AMAZON, in Antiquity, a Term signifying a bold, courageous Woman; capable of daring, hardy Achievements. See VIRAGO, HEROINE, etc. The Word is borrowed from the Amazons, a Nation of warlike Women, in Scythia, inhabiting near the Tanais; who lived without Men, and had only to do with Strangers; killing their Male Children, and cutting off the left Breasts of their Females, to make them more fit for the Combat. It is from this last Circumstance that they take their Name, viz. from the Privative a, and μαζός, Mamilla, Breast. It is a Point controverted even among ancient Writers, whether ever there really were such a Nation of Amazons.—Strabo, Palephatus, and others, absolutely deny it: on the contrary, Herodotus, Pausanias, Diodorus Siculus, Trogus Pompeius, Justin, Pliny, Mela, Plutarch, etc. expressly assert it. Hippocrates mentions a Law among them, whereby they were doomed to remain Virgins, till such time as they had slain three Men of their Enemies.—He adds, that the Reason of their cutting off the right Breast, was to make the right Arm the stronger; as supposing this would now receive the Nutriment, which would otherwise have gone to that. Some Authors relate, that instead of killing, they twisted the Legs of their Male Children; to prevent their being able to contend with them for the Mastery. M. Petit, a French Physician, published a Large Dissertation in 1685, to prove that there really was a Nation of Amazons: It contains abundance of curious Inquiries, relating to their Habit, their Arms, the Cities built by them, etc.—On Medals, the Amazon's Bust is usually armed with a little Ax, bore on the Shoulder, and a Buckler, in form of a Half Moon, by the Latins called Pelta. Some modern Geographers and Travellers mention Amazons still in being. — Job de los Santos, a Portuguese Capuchin, in his Description of Ethiopia, speaks of a Race of Amazons in Africa. And Aeneas Sylvius gives us a very precise Account of a Republic of real Amazons, in Bohemia, which lasted nine Years; founded by the Courage of a Maid named Valasca.
