- Tomyris
Tomyris (Hellenic form from the original Iranian name Tahm-Rayiš) [For the etymology see: F. Altheim und R. Stiehl, Geschichte Mittelasiens im Altertum (Berlin, I970).pp. 127-8] (Persian: تهمرییش) (reigned c. 530 BC) was a queen of the
Massagetae , an Iranic people of Central Asia east of theCaspian Sea .Herodotus is the earliest of the classical writers to give an account of her career, thoughStrabo ,Polyaenus ,Cassiodorus , andJordanes (in "De origine actibusque Getarum," "The Origin and Deeds of the Goths ") also wrote of her.Fact|date=November 2007Tomyris and her son
Spargapises (head of Tomyris' army) both are from Iranian origin and have Iranian names. [For the etymology see: F. Altheim und R. Stiehl, Geschichte Mittelasiens im Altertum (Berlin, I970).pp. 127-8]Greek historians have claimed that she "defeated and killed" the Persian emperor
Cyrus the Great during his invasion and attempted conquest of her country. According to the unproven stories told by the Greek "historians", Cyrus was defeated in his initial assault on the Massagetae and was forced to retreat. His counsellors advised him to lay a trap for the pursuing Scythians: the Persians left behind them an apparently abandoned camp, with a rich supply of wine. The pastoral Scythians were not used to drinking wine — "their favored intoxicants werehashish and fermented mare's milk" [Mayor, Adrienne. "Greek Fire, Poison Arrows, and Scorpion Bombs: Biological and Chemical Warfare in the Ancient World." New York, Overlook Duckworth, 2003; p. 158.] — and drank themselves into a stupor. The Persians attacked while their opponents were incapacitated, slaughtering the Massagetae and capturing Tomyris's sonSpargapises , the general of her army. (When sober again, he committed suicide.)Tomyris sent a message to Cyrus, denouncing his treachery and challenging him to honorable battle. In the fight that ensued, the Persians were defeated again with high casualties, Cyrus himself was killed, and Tomyris had his corpse beheaded. [Mayor, pp. 157-9.] She allegedly kept his head with her at all times and drank wine from it until her death.Fact|date=November 2007 Persian and Central Asian folklore maintain a rich store of other tales about Tomyris.Fact|date=November 2007
The story of Tomyris has been incorporated into the tradition of Western art;
Peter Paul Rubens ,Francesco Allegrini ,Luca Ferrari ,Mattia Preti ,Gustave Moreau , and the sculptorSevero Calzetta da Ravenna are among the artists who have treated the subject.Fact|date=November 2007The name "Tomyris" has also been adopted into zoological
taxonomy , for the tomyris species-group of Central AsianLepidoptera .Fact|date=November 2007It is believed that the wordTomis present dayConstanta comes from Tomyris.Fact|date=November 2007Footnotes
ee also
*
Dacians
*Getae
*Oium
*Thracians External links
* [http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/ancient/tomyris.html Herodotus: Queen Tomyris of the Massagetai]
* [http://www.mainlesson.com/display.php?author=church&book=storieseast&story=maketh "Cyrus Maketh war Against the Massagetæ, and Dieth" from "Stories of the East From Herodotus" by Alfred J. Church]
References
*Orosius, "Historiae adversus paganos" II.7
*Justtinus, "Epitome Historiarum philippicarum Pompei Trogi" I.8
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
