thumb|Wounded Amazon of the Capitoline Museums, Rome thumb|A Greek fighting an Amazon; detail from painted sarcophagus found in Italy, 350–325 BC thumb|"Amazon preparing for battle" (Queen Antiope or Hippolyta) or "Armed Venus", by Pierre-Eugène-Emile Hébert, 1860, National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C. The Amazons (Ancient Greek: ', singular '; in Latin ', ') were a people in Greek mythology, portrayed in a number of ancient epic poems and legends, such as the Labours of Heracles, the Argonautica and the Iliad. They were female warriors and hunters, known for their physical agility, strength, archery, riding skills, and the arts of combat. Their society was closed to men and they raised only their daughters and returned their sons to their fathers, with whom they would only socialize briefly in order to reproduce.
thumb|Wounded Amazon of the Capitoline Museums Rome thumb|A Greek fighting an Amazon; detail from painted sarcophagus found in Italy 350–325 BC thumb|"Amazon preparing for battle" (Queen Antiope or Hippolyta) or "Armed Venus" by Pierre-Eugène-Emile Hébert 1860 National Gallery of Art Washington DC The Amazons (Ancient Greek ' singular '; in Latin ' ') were a people in Greek mythology portrayed in a number of ancient epic poems and legends such as the Labours of Heracles the Argonautica and the Iliad They were female warriors and hunters known for their physical agility strength archery riding skills and the arts of combat Their society was closed to men and they raised only their daughters and returned their sons to their fathers with whom they would only socialize briefly in order to reproduce