Abstract/ Introduction
Herodotus who has been called the father of history is often seen as the first unbiased author of history. This is because he includes accounts from varying perspectives. Herodotus also takes notice of women in a way that was not customary in Greek culture of the time
Women play a key role in the works of Herodotus Histories. They are participants in a number of events that make up the main form of his work. His portrayal of women is quite different from that of most authors of his time, who tended to feature females who were victims of circumstance, Herodotus women have agency, they engage the action in many different forms from warriors to priestesses, oracles and as avengers. In many cases the women in his stories seek to get revenge on a king, who has forgot to act according to moral law due to his lust. His lust will cause him to harm either the lady herself or a member of her family and for this the woman will fulfill a remarkably well thought out and befitting revenge.
The fact that he was interested in the stories of women is one of the things that readers can appreciate about Herodotus. He was fascinated by the role that women played in history, but he also was not beyond having a bit of literary fun with women. In his book Herodotus Histories, he speaks of three women in particular which this paper will look at, the Sacred Prostitute, Tomyris and Gyges
Sacred prostitute
A Sacred Prostitute is a woman who performs sex as part of a temple or ritual setting in the context of religion. Many scholars have long believed that such practices were common in the Ancient world. In the fifth century BC historian Herodotus wrote about the sacred rites that took place in many temple and shrines along the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. Herodotus describes how the Babylonians requires that every woman sit in the temple of Aphrodite and has sex with a stranger at least one time in her life. He speaks of the great number of women that he sees coming and going from the temple. "Rich and haughty women arrive in covered chariots." (Herodotus).
The women take their place at the temple and they do not leave until they have been picked by a man for intercourse outside of the temple. As the man is giving her money he must say “I invite you in the name of Mylitta”, which is the Assyrian version of Aphrodite. The women will never refuse no matter the sum of money. To do so would be a sin as the money itself is seen as sacred by the act itself. After she has fulfilled her obligation to Mylitta, the woman returns to her home where she continues to live a normal life. For the women who are attractive do not have to wait long but those that are less appealing may have to wait for years before being able to fulfill their sacred duty. Many other historians have collaborated Herodotus account.
The practice of sacred prostitution was something the was practiced throughout most of the Mediterranean. The Persians had girls as young as twelve working as temple prostitutes "They treat their lovers with such friendliness that they even entertain them."(Strabo). The Jews also practiced temple prostitution. The Old Testament speaks in number of passages about Qadeshes, lemans, and catamites. These were all terms used to describe male and female temple prostitutes.
Tomyris
In the story of Queen Tomyris, Herodotus tells the story of a woman’s revenge. In Herodotus telling King Cyrus of Persia wanted to advance against the nation of Massagetae because he felt that he could easily take the land due to his birth and because no other nation had been able to defeat him (Herodotus 1.204.2 (Purvis trans.)
Herodotus then tells about Cyrus’ proposal to Tomyris the Queen of the Massagetae. Tomyris however knew that Cyrus only wanted to marry her so that he could get access to her throne so that he could take over the rule of the Massagetae people. She turned him down. This shows that not only is Tomyris capable of understanding Cyrus’ motives, she is unafraid to stand up for herself and her country by refusing him. In response to being turned down Cyrus decided to begin attacking Tomyris openly. He did this by building bridges that would allow him to cross into her land. Tomyris proceeds to warn him three times; (1) in her first warning she told him three times to discontinue his campaign against her country. Cyrus unlike Tomyris is not a b=very independent or capable ruler and must ask his counsellor Croesus advise on how to proceed (1.206.3). His counsellor advised him to battle Tomyris in her own territory because he cannot risk losing ground to a woman. Cyrus also follows Croesus advise to cheat in order to win. This is slightly ironic as it is considered shameful to be beat on one’s ow land by a woman, but it is seen as being perfectly okay to win a battle against a woman using trickery.
The plaan that Croesus puts into place goes like this: Cyrus will send Tomyris a message telling her that the fight will be in Persia. The Persians then prepared a feast that included a lot of undiluted wine (the Messagetaes are not used to drinking wine). After the Messagetaes attacked the camp and celebrated their victory by drinking the wine and feasting, the Persians returned to camp and kill most of the Messagetae while they are sleeping. The people that they decide not to kill will be taken as hostages. Cyrus intends to take among the hostages Tomyris’ son Spargapises. (2) Tomyris gives her second warning to Cyrus when she learns that her son is being held captive. She informs Cyrus that he is overstepping a number of moral codes and she reminds him that the enslavement of her son was not accomplished by true defeat but by trickery. (1.212.2). Tomyris tells him in her (3) warning that he has tested the limits of her patience and that she will fill him with blood if he does not release her son (1.212.3).
Cyrus in response to her warning kills her son. Once she is made aware of his death she proceeds to confront Cyrus and his is battle. The Messagetae defeat the Persians and Cyrus is killed during the melee. When Tomyris locates his body she puts his head in a skin that is filled with human blood, thus fulfilling her oath to him.
In the story of Tomyris Herodotus does not put so much emphasis on the violence that was enacted by Tomyris but on the fact that her revenge on Cyrus was justified. This is because the reader knows that she has giving Cyrus two warnings and he responds by killing her son. In informing the reader of this one, realizes that Tomyris had no choice in her response (1.214.1). In his telling of Tomyris’ story he shows her not only as a Queen who is intelligent and forceful enough to see through and stand up to the King of Persia. He also portrays her as a Queen and a mother who is trying to protect her people but as a mother. As a mother she will fight to save her child’s life and when that fails she will gain vengeance on those who not only took her son but also those who put that rule of her land in question. As a Queen she is fighting for the sovereignty of her country and people. She is a powerful Queen who not only decides to stand against the Persian army but acts to debase their kings body in order to fulfill her promise of retribution, but when she is finished she does not brag or gloat in regards to her actions.
Gyges
In the story of Gyges, Herodotus tells the reader about the murder of King Caudaules I of Lydia and the ascension of Gyges to the throne. The story as Herodotus wrote it goes as such: Caudaules was passionately in love with his wife and felt that she was the most beautiful woman in existence. Due to his pride and obsession in regards to her beauty he decided to betray her. This decision would cost him his life. So as it was Caudaules, had a bodyguard named Gyges. Gyges was a great bodyguard and Caudaules decided that he wanted to share with him, his wife’s beauty. Now Caudaules spent a good amount of time praising his wife’s beauty to Gyges. Finally, he proposed that Gyges she her beauty for himself in order to see for himself that he was not lying. Gyges was quite shocked that Cauadules would suggest for him to view his wife naked as this was against one of their country’s moral law
Caudaules insisted that Gyges see for himself the beauty of his wife. He tells him that there is nothing to fear because his wife will never know that he has seen her naked. He decides that Gyges will hide behind the door of their chambers and when they come in Gyges will be able to see her as she undressed. Then when she is facing away from him he will have enough time to sneak out of the room. Gyges reluctantly went along with the plan. Everything went according to Caudaules calculations, except that Caudaules’ wife saw Gyges as he snuck out.
His wife knew immediately what Caudaules had done. She remained calm and did not reveal to her husband that she knew of his transgression against her. She had decided at that moment that she would get revenge of Caudaules because being seen naked was seen as extremely shameful. The following morning the Queen readied her daggers and summoned Gyges. When he arrived, she gave him two ultimatums (1) kill Caudaules and become her husband and king or (2) be killed by her attendants. Gyges tried to dissuade her from her actions but ultimately he chose to kill Caudaules. When Gyges inquired as to how Caudaules would be killed, the Queen informed him that her husband would be murdered in his sleep on the same spot that Caudaules had shown her naked to Gyges. That night the queen led Gyges into the bedchamber and gave him a dagger, before going to hide behind the same door that he had that night previous. Gyges then snuck up on Caudaules while he was asleep and killed him. With this Gyges became king of Lydia.
At a time when it was normal to treat women as little more than glorified slaves and breeders, who were destined to spend their lives in the kitchen or otherwise taking care of the domestics, Herodotus’ Histories seems to have given women a voice. Herodotus seems to have given women control over their lives and their bodies. In his telling of the Sacred Prostitute, the reader is aware that he is not comfortable with the act of Temple Prostitution
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