Alexander and the Amazon Queen

Abstract

This article by Waldemar Heckel critically examines the famous episode of Alexander the Great’s meeting with the Amazon queen Thalestris, a story recounted by some ancient historians but rejected by others. Heckel reviews the ancient sources – such as Justin, Plutarch, Diodorus, and Curtius – and evaluates their reliability, noting the division between those who treated the episode as historical (Kleitarchos, Polykleitos, Onesikritos) and those who omitted or repudiated it (Aristoboulos, Ptolemy, Chares, among others). The paper explores how the Alexander-Thalestris encounter drew on earlier mythological motifs, particularly Herakles’ association with the Amazons, and how the episode may have served as both entertainment and flattery at Alexander’s court , feeding into poetic and rhetorical traditions that likened Alexander to legendary heroes. Heckel discusses the historical plausibility of the event, referencing geographic confusions among the sources, and assesses hypotheses that the story originated from actual contacts with steppe warrior women. The article further contextualizes the Amazon narrative by comparing it to other stories from Alexander’s campaign, including Atropates’ presentation of so-called “Amazons” and related diplomatic episodes. Heckel ultimately suggests that the Thalestris story was a literary creation that emerged from the intellectual milieu of Alexander’s entourage to enhance his legend and entertain his followers, rather than a reflection of a genuine historical encounter.