Antiope the Amazon

Demigod daughter of Ares by Otrera; Amazon of Themiscyra; sister of Hippolyta, Penthesilea, and Melanippe. The canonical-Athenian Theseus-consort tradition-figure (preferred over Hippolyta in this role per Plut. Thes. 26-28). During Heracles's Ninth Labor, accompanied Theseus to Athens — by abduction per Apollod. Epit. 1.16 and Diod. 4.28, by Heracles's gift per the combined-narrative variant, or by willing elopement per Paus. 1.2.1. Bore Theseus a son named Hippolytus (after her sister Hippolyta) — the canonical-Euripidean tragic-protagonist of the Hippolytus (428 BCE). Killed in the Amazonomachy at Athens — accidentally by Molpadia per Pausanias 1.2.1 and 1.41.7 (whose tomb Pausanias saw at Athens alongside Antiope's), or by Theseus himself at the Phaedra-wedding per Hyg. Fab. 241. The Theseus-Antiope-Phaedra succession-rivalry is the canonical structural-back-story of the Euripidean Hippolytus tragic-frame. Distinct from Antiope of Thebes (mother of Amphion-Zethus by Zeus, separately registered as greek_antiope_thebes).

Parentage

• father: AresApollod. Epit. 5.2; Diod. 4.28 (primary)
• mother: OtreraApollod. Epit. 5.2 (primary)

Powers

• Fought beside Theseus against the invading Amazons

Relations

• father: AresApollod. Epit. 5.2; Diod. 4.28 (primary)
• mother: OtreraApollod. Epit. 5.2 (primary)
• sibling: HippolytaApollod. Epit. 5.2 (primary)
• sibling: PenthesileaApollod. Epit. 5.2 (primary)
• sibling: MelanippeApollod. Epit. 5.2; Diod. 4.16 (primary)
• spouse: Theseus (king of Athens; consort-relationship variably-attested between Antiope, Hippolyta, and Melanippe across the canonical-Athenian tradition) · GreekPlut. Thes. 26-28; Apollod. Epit. 1.16 (primary)
• mother of: Hippolytus (Theseus's son, named after Antiope's sister; canonical-Euripidean tragic-protagonist of the Hippolytus 428 BCE) · GreekPlut. Thes. 28; Apollod. Epit. 1.17 (primary)
• killed by: either Molpadia (a fellow Amazon, accidentally; Molpadia in turn killed by Theseus) per Paus. 1.2.1, 1.41.7; or Theseus himself at the Phaedra-wedding per Hyg. Fab. 241 · GreekPaus. 1.2.1; Hyg. Fab. 241 (primary)

Sources

• existence: Apollodorus, Epitome 1.16-17, 5.2 (primary); Plutarch, Theseus 26-28 (primary); Pausanias 1.2.1, 1.22.1, 1.41.7 (primary); Diodorus Siculus 4.28 (primary); Hyginus, Fabulae 30, 241 (primary); Quintus Smyrnaeus, Posthomerica 1.18-25 (primary)