Tomyris: The Warrior Queen Who Defied the Persian Empire
- SS SJ
- Dec 14, 2024
- 2 min read
Tomyris, the queen who defied an empire, is one of the most prominent figures in history. She embodies fearlessness. Defying all odds, including misogyny and internal politics, she managed to challenge one of the most powerful empires ever. She was as fierce a warrior as she was a great ruler.
"Don’t judge a book by its cover." During her time—and even now—Tomyris embodies this saying.
Queen Tomyris was the queen of a nomadic tribe called the Massagetae. She was extremely fierce and brave and has captured the attention of historians worldwide. The Massagetae people are well known for their might, bravery, and horsemanship. They were amazing using the bow and arrow. She defeated and allegedly beheaded Cyrus the Great, who built one of the greatest empires in history.
Very few details about her childhood and background are known. She rose to the title of Queen, possibly by inheriting it. Her formidable nature earned the respect of the people.
Tomyris focused on independence. She was a very talented leader, both politically and militarily.
Cyrus founded the Achaemenid Empire. He had captured multiple territories, including Babylon, and then set his sights on the Massagetae.
Cyrus tried to first propose to Tomyris, figuring that it would give him control over her land, but she saw right through that. She declined, which made Cyrus angry. He marched his troops towards the Massagetae lands and ordered them to build a bridge across the Araxes River. Tomyris tried to work out a peace deal with him, but his war council strongly declined the offer due to misogyny and old thinking, calling it intolerable to bow down before a woman.
He sneakily left behind a feast at his camps, defended by his weak soldiers in order to lure the Massagetae. Tomyris’s army saw this and started having a feast, to which Cyrus responded with an attack. A lot of Tomyris’s warriors died, and her son Spargapises was captured and committed suicide out of shame. This fueled Tomyris’s anger.
She soon defeated Cyrus. She allegedly beheaded him and placed his head in a bag filled with blood giving him the blood he was so thirsty for, and later used his head as a goblet.
After this win, Tomyris became a legendary figure in history, symbolizing feminism and strength. She was a powerful leader and she protected her people at all costs. Cyrus’s death at Tomyris’ hands did not mark the end of the Persian Empire–or even stop its expansion. His successors continued Cyrus’s expansionist policies. But they left Tomyris and the Massagetae alone.
Looking at her achievements and how she defeated even the mighty Cyrus, it begs the question: why do we not learn about her in textbooks? Is it the same misogyny as the one expressed by Cyrus’s team? And if yes, when will it stop?
Citations:
Ancient World Hub. (n.d.). Tomyris of Massagetae: The queen who defied an empire. Retrieved from https://ancientworldhub.com/tomyris-of-massagetae-the-queen-who-defied-an-empire/
Ancient Origins. (n.d.). Tomyris: The female warrior and ruler who may have killed Cyrus the Great. Retrieved from https://www.ancient-origins.net/history-famous-people/tomyris-female-warrior-and-ruler-who-may-have-killed-cyrus-great-005423
History in the Margins. (2019, May 11). Tomyris: One tough mother. Retrieved from https://www.historyinthemargins.com/2019/05/11/tomyris-one-tough-mother
Think. Ponder. Contemplate. Is this a Needless Narrative?
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Written by:
Prem Bunet
Edited by :
Bhargav Sen Bhowmick
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