HIPPOLYTA (queen of the Amazons)

The accounts of her parentage differ, with some sources identifying her father as Dexamenus and others as Kretheus, while a separate tradition names her as the daughter of Ares.^5,6 Heracles sought her girdle, and she visited him at Themiscyra, initially agreeing to give him the belt to secure the release of her sister.^1,7,2 However, the narrative shifts as Heracles dragged her by the hair from her swift horse in Thracian land, attempting to wrest the girdle from her with his strong hands.³ In one version, suspecting treachery from the surrounding Amazons, Heracles killed her and removed the belt from her body, later bringing the girdle of the warlike woman to the halls of Dascylus.^1,8

Theseus carried off Hippolyta by force during an expedition against the Amazons, an act that distinguished her from Antiope in the accounts of Cleidemus.^9,10,11 After taking Hippolyta, Theseus subsequently took Phaedra.¹⁰ Hippolyta bore Theseus a son named Hippolytus, and she acted as an intermediary to establish a peace treaty after three months of conflict.^9,12,13 Her relationship with Theseus was complex; while some accounts state he made her a slave, she eventually came to bear children to her former enemy, who had become her lord.^11,4

Hippolyta led the Amazons during their march against the Athenians, mixing with the powerful city of Athens despite being a barbarian who had broken the strict laws of her own country.^14,4 She appeared in armor with her Amazons during the wedding of Phaedra and threatened to kill the guests attending Theseus's wedding.¹²

The circumstances of her death vary significantly among the ancient accounts.^15,12,16,13 One version claims Penthesileia accidentally killed her with a spear while aiming at a stag, while another states she was slain by a javelin thrown by Molpadia during battle.^15,12,16,13 Other reports assert that Theseus himself was responsible for her death, or that his men trapped and killed her by closing doors.¹² According to some reports, she fought alongside Theseus when she was slain.¹³ After her defeat by Theseus, Hippolyta escaped to Megara, where she died of a broken heart while in despair.¹⁴ The Megarians buried her near the shrine of the hero Pandion, erecting a tomb shaped like an Amazonian shield to honor her memory.¹⁴ A pillar near the sanctuary of Olympian Earth was erected to honor her memory.¹³