Amazons is the name used by classical writers to identify two matriarchal nations living near the Black Sea and in Libya, but at apparently different periods. Accounts relating to this period are understandably vague but one tale describes the Libyan Amazons as waging war against the Atlanteans, a race who lived in a prosperous country with great cities.

Attention has been drawn to the fact that the Berbers, also known as Amazigh, of North-West Africa have a matriarchal culture. The possibility of an etymological connection between Amazon and Amazigh was suggested by Guy C. Rothery in his book, The Amazons, in 1910.

Although the idea may be seen as fanciful, recent archaeological discoveries have provided evidence of female warriors in ancient times in parts of the former Soviet Union. The archaeologist Jeannine Davis-Kimball has written of her investigations^[045] into the subject. Peter James offers^[046] a solution to the existence of two locations for the Amazons. He believes that the original Black Sea location is correct and that the transference of the story to North Africa was the result of the ‘libyanising’ intent of Dionysus of Miletus, who was later quoted by Diodorus Siculus. James offers this explanation as part of a larger relocation of mythologies to more westerly locations. Other interesting views of the Amazon mystery can be found on a number of websites^(a)(b).

Lewis Spence advanced the view^[259.49] that the Amazons were not women at all, but men whose appearance was considered effeminate by some commentators.

^(a) http://www.maicar.com/GML/AMAZONS.html

^(b) http://www.amazonation.com/Archaeology.html