Sitting on a rich mosaic we see an Amazon, both confident and compelling. She is holding one of four shields close to her body, as if for extra protection, but is secure in herself and her own being. The three other shields are placed in a row behind her, showing that they too, also belong to her. Omphale was the Amazon Queen of Libya when Hercules was atoning for his sins for murdering his family. She bought the "hero" as a slave and made him to labour, as with all men in Amazon society, to do domestic chores. Whenever he made any mistakes she beat him with a golden sandal. Eventually she got bored with Hercules and sent him home..! .

Security and things I find,
That give me power anew;
Naked times I leave behind,
New courage pulls me through…

On the columns of an abandoned temple we see four of the five pentacles of this card, etched in the stone, with the fifth on an old shield leaning up against what was once a splendid stairway. The spirits of those who once worshipped here, are seen in the foreground, echoing the lament of worry and their subsequent ruin. The Amazons fought hard and suffered many losses. One of the yearly rites that the Priestess had to perform was the rites of Female Sorrow. This was usually performed in the last days of autumn. The lunar period was just after the full moon started to wane. This was a time when the Amazons could mourn their losses -war, child birth, magical attacks- and move on.

With troubled times and difficulties
Hardships with health and wealth,
For as things go, there's little to please,
So we must tread with much stealth

Artemis was said to be the most beautiful of all the Goddesses. She was the inspiration of the ancient world and her wild ways and the freedom that she had were like gifts to the Amazons who followed her devoutly, not only emulating her ways by hunting and warfare, but also in the tender nurture of their sisters. In the eyes of the ancients, she handed out her favour to the Amazons.

Gifts of hope and charity,
Are coming now in to your life…
Money for you and this great bounty
Will put an end to your strife…

An Amazon is in an orchard, tending to and watching the fruits of her efforts grow. The Libyan Amazons were the first, or first-known, of their kind, predating even their Themiskyran Sisters and Myrine (Myrina) was their Queen. They lived on an island called Hespera, which was situated in Tritonis marsh land. Nearby, the Triton River flowed into what is now the Atlantic Ocean. Mount Atlas watched over their realm. These are the Amazons thought to have invaded the legendary Atlantis, which was fairly treated by Myrine in exchange for the foundation of a new city to be named after her, so enabling the ensured growth and prosperity of the Amazon phenomenon.

A time of peace and to reflect
On all that's going around;
Rake things over and select
The seeds of decision made sound..

The Libyan Amazons, under their Queen Myrina (Myrine), were prosperous and well-respected. They conquered the island of Hespera and made it theirs, where they worked hard and built a thriving community. Their presence was fearful when adorned in complete battle gear with helmets, breastplates and pears, all covered in snakeskin. Could this snakeskin have come from the conquered Gorgons, the bitter enemies of the Amazons? In any respect, it seemed a fitting attire when dealing with the 'snake haired' inhabitants of the area.

Working and crafting so steadily,
Meeting targets with ease
Brings in to life some normality
And faultless results that do please.

A vision of Artemis is seen at the Grove of Nemi, which was a hallowed place to her in Latium. It was a place where the sacred king was killed in a duel by his rival, in order to continue the cycle of the year. In this way he became a sacrifice to the Goddess. Artemis was responsible in maintaining the natural order of things on Earth so that life, as well as death would be able to go on. Nothing would die before its time under her care. The grapes in the foreground are ripe and ready to pick.

A garden of wealth and peace I bring,
Contentment and gain become yours…
However don't stay or you'll find yourself waiting,
But look outward to further your cause…

The Amazons had much the same family values as anywhere in the world, but it was the women fought and governed whilst the men performed the household tasks. It is said that each Amazon had to kill a man before she could marry, if indeed 'marriage' is the correct term here, and all male children were either killed or maimed at birth. However, those male children that did survive would be entitled to part of their mothers estate as this could be used as a dowry for their own marriage. Men were not allowed to own any property under the Amazon regime. It is thought that while many men, captive or native, were executed for rebelling against this, there were many more that were quite happy with the arrangements...

Families Gather and friends gather too
At home and from everywhere,
Future and present come together for you
And reasons for talks become clear.

In the true Spirit of the Amazons, around 700ad, Dihya al-Kahina /Al Kahena a Jewish/Berber priestess was crowned as queen by the Berbers, who accepted her as their military leader. Berbers were reputed to be the descendants of the Libyan Amazons, and true to form, Kahena was making her fearsome presence felt as she repelled the Arab invaders. Al-Kahina emerged as a war-leader during the Arab invasions, and proved amazingly successful at leading the tribes to join together against their common enemy. Her reputation as a strategist and sorceress spread, and she managed to unite the tribes of Ifrikya (the Berber name for North Africa), ruling and leading them in battle for five years before her betrayal and final defeat at the hands of the Arabs.

With study and reflection
Whilst learning new ways to fuel,
I focus in my meditation
And bring management to rule...

Here we see the Knight of Pentacles being represented as a centaur. There were many 'theories' a to the origins of the centaurs, one being that when the Amazons rode, and they were nearly always seen on horseback, it appeared as if they were one with the horse. This was taken a step further by combining horse and human in the now time honoured way. There were female centaurs in this strange land of Myth and Legend, the most famous one being Hylonome- though little has been written about them. Hylonome killed herself when her husband the centaur Cyllarus was slain in the battle with the Lapiths.
The Berbers under Kahena were, like the Amazons, no strangers to the use of horses and cavalry and this was instrumental in their wars against the Arab invaders.

I focus on the future here,
Press on with calm ambition...
I see the open doors, now near,
And move with calm progression....

Queen Kahena proved herself not only as 'Queen' but as a highly skilled horsewoman and military strategist and general, so echoing the great ancestral Amazon Queens of ancient Libya. Under her triumphant command, the Berber armies liberated Carthage (again echoing her Amazon forebears), and swept on across North Africa, freeing it from both the Byzantines and the Arabs. All hailed her as their deliverer from their enemies. Kahena's armies flourished with Jewish volunteers flocking to her from the numerous hill communities across mountains. Even the Bishop of Bula Regia had flowers strewn along her path. Success was there, but it had taken her whole attention to achieve it.

With nurture life will grow for you,
A wealth of things to treasure...
My gift is here, so to renew
Security and pleasure...

The Lord of the Powers of Earth
The wily Arab commander, Hassan Ibn Numan was a man of shrewd intelligence and an ideal subject to illustrate the King of Pentacles. He already was a hailed as a successful commander, but had learned through bitter experience that the dedicated armies under queen Kahena's command were a formidable force. He set out on a classic "divide and conquer" (targeted at the differing cultures and nationalities) 'diplomatic' manoeuvre in preparation for another invasion.

Great achievements come with me,
Success and power too,
This dark and honest man you'll see,
Will bring such gifts to you...