The Amazons of Themyscira are a race of immortal warrior women that live on the mystically hidden island of Themyscira. They were created by a coterie of Olympian goddesses over three thousand years ago to serve as their messengers to the world in the name of peace and justice. The souls of the original Amazons came from the spirits of all women who had unjustly died at the hands of a man.
Queen of the Amazons was given to Hippolyta, who was the first of her people to be created. She was followed closely Antiope, who became the commander of their armed forces. In addition to notable warriors such as Artemisa, Nubia, and Venelia they also attracted outsiders to the island such as the Kheran sisters Zannah and Kenesha who would become the heroes Zealot and Savant.
The Amazons constructed for themselves a magnificent city at the mouth of the river Thermodon on the Black Sea. They called this city Themyscira, but it was also commonly known as the city of Amazonia. This fortified enclave withstood many assaults, including an extended campaign of Greek soldiers led by the famous hero Achilles.
The city would fall at the hands of the demi-god Hercules. Seeking to atone himself of the murder of his family, King Eurystheus had bid him take the Girdle of Hippolyta. He gathered an army and invaded the hitherto impenetrable Themyscira, leading to the defeat and slavery of the Amazons. Hippolyta was able to free her sisters and defeat Hercules' forces but refused to exact further vengeance. This caused a split within the Amazons as Antiope wished to kill all the men.
Many of the Amazons that survived left Amazonia and found a new home on an island hidden from the rest of the world, which they called Paradise Island. There built a new city, which was named Themyscira after their original home. Antiope refused to join her sister and took a portion of their people into the World of Men eventually become a society of warriors and assassins known as the Coda Sisterhood.
In the years since there have been many famous Amazons. The product of a secret relationship with the Greek god Zeus, Hippolyta gave birth to a daughter Diana who is known in the World of Men as Wonder Woman. During various times in her career, Diana has taken a leave of absence, from the role of Wonder Woman, leading to Artemis and Nubia both filling in for the demi-god, using magic items to grant equivalent powers.
Additionally, there have been other people who have laid claim to Amazonian heritage. Circe used magic to create a teenage duplicate of Diana called Donna Troy, who would end up redeeming herself as the original Wonder Girl. Demeter was the daughter of an Amazon who was seduced by a Demon Lord into betraying her people, becoming the hero called Glory. Grace Choi, Mercy Graves, and Hope Taya would also discover that their ancestor's game from the Coda Sisterhood. Cassie Sandsmark was not an Amazon but was a grand-daughter of Zeus, earning the respect of Diana and Donna to become the modern-day Wonder Girl.
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