Amage ( grc, Ἀμάγη)Polyaenus, Strategems, 8.56 /ref> (fl. 2nd-century), was a
Sarmatian
The Sarmatians (; grc, Σαρμαται, Sarmatai; Latin: ) were a large confederation of Ancient Iranian peoples, ancient Eastern Iranian languages, Eastern Iranian peoples, Iranian Eurasian nomads, equestrian nomadic peoples of classical ant ...
queen. According to the writings of
Polyaenus
Polyaenus or Polyenus ( ; see ae (æ) vs. e; grc-gre, Πoλύαινoς, Polyainos, "much-praised") was a 2nd-century CE Greek author, known best for his ''Stratagems in War'' ( grc-gre, Στρατηγήματα, Strategemata), which has been pr ...
, she was the wife of the
Sarmatian
The Sarmatians (; grc, Σαρμαται, Sarmatai; Latin: ) were a large confederation of Ancient Iranian peoples, ancient Eastern Iranian languages, Eastern Iranian peoples, Iranian Eurasian nomads, equestrian nomadic peoples of classical ant ...
king Medosacus (Μηδόσακκος). she ruled as
regent
A regent (from Latin : ruling, governing) is a person appointed to govern a state '' pro tempore'' (Latin: 'for the time being') because the monarch is a minor, absent, incapacitated or unable to discharge the powers and duties of the monarchy ...
to a dissolute husband. They were from the coast of the
Euxine Sea
The Black Sea is a marginal mediterranean sea of the Atlantic Ocean lying between Europe and Asia, east of the Balkans, south of the East European Plain, west of the Caucasus, and north of Anatolia. It is bounded by Bulgaria, Georgia, Rom ...
.
Having observed that her husband was "totally given up to luxury", she took over the government, acting as a judge of causes, stationing garrisons, repulsing enemy invasions, and was such a successful leader that she became famous through all
Scythia
Scythia (Scythian: ; Old Persian: ; Ancient Greek: ; Latin: ) or Scythica (Ancient Greek: ; Latin: ), also known as Pontic Scythia, was a kingdom created by the Scythians during the 6th to 3rd centuries BC in the Pontic–Caspian steppe.
His ...
.
As a result of this fame, the people of the Tauric
Chersonesus
Chersonesus ( grc, Χερσόνησος, Khersónēsos; la, Chersonesus; modern Russian and Ukrainian: Херсоне́с, ''Khersones''; also rendered as ''Chersonese'', ''Chersonesos'', contracted in medieval Greek to Cherson Χερσών; ...
, having been harassed by a neighboring Scythian king, requested a treaty with her. As a result of the formation of this treaty, she wrote to the Scythian prince, requesting that he cease harassing the people. When he replied contemptuously, she marched against him with 120 strong and seasoned warriors, and gave each warrior three horses. In one night and one day, she covered a distance of 100 stades (roughly 184.81 kilometers), and arrived at the palace, surprising the inhabitants and killing all the guards. As the prince was taken off guard, and perceived her force to be larger than it really was, she was able to charge and personally kill him, as well as his friends and relatives.
Thus she enabled the people of Chersonesus to regain free possession of their land. She allowed the prince's son to live and rule the kingdom on the condition that he not invade nearby kingdoms. This took place towards the end of the second century, BC.The Role of Women in the Altaic World, edited by Veronika Veit, 2007, p.261