Encore Episode - Walter Penrose - Lost Amazons!
From 34 Circe Salon -- Make Matriarchy Great Again -- Disrupting History by 34 Circe Salon, 34 Circe Media, Sean Marlon Newcombe, Dawn "Sam" Alden
January 18, 2026 · 1h 3m · Episode 183
About this episode
The episode features a discussion with historian Walter Penrose about the historical views of Amazons and related cultural concepts in ancient societies.
In this episode we sit down with Walter Penrose, PhD, associate professor of history at San Diego State University. Dr. Penrose specializes in the History of Gender and Sexuality in Ancient Greek, Hellenistic, and South Asian contexts. We talk with him about the historical views of the Amazons, particularly in the non-Western world. Female bodyguards were employed by the Ancient Indians and Persians and many of these women came from the Black Sea region-- the same region where the Greeks identified the presence of Amazons. We discuss the Indian concept of "Stri Rajya" or "The Kingdom of Women" which the Ancient Indians located to the west of them, towards the Eurasian Steppe and Caspian Sea-- in the same neighborhood as the Black Sea. Lastly, we also explore the stories of Hellenistic warrior queens and their connection to the warlike tribes from the same region as the female bodyguards and The Kingdom of Women: the Thracians, Scythians and Sauromatians. Sean Marlon Newcombe and Dawn "Sam" Alden co-host.
People in this episode
Hosts: Sean Marlon Newcombe, Dawn "Sam" Alden
Guest: Walter Penrose
Topics covered
- Amazons
- Gender and Sexuality
- Ancient History
- Warrior Queens
- Cultural Perspectives
Keywords
- Amazons
- Gender History
- Hellenistic
- Warrior Queens
- Stri Rajya
- Ancient India
- Persian Bodyguards
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: San Diego State University
Places: Black Sea, Eurasian Steppe, Caspian Sea, Thracians, Scythians, Sauromatians
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