Folk Heroes: Tomyris

Tomyris (unknown - 520 BCE) was the fierce queen who defended her kingdom against an invasion by Cyrus the Great, the king of Persia. After her victory, she captured the severed head of the conquered king and stuffed it into a bag of human blood. Her tale inspired many artists and poets, and she went on to become the subject of many classical paintings. 

For Further Reading:

• MASSAGETAE – Encyclopaedia Iranica
• Queen Tomyris of the Massagetai and the Defeat of the Persians under Cyrus
• Tomyris, The Female Warrior and Ruler Who May Have Killed Cyrus the Great | Ancient Origins

History classes can get a bad rap, and sometimes for good reason. When we were students, we couldn’t help wondering... where were all the ladies at? Why were so many incredible stories missing from the typical curriculum? Enter, Womanica. On this Wonder Media Network podcast we explore the lives of inspiring women in history you may not know about, but definitely should.

Every weekday, listeners explore the trials, tragedies, and triumphs of groundbreaking women throughout history who have dramatically shaped the world around us. In each 5 minute episode, we’ll dive into the story behind one woman listeners may or may not know–but definitely should. These diverse women from across space and time are grouped into easily accessible and engaging monthly themes like Educators, Villains, Indigenous Storytellers, Activists, and many more.  Womanica is hosted by WMN co-founder and award-winning journalist Jenny Kaplan. The bite-sized episodes pack painstakingly researched content into fun, entertaining, and addictive daily adventures. 

Womanica was created by Liz Kaplan and Jenny Kaplan, executive produced by Jenny Kaplan, and produced by Grace Lynch, Maddy Foley, Brittany Martinez, Edie Allard, Lindsey Kratochwill, Adesuwa Agbonile, Carmen Borca-Carrillo, Taylor Williamson, Sara Schleede, and Abbey Delk. Special thanks to Shira Atkins. 

Original theme music composed by Miles Moran.

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