The memory of Amazon myths in Roman epigraphy, 1st-7th centuries AD

Abstract

Amazon myths were acknowledged not only in early Antiquity, but also between the 1st and 7th centuries AD and up until now. The nickname that was created for their culture today has become an adjective that defines not only any warrior woman, but even women who demonstrated special skills in the art of horsemanship. In fact, the meaning variations that this word suffered in Roman culture is an intriguing aspect of this study as we do not know why it was also used in the epigraphic context. The memory of the Amazon myths was preserved in the cultures who inherited the Hellenic tradition and those who came into contact with it until they became a basic and enduring element of the western collective imaginary.