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.
AMBARVALIA, in Antiquity, a Feast, or Ceremony among the Romans; celebrated annually, to procure of the Gods a happy Harvest. See FEAST, etc. At these Feasts, they sacrificed a Bull, a Sow, and a Sheep; which, before the Sacrifice, were led in Procession around the Fields; whence the Feast took its Name: from the Greek αμφι, about; or the Latin ambio, I go round, and arvum, Field—Tho, Scaliger writes it Ambarbalia; and deduces it from ambire urbem, to go round the City. From the Beasts offered in Sacrifice, the Ceremony was also called Suovetaurilia. See SUOVETAURILIA. It is not certain whether this Feast was fixed, or moveable; nor whether it was celebrated once, or twice a year; Authors being of different Opinions on both those Heads. The Ambarvale Carmen, was a Prayer preferred on this Occasion; whereof we have the Formula preserved in Caro, C. 141. de Re Rustica. The Priests who chiefly officiated at the Solemnity, were called Fratres Arvales. See ARVALES.
AMBURBIA, or Ampursare Sacrum, in Antiquity, a Religious Feast, or Ceremony, practiced among the Romans, wherein they made Processions around their City. The Word is composed of ambio, I go round; or of amb, or ambit, an ancient Preposition, signifying around, and urbs, City. Hence, also, we have Amburbiales Victime, the Victims carried along in the Procession; and afterwards sacrificed. Scaliger, in his Notes on Festus, maintains the Amburbia to be the same with Ambarvalia. See AMBARVALIA.
AMICTUS, in our ancient Writers, the uppermost of the six Garments worn by Priests. It was tied round the Neck, "ne inde ad linguam transeat mendacium"; and covered the Breast and Heart, "ne vanitates cogitet."—Amictus, Alba, Cingulum, Stola, Manipulus, & Planeta.
AMMON, or Hammon, in Antiquity, an Epithet given to Jupiter in Libya; where was the celebrated Temple of Jupiter Ammon. There has been a great Dispute about the Origin of this Name.—Some derive it from the Greek ammos, Sand; in regard the Temple was situate in the burning Sands of Libya: Others borrow it from the Egyptian Avam, a Ram; as having been first discovered by that Animal.—Others will have Ammon to signify the Sun; and the Horns wherewith he is represented, the Sun-beams. However this be, the god Ammon was usually represented under the Figure of a Ram; tho in some Medals he appears of a human Shape, having only two Rams Horns growing out beneath his Ears.