Thalestris

Thalestris ( Θάληστρις ancient Greek ) In Greek mythology, the last queen of the Amazons, which is mentioned by name. You should have the Macedon king Alexander met the Great during his campaign in Asia in 330 BC. Modern scientists keep them consistently not a historical but a fake person.

Historical sources

The most important surviving ancient sources for the alleged meeting between Alexander the Great and Thalestris the reports of the historian Diodorus and Curtius Rufus and the extract of Justin from the historical work of the Pompey Trogus dar.

The Greek historian Diodorus wrote in the 1st century BC, that at the time of Alexanderzugs the power of the Queen Thalestris over the territory between the rivers Phasis (now Rioni on the southwestern slope of the Caucasus Mountains ) have extended and Thermodon. 330 BC Alexander encamped on his campaign against the Persians with his troops on the southern Caspian Sea in Hyrcania. Since Thalestris be ridden with a part of their army, 300 stuck in full armor Amazons to his camp. You have the king declared that they desire to have a child by him. Since he had proved to be the greatest of all men and they even bolder and stronger is than all other women, will surpass all mortal one of them along begotten child. Alexander would have been asking not averse and have decided with his army to make a few more days hold. After 13 days, the common transport he had dismissed Thalestris richly rewarded.

The living probably in the 1st century AD, Quintus Curtius Rufus, the Roman historian, mentions in his account of this episode for details. So Thalestris have for example against Alexander stated that it will keep a female child, a male but would send to him. The Roman historian Justin, who lived in the 2nd or 3rd century, provides a similar view of history. All three writers give no information on the later life of the Amazon Queen. In the Alexander Romance of Pseudo- Callisthenes in the 3rd century the shape of the Thalestris does not occur.

Assessment of the historicity of Thalestris

The historicity of Thalestris was controversial even among ancient historians. By 100 AD, leads the biographer Plutarch on 14 authors who mentioned the Thalestris history. Some like Kleitarchos or Onesicritus gave her faith, nine writers kept the affair between Alexander the Great and Thalestris for complete fiction ( including Aristobulus, Ptolemy, Chares of Mytilene and Duris of Samos). Many years after the alleged encounter between the Macedonians and King Thalestris stayed the Greek historian Onesicritus at Lysimachus, one of Alexander's campaign participants, who had, at the time of this supposed episode near Alexander. As Onesicritus read to the occurrence of the Amazon from the fourth book of his historical work, Lysimachus smiled and asked where he was at that time; So obviously he knew nothing of the Amazon.

To 150 AD, the force to be very reliable Roman historian Arrian reported Although nothing about Thalestris, but indicates that the Macedonians King had 100 armed riders, Amazons allegedly taken according to some reports, only six years later, (ie, 324 BC ). These had been sent to him by the Median satrap Atropates. Alexander, however, had sent her away again, to prevent the soldiers inflicted on them violence. Arrian emphasizes that credible for him Alexander historians like Aristobulus and Ptolemy this story is not mentioned, and he doubts that there ever was such a race of warlike women.

Modern science holds the Thalestris episode unanimously for unhistorical. Maybe gave the daughter of a Skythenkönigs that Alexander - according to its own letter to Antipater - had been offered to the wife, the impetus for this Amazon legend.

Art

• Girolamo Fagivoli: Alexander and Thalestris, by Francesco Primatice (paintings, 16th century )
• Christian Heinrich Postel: The United - Mighty Thalestris, or Last Queen of the Amazons ( Singspiel, 1690)
• Johann Georg Plazer: The Amazon Queen Thalestris in the camp of Alexander ( painting, 1750 )