Queen Idanthyrsia oversaw the downfall of the Scythian Kingdom in the west and the migration of the Amazons to Cimmeria. The Amazons of Dradelden used their military might to exact tribute from the surrounding city-states but tended to avoid open war. Idanthyrsia sought to exert direct control over the Amazon tributaries. The resulting violence ended with her death and a loss of Amazon power in Cimmeria.
Queen Idanthyrsia’s story starts when the Persian Shah Darius declared war on the Amazons and other tribes north of the Black Sea. Darius’s invasion was done to pre-emptively protect his borders during his future campaign in Greece. The Amazons faced overwhelming odds against the massive Persian army. To preserve their culture and lives they abandoned their homeland north of the Black Sea. Queen Idanthyrsia relocated the entire kingdom to Dradelden in Cimmeria.
With the additional force at Dradelden Queen Idanthyrsia sought not just to extract tribute from Western Cimmeria, but to rule it outright. She personally led the strike against Cecilia and Makotako. Cecilia capitulated quickly. Makotako resisted and Idanthyrsia besieged the city. King Cordant of Makotako called for aid from their longtime ally, Gazeara.
King Shardamar I came to relieve his cousin with the army of Gazeara. Queen Idanthyrsia led the Amazons to engage both armies in battle and soundly defeated both. She personally slew King Cordant. Idanthyrsia forced Shardamar to swear fealty to the Amazons and placed a subordinate as military governor of Makotako.
Queen Idanthyrsia turned the Amazon war horde against the Xorian Kingdom next. King Gigontaya of Xoria had made a defensive alliance with King Aeëtes of Colchis. The two armies stood together against the Amazons. They maneuvered around each other, neither wishing to risk everything in a single engagement. This maneuvering infuriated the Xorian General Tectoctar. He seceded from the Xorian Kingdom and took his army north. Fearing that more generals might follow Tectoctar’s example, Gigontaya finally fought the Amazons in battle.
The battle was a bloody one as Gigontaya had feared. Once again, Idanthyrsia slew a king in combat. She cut down Gigontaya, but Aeëtes returned the favor and killed Idanthyrsia with magical blasts. With no other to match his power, Aeëtes laid waste to the Amazon army. They retreated and peace terms were agreed upon. The Amazons were forced to relinquish control over Makotako and Gazeara, putting them in a worse position than when Idanthyrsia had started her aggressive war.
Queen Idanthyrsia is based off the Scythian King Idanthyrsus the Younger. He fled from the Persians as the Queen does in my story. The biggest difference (besides the gender) is that the historical Scythians returned to the region north of the Black Sea. In Cimmeria, they don’t.
