Thousands of years ago the Amazon tribe of the Tritoni lived upon the sacred island of Hesperides, which lays off the Libyan coast. However, an earthquake destroyed their city and forced them to flee to the mainland. There they encountered another Amazon tribe known as the Gorgons. The two initially clashed, but soon they put aside their differences and united with a third Amazon tribe called the Pallantids, forming a single nation. Even their religions integrated, with their new pantheon of deities including Medusa of the Gorgons, Sipylene of the Tritoni, and Athena of the Pallantids. They settled upon the shores of Lake Tritonis and built the great city of Triton to be their capital.Temples
Under the rulership of the legendary Queen Myrine the Great, the Gorgons expanded eastward along the coast of Africa, up through Phoenicia, and finally conquered Asia Minor. However, far too over-extended to hold this vast tract of land, they were forced to gradually withdraw from most of their new-won territory after the death of Myrine. Only on the Thermodon plain in northern Asia Minor did they retain the colony of Themiskyra, ringed by fortresses to protect it from the encroachments of the nearby Greeks.
It was those Greeks who spelled the doom of the Libyan Amazons. Brought into direct contact by the conquests of Myrine, the Greeks and Amazons were natural enemies. They competed for trade, political influence, and most especially were from totally antithetical cultures. The Greeks supported rebellions in the areas conquered by the Amazons, and after they withdrew enlisted their populations in anti-Amazon alliances.
For centuries the conflict went on, until finally the Gorgons were driven back to their city of Triton. There an allied-Greek army led by the Athenians laid siege. Unable to storm the impregnable walls of the great city, the Greeks settled into a blockade to starve out the Amazons. After long months the end of Triton came suddenly. The exact cause of her demise remains shrouded in mystery to this day. Some say that a priestess of Athena murdered the Amazon Queen and let the Greeks into the city. A theory lent support by the fact that afterward the Athenians brought the worship of Athena back to their city (and indeed renamed it to Athens after her). In any case, the Greeks entered the city and in an orgy of blood lasting for three days they slew every living thing. Not even the livestock were spared.
Yet some of the Amazons managed to escape across Lake Tritonis with their men and children. This rag-tag band took advantage of the Greek preoccupation with the slaughter of Triton and fled south into the desert, hoping that even the blood-mad Greeks would not dare to pursue them into the trackless wastes. Many died in the terrible exodus. Dark rumours still circulate that in order to survive, the living were forced to drink the blood of the dead and eat of their flesh.
In time the remnants of the once proud Libyan Amazons came to a place of refuge in a mountain range far from their former home. Here they found shelter from the sun in the caves, and hidden sources of water deep within the earth. They learned to adapt to their desert surroundings and bided their time, knowing that one day vengeance would be theirs.
That was over a thousand years ago. Now even the Greeks barely remember the details of their destruction of Triton and the mighty Amazon nation there, and even that only as fragments of myth and legend. But the Gorgons have not forgotten. They have spent the years sharpening their arrows and axes, and forging their very bodies into weapons of retribution. When a star fell to earth north of their mountains they knew their time had come. It was Medusa pointing the way back to their ancient home, and their ancient enemy.
So the Gorgons stirred themselves and made the long trek back across the unforgiving desert. They now stand poised at the edge of the wastes, with the fertile Tritonian plain beyond. They have come to reclaim their ancestral home, and to end the world of men...
"We are riders; our business is with the bow and the spear, and we know nothing of women's work."The starting territories of Amazonia
-- Herodotus IV, 114
Founded long before the legendary fall of Troy, Amazonia has stood in the east for over a thousand years. Her capital in Themiskyra, on the banks of the Thermodon river, has stood against fire, flood, and siege and held firm through all. The Amazon race is said to descend from the blood of the god Ares himself, which may account for the zeal they show when partaking in war.
The word Amazon is the Ionian Greek form of the Iranian word ha-mazan, meaning "fighting together." The regular Greek form would be hamazon, but over time it simply became amazon. Also known to the Greeks as Androktones, or "The Killers of Men", and to their Scythian cousins as Oiorpata (which has the same meaning), the Amazons are women who refuse to submit to any man. Indeed, it is said by some that before she may procreate, an Amazon must kill at least one man in battle. While this is likely a tall tale, at least concerning the common women of Amazonia, it is true that among their warriour elite that a woman must face battle before being considered fully one of their own.
In the Iliad, the Amazons were referred to as Antianeira, or "Those Who Fight Like Men". Indeed, they do fight in the same hoplite fashion as their male Greek counterparts. However, they are also practiced in the use of the axe, a weapon favored by many of them for its killing power in hand to hand combat. Yet these are the least of their martial distinctions. For ever have the Amazons been especially gifted horsewomen, having tamed the horse long before the men of Greece learned to ride. Most fearsome however is their legendary skill with the bow, which some say is a sacred gift of the goddess Artemis, who is held in higher regard by the Amazons than even their progenitor Ares.
While most men in Amazonia live in drudgery, some of them may rise to positions of a certain stature. While the Amazons may sometimes be described as warriour-priestesses praying for battle, they also realize the need for trade and diplomacy. In aid of this they often send distinguished men from their courtesan caste out into the world as spies, diplomats, and merchants. Surprisingly, these men show an extraordinary amount of loyalty to their female overlords, refusing to break even under the most attractive enticements or the harshest of tortures.
Although originally a colony of the ancient Gorgon Amazons of Libya, Amazonia has been an independent monarchy for a thousand years. Since the fall of the Libyan Amazons a millennia ago, they have carried on the torch of Amazon civilization. During that time the Amazonians have maintained a conservative policy of alliances, diplomacy, and heavily fortified frontiers to insure their survival, even paying humiliating tributes to super-powers such as the Persian Empire and Alexander the Great in order to survive with their freedom and culture intact.
Long have the warriour women of Amazonia been quiet in the hills and valleys of their homeland. Waiting patiently as the titans of the world did battle with one another outside their doorstep. First the Persians, then Alexander. But the days of the great empires has passed, and their successors squabble with one another like dogs fighting over scraps from their great table. For the women of Amazonia this is an opportunity to carve their own mighty empire, one that might never again come to pass...
By the way, I also think you should change the hair colour for the skirmishers/warband. At the moment it is still all limey white. That the Britons and New Amazonians use similar colours doesn't help hide the similiarity.
So weave we, weird sisters,
Our warwinning woof.
Now Warwinner walketh
To weave in her turn,
Now Swordswinger steppeth,
Now Swiftstroke, now Storm;
When they speed the shuttle
How spearheads shall flash!
Shields crash, and helmgnawer
On harness bite hard!
- Nj
It was also at this time that the Valkyrja adopted the dragon as their symbol. To their barbarian neighbors the dragon was a monstrous beast which they all feared. However, the Amazons had always known the serpent as a symbol of women's wisdom and power. A creature of the Underworld that knows the secrets of regeneration and rebirth. They saw the northern dragon as nothing more than a new face upon their old and dearly loved serpent, and laughed at the fools who dreaded it.
Amazon Companion Cavalry are picked from the social and military elite of Amazonia. All are either born from aristocratic families or have earned that position through distinguished service. When not on campaign they live in the Royal Household and serve as an extended bodyguard and coterie of the Queen - her Hetaroi - or Companions. As such they form a personal bond with her that goes far beyond the loyalty of other troops. Often these women go on to serve as officers and generals, some might even be adopted into the Royal Family itself.
The Companions are expert horsewomen, riding the best mounts and have the finest armour available. Each is armed with a good lance and a longsword for close combat. As heavy cavalry they can be a decisive arm of battle, and are able to deliver a devastating charge that can smash all but the strongest enemy formations. However, they do need to be careful - as with all cavalry - when attacking spearmen. Bravery is of little use when galloping straight onto a row of gleaming spear points!
Amazon Companion Cavalry are the social and military elite of Valkyr. All come from influential families (the word aristocracy is never used by the Valkyrja, but in truth this is what they comprise), or have attained high status through distinguished service. When not on campaign they live in the First Equal's Household and serve as an extended bodyguard and coterie - her Hetaroi - or Companions. As such they form a personal bond with her that goes far beyond the loyalty of other troops. Often these women go on to serve as officers and generals, some might even be adopted into her own family.
The Companions are expert horsewomen, riding the best mounts and have the finest armour available. Each is armed with a good lance and a longsword for close combat. As heavy cavalry they can be a decisive arm of battle, and are able to deliver a devastating charge that can smash all but the strongest enemy formations. However, they do need to be careful - as with all cavalry - when attacking spearmen. Bravery is of little use when galloping straight onto a row of gleaming spear points!
model_sprite slave, 60.0, amazon/data/sprites/slave_female_gladiator_sprite.spr
model_sprite slavs, 60.0, amazon/data/sprites/romans_senate_female_gladiator_sprite.spr