Antiope | Amazon Warrior

In Greek mythology, Antiope (Ancient Greek Ἀντιόπη / Antiópê) is an Amazon. She is the daughter of Ares and the sister of Melanippe, Hippolyta and probably Orithyia, queens of the Amazons. She is also the mother of Hippolyte son of Theseus.

Myth

Antiope was the wife of Theseus and thus the only Amazon known to have married. From their union was born a son named Hippolytus, the same name as Antiope's sister. There are several versions explaining her relationship with Theseus.

According to one version, Theseus, king of Athens and companion of Hercules at the battle of Themiscyra, during the ninth of his twelve labors, kidnapped Antiope and brought her home. According to Philochorus, Hercules gave Antiope to Theseus as part of the booty.

According to Pausanias the Periegete, Antiope fell in love with Theseus and voluntarily left the Amazons.

The Amazons attacked Athens in order to save Antiope and to recover the belt of Hippolyta. They were defeated in a battle near Mount Ares. During this battle, known as the Battle of Attica, Antiope was accidentally killed by an Amazon named Molpadia, who in turn was killed by Theseus. The tombs of Antiope and Molpadia are in Athens.

Posterity

Literature

Giovanni Boccaccio quotes Antiope in his work Sur les femmes célèbres published in 1374.

In 1749, Anne-Marie du Boccage composed a tragedy, The Amazons, in which Antiope is one of the main characters. Saved by the Greek hero Theseus who fell in love with her during a battle against the Amazons, she falls in love with him in turn, but runs up against the laws of the Amazons and her rival, Queen Orithye.

Charles Baudelaire quotes Antiope in the poem "Les Bijoux" published in Les Fleurs du mal in 1857.

Painting

In 1979, American feminist artist Judy Chicago created a work entitled The Dinner Party, now on display at the Brooklyn Museum, in which she included Antiope among the 1,038 women she depicted.

The work takes the form of a triangular table of 39 guests (13 per side), each guest being a woman, either a historical or mythical figure. The names of the other 999 women appear on the base of the work. The name of Antiope appears on the base: she is associated with the Amazons, the seventh guest of the first wing of the table.

Cinema

Antiope appears in the films Wonder Woman (2017) and Wonder Woman 1984 (2020). Her role is played by Robin Wright.