— Ch. 1 · The Thracian Warrior Arrives —
Penthesilea.
~4 min read · Ch. 1 of 5
A Thracian woman warrior named Penthesilea stepped onto the battlefield of Troy with twelve other Amazon warriors. She was the daughter of Ares and Otrera, sister to Hippolyta, Antiope, and Melanippe. The epic poem known as the Aethiopis described her arrival in detail during the Trojan War. This five-book work belonged to the Epic Cycle and was attributed to Arctinus of Miletus. It appeared in the 8th century BC but has since been lost to history. Her presence marked a turning point where Greek heroes faced new opponents. Achilles fought both Penthesilea and Memnon before his own death. After distinguishing herself on the field for one day, she confronted the Greek hero directly. A fierce battle ensued between them until Achilles killed her. Thersites then taunted Achilles by claiming he had fallen in love with the dead queen. The poet wrote that Achilles punched Thersites so hard the man died instantly. He later traveled to Lesbos for purification before returning to fight Memnon.
Vases And Marble Slabs
An Attic red-figure kylix from 470, 460 BC found at Vulci shows Achilles killing Penthesilea. The scene captures the moment of death with striking clarity. Another black-figure vase dated around 510, 500 BC depicts Achilles carrying the dying Amazon away from the battlefield. A white-ground alabastron from the 6th century BCE portrays Penthesilea being courted by a female Thracian hunter. This image reverses common male courtship scenes in Athenian art where a suitor gifts a rabbit to his beloved. Adolf Furtwängler named the painter responsible for these works The Penthesilea Painter because he was active between 470 and 450 BC. His workshop produced a considerable corpus bridging the Severe style and Classicism. Scenes from the Trojan War appear on the Bassae Frieze at the Temple of Apollo Epicurius built in the mid- to late-5th century BC. Panel BM 537 shows Achilles slaying Penthesilea while they exchange a gaze. She is identified as a queen by a crown placed upon her head. Pausanias recorded that the throne of Zeus at Olympia bore a painting by Panaenus showing Penthesilea breathing her last while supported by Achilles.