In Greek mythology, Astydamea or Astydamia (/əˌstɪdəˈmiːə/; Ancient Greek: Ἀστυδάμεια Astudámeia, derived from ἄστυ ástu, "town", and δαμάω damáo, "to tame") is a name attributed to several individuals:
Astydamea, also known as Hippolyta, daughter of Cretheus[1] and queen of Iolcus as the wife of Acastus. Her husband purified Peleus of the murder of King Eurytion of Phthia. Astydameia fell in love with Peleus but he scorned her. Bitter, she sent a messenger to Antigone, Peleus' wife, to tell her that Peleus was to marry Acastus' daughter, Sterope; Antigone hanged herself. Astydameia then told Acastus that Peleus had tried to rape her. Acastus believed the false accusations and tried to take revenge in Peleus by taking him on a hunting trip and leaving him unprotected as a group of Centaurs attacked. Peleus escaped death with the help of Chiron and Hermes; he pillaged Iolcus and dismembered Astydameia, then marched his army between the rended limbs.[2]
Astydamea, daughter of Phorbas and mother of Lepreus by Caucon, son of Poseidon. She persuaded Heracles to reconcile with her son, who had previously advised Augeas to cast Heracles in bonds.[5]
Astydamea, mother of Ctesippus by Heracles. In one source, she was the daughter of Amyntor,[6] possibly by Kleoboule[7] or Hippodameia.[8] Another account makes her the daughter of Ormenus, king of Ormenion.[9] Heracles, the same source relates, wooed her, but Ormenius would not marry her to him since Heracles was already married to Deianira. Heracles then led a war against Ormenius, killed him and took Astydameia by force.[10] Astydameia (or Astygeneia) is also an alternate name for Astyoche, daughter of Phylas, who bore Heracles a son Tlepolemus.[11]
Claudius Aelianus, Claudii Aeliani de natura animalium libri xvii, varia historia, epistolae, fragmenta, Vol 2. Rudolf Hercher. In Aedibus B.G. Teubneri. Lipsiae. 1866. Greek text available at the Perseus Digital Library.
Fowler, R. L. (2000), Early Greek Mythography: Volume 1: Text and Introduction, Oxford University Press, 2000. ISBN978-0198147404.
Fowler, Robert L., Early Greek Mythography. Volume 2: Commentary. Oxford University Press. Great Clarendon Street, Oxford, OX2 6DP, United Kingdom. 2013. ISBN978-0-19-814741-1
This article includes a list of Greek mythological figures with the same or similar names. If an internal link for a specific Greek mythology article referred you to this page, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended Greek mythology article, if one exists.