Polyaenus described another warrior queen, Amage, who ruled the Sar-matians north of the Black Sea. Amage had married the chieftain of the Roxolani (“Bright Alans”), a Sarmatian-Alan tribe that later allied with King Mithradates VI of Pontus (chapter 21). Amage became the leader of the Roxolani sometime in 165-140 BC, after her husband fell into a life of chronic drunkenness. As his power dissipated, Amage took charge, settling disputes, repulsing enemy raids, and making alliances with neighboring tribes. (Her name appears to derive from Persian “magus” or “meadow.”)
Amage’s resolve and wisdom brought her renown among the Scythians and Sarmatians. The people of Tauric Chersonesus (Crimea) were suffering attacks by another Scythian tribe at this time and requested her help. (This ancient Greek colony had a mixed population of Greeks and barbarians.) Amage sent a message to the aggressive tribe ordering them to desist. When the tribe ignored her command, she called up 120 of her strongest warriors and gave each of them three horses. She led them to the Scythian tribe’s stronghold, traveling 1,200 stades (about 136 miles) in one day and one night. She and her band killed the guards and threw the Scythians into confusion and fear. Bursting into the Scythian leader’s inner circle, Amage killed him and his relatives and friends, except for his son. She restored the land the Scythians had stolen to the Tauric Chersonesus and made the son of the slain chieftain the new ruler of the Scythian tribe, “encouraging him to rule justly” and to live peacefully with the neighboring Greeks and barbarians.21
World History
