Essay about The Strong Willed Queen Tomyris of the Massagetea

Most of us have not heard of one of the bravest and most important women in history. Her name was Queen Tomyris of the Massagetea. She stood in the way of the conquests of Cyrus the Great. She lost her son to Cyrus in the war. Despite that, she challenged him to another fight to keep her kingdom free. She got vengeance for her son and protected Greece from capture by Cyrus. In doing this she shaped the known world. Cyrus the Great was the founder of the Persian Empire who lived around 350 BC. He was an amazing conqueror who was never satisfied with his conquests. He led a group of war-like people, the Persians, from their home in what is now Iran (Jackson, 395). In Daniel Cchapter 5 it was a Persian army that conquered the mighty†¦show more content†¦The kingdom of Massagetea was just north of Persia and Cyrus wanted to make those lands part of the Persian Empire (Herodotus, I.205). When Cyrus heard that his plan didn’t happen as expected, he was ever more determined to get the land that he built a bridge to cross over the Araxes River to fight her. Queen Tomyris told him that his efforts would be insignificant and, â€Å"Be content to rule in peace your own kingdom, and bear to see us reign over the countries that are ours to govern.† (Herodotus, I.205). Cyrus’ advisor also told him not to fight against her, but Cyrus became angry and ignored them both (Herodotus, â€Å"The History†). He tricks Queen Tomyris’ army and kidnaps her son, Spargapises (Abbott, 73). Writers are unsure if Spargapises was murdered or committed suicide, but that event must have hardened Tomyris’ heart to resist the Persians. Her son’s death must have impacted her a lot. Without her son she wouldn’t have an heir to take the throne after her. Every day she would have to wake up knowing that her child was dead. We know that she challenged Cyrus to another battle. Cyrus advanced into the kingdom of Massagetea and this time when the two armies met he could not trick the Queen. Herodotus tells us that she was victorious and that her troops slaughtered many. Even more important, Cyrus the Great himself had died in the battle. (Herodotus, I.214)