Under Queen Myrina, the Amazons, a nation of warrior women from western Libya, based on an island in the ancient marsh of Lake Tritonis — invaded the territory of the Atlantioi.
Queen Myrina then showed clemency, established friendship and alliance with them, and founded a new city named Myrina on the site of the destroyed Kernê, settling both captives and willing locals there.
Myrina: Queen of the Amazones, led an army of 30,000 foot-soldiers and 3,000 cavalry, founded a city named after herself.
Atlantioi (Atlanteans): A civilized people near Mount Atlas and the shore of Okeanos, defeated by the Amazones; later allied with Myrina.
Gorgones (Gorgons): A neighboring tribe hostile to the Atlantioi, fought and partially defeated by Myrina’s Amazones.
War Against the Atlantioi: Led by Queen Myrina, the Amazones invaded the Atlantioi, defeating them in a battle at the city of Kernê (Cerne).
Alliance with Atlantioi: After their surrender, Myrina treated the Atlantioi honorably, founded a new city named Myrina to replace Kernê, and formed a friendship with them.
War Against the Gorgones: At the Atlantioi’s request, Myrina led the Amazones against the Gorgones, winning a major battle, killing many, and taking 3,000 prisoners.
This summary highlights the key figures (Myrina, Amazones, Atlantioi, Gorgones) and events (wars, city foundations, natural disasters) central to Diodorus’ narrative.
The first people against whom they advanced, according to the tale, was the Atlantioi (Atlanteans), the most civilized men among the inhabitants of those regions, who dwelt in a prosperous country and possessed great cities; it was among them, we are told, that mythology places the birth of the gods, in the regions which lie along the shore of Okeanos, in this respect agreeing with those among the Greeks who relate legends, and about this we shall speak in detail a little later.Now the queen of the Amazones, Myrina, collected, it is said, an army of thirty thousand foot-soldiers and three thousand cavalry, since they favoured to an unusual degree the use of cavalry in their wars.
But when the terrible fate of the inhabitants of Kernê became known among their fellow tribesmen, it is related that the Atlantioi (Atlanteans), struck with terror, surrendered their cities on terms of capitulation and announced that they would do whatever should be commanded them, and that the queen Myrina, bearing herself honourably towards the Atlantioi, both established friendship with them and founded a city to bear her name [i.e.
Myrina] in place of the city which had been razed; and in it she settled both the captives and any native who so desired.
And since the natives were often being warred upon by the Gorgones (Gorgons), as they were named, a folk which resided upon their borders, and in general had that people lying in wait to injure them, Myrina, they say, was asked by the Atlantioi to invade the land of the afore-mentioned Gorgones.
But when the Gorgones drew up their forces to resist them a mighty battle took place in which the Amazones, gaining the upper hand, slew great numbers of their opponents and took no fewer than three thousand prisoners; and since the rest had fled for refuge into a certain wooded region, Myrina undertook to set fire to the timber, being eager to destroy the race utterly, but when she found that she was unable to succeed in her attempt she retired to the borders of her country .