 1971.

Diodorus Siculus, 3. 52-54.

Interesting or Plausible enemies:
Greek City States, Thracians, Skythians, Atlantis, Arabs, Libyan
cities or Nomad tribes, Gorgons, Syrians, Cillicians, Asia Minor tribes.

That is an awesome piece of backstory! Thank you.

Maybe some figure suggestions in this thread TMP link
Bronze Age Miniatures do some later style Greek gals
link
link
Maidenhead have some possibilities in their Amazon range link
Ral Partha used to do a naked Amazon spearwoman (mounted and foot), but these appear to be OOP.
Foundry do some bare-chested horse archers
Rellic are talking about an Amazon archer
TMP link

and there are several Amazon Army lists for various systems that were written and submitted to TMP for a competition. I do not know if we can still access these, but I have a copy of the (buffs nails) winning entry for WAB.

Edit – you can see them all here

TMP link

Pat

Aren't Amazons supposed to get a partial mastectomy in order to be more efficient archers? Shouldn't this post be in the "needs less boobies" board?

@flooglestreet: That's the eurasian (Thermidon river settelment) amazons that do that, I'll be using Eureka's amazon cavalry for them, using the Skythian army list.

@Huscarle and Sane Max: thank you for all the links!

hi there

Here's some for the Eurasian amazons.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

This list covers the Amazons' main power centre in the Doeantian plain in Asia Minor, especially near the river Thermodon, and the empire they built from there. Other Amazon groups may have separate lists.

Amazons were greatly feared as lawless, indecent, aggressive, brutal and war-like enemies. The name ‘A mazon' may mean ‘without breast(s)' referring to the possible practice of breast removal to aid shooting – not all classical authorities agree on this. Graves mentions that Amazon is probably derived from Armenian for ‘moon priestess' as evidenced by various armed moon priestess cults.

Boy children were given away or crippled as infants to make them unfit for war and given household duties.

Amazons were noted archers and horse herders, sometimes credited as being the first people to use cavalry, however the Voyage of Argo mentions three tribes of Amazons on the Black Sea coast being; the coastal Themiscyrans, who possess a navy and are given a wide berth by Jason, the Chadesians who were noted javelin-throwers and the otherwise undescribed Lycastians.

The army here assumes all three tribes are contributing troops but a separate Chadesian army, which can have no allies, can change some or all Cavalry, Light Cavalry or Hoplites for more Peltasts or Javelin throwers.

Hippolyte ruler of the Themiscyrans and her sister Melanippe had dealings with Hercules but he is not included here. Hippolyte's golden girdle of Ares was a desirable object (Hercules acquires it as a labour) but it seems to have no particular magical qualities.

During the height of the Amazonian Empire, Skythian allies join Queen Oreithyia's invasion of Europe, she is defeated in a titanic battle outside Athens. At the battle both armies defeat their opposing left wing but the Amazons are eventually defeated by the Greeks. The Empire extended into Thrace, Phyrgia, Asia Minor and Syria where they founded many famous cities and once captured Troy.

Amazons are described as armed with ‘bronzen bows', short half-moon shields and helmets while wearing clothes and girdles made from the skins of wild beasts. Hippoltye is described as armed with an axe and other weapons when she is killed by Hercules (in one version of the story).

Greek art shows Amazons in the costume of Skythian and Thracian peoples, which many figure manufactures have copied, some depictions show them with heavy aspis shields and helmets hence the hoplite troops offered here, indeed the tough fight with the Athenians would suggest they could field solid infantry.

This list can also cover Queen Penthesileia (the accidental killer of her sister Hippolyte / Glauce / Melanippe) who brings a force to aid Troy against the Greeks. She famously forces the Greeks from the field several times before being killed by Achilles and suffering the posthumous indignity of his act of necrophilia – or being thrown mortally wounded into a river in one version of the tale.

Virgil describes the ‘battle-mad Penthesliea…leading the charge of the Amazons carrying their crescent shields; in the midst of thousands she blazed, showing her breast uncovered with a gold girdle clasped below'. He also describes her as driving a chariot of war. Chariots can be used only as Leader stands.

Quintus Smyrnaeus describes her, ‘…greaves fashioned of gold…rainbow-radiant corslet … around her shoulders slung, the massy brand whose shining length was in a scabbard sheathed of ivory and silver. … her shield unearthly splendid…on her head she settled the bright helmet overstreamed with a wild mane of golden-glistering hairs. So stood she, lapped about with flaming mail, in semblance like the lightning, …two javelins in the hand that grasped her shield-band; but her strong right hand laid hold on a huge halberd (sometimes translated axe – DB) …she rode throned on a goodly steed and fleet,'.

Dictys Cretensis also describes Penthesilae at Troy, ‘She brought a huge army of Amazons and other neighbouring peoples…she made an attack…she arranged the archers on the right flank, the foot soldiers on the left, and the cavalry, to which she herself belonged, in the center…The queen slaughtered many, using her bow,'.

References – Apollonius of Rhodes, The Voyage of Argo, Penguin Classics, 1971. Robert Graves, The Greek Myths, Penguin 1992. Virgil – Aeneid, Penguin Classics, 1956. Qunitus Smyrnaeus, The Fall of Troy (online and Loeb Books). Dictys Cretensis, The Trojan War (online).

Interesting or Plausible enemies: Greek City States, Thracians, Skythians, Troy, any Asia Minor State or barbarians.

Aren't Amazons supposed to get a partial mastectomy in order to be more efficient archers?

Given 'historical' (if they indeed may be called so) details are so limited, I'd ready to allow for some 'poetric licence', specially if aesthetically more satisfying! (the reference to Athens is reminding to a similar reference associated with the tale of Atlantis!).

The Maidenhead are marvelous figurines, but maybe look too 'barbarian'?
Shadowforge does have Amazons (not called as such)in their Fantasy range: the 'Temple of the Light' Egyptian-looking

the 'Dark Temple Guard' more traditionally 'Greek'

the 'Tribals', well… Barbarian

Well, I took the plunge and bought a pack of the Shadowforge Tribals with spears from The Warstore, and some plastic amazon heads with the greek helmets from Hoard O' Bits. So far, my head swaps have gone well. Just a little putty work to blend the hair into the helmets, and I can start painting my first two Wb elements :)

Looking forward to discover them: cheers!

It's Ancient History now, but…
link

I've just called in at Foundry in my lunchbreak and they've a huge number of Amazons cast up as part of the new 'Tribes of Legends' range. I'll acknowledge bias (not least because I think it's the nearest wargames shop to my place of work) but I haven't liked some of their more recent releases (undead for example). These are really good and it looks like there's a big range. In my (very non-expert) opinion, they look like they've been sculpted by the sculptor who does their elven range.

Enough sock puppetry (and of course most posters already have a view, blah, blah, blah…), but I think these will be of interest

Merry Christmas/Winterval/whatnot

Because it wasn't crossposted here from the "needs more ……" page this thread is for those who havent seen it yet.
TMP link