in ancient Greek mythology, women warriors in Asia Minor and along the coast of Maeotis (the Sea of Azov). According to ancient legends, the Amazons, in order to preserve their race, contracted marriages with men from other tribes and then sent them back to their homelands. If a boy was born, he was given to his father, but if a girl was born, she was kept and prepared for war. The Amazons were depicted as beautiful women. Legends about the Amazons are widely known in all parts of the world and are either a product of local traditions or of the dissemination of Greek traditions. Stories about the Amazons reflect a dim recollection of the epoch of matriarchy.