10 DC Characters Derived From Ancient Myth
4. Hippolyta
Hippolyta is the Amazonian queen now perhaps most famous in pop culture for being the mother of DC’s Wonder Woman.
In the most recent DC iterations Hippolyta and Zeus conceive Diana together as mother and father, this being an update to Diana’s former origin of her mother sculpting her from clay, and Zeus granting a wish for the sculpture to be given life.
In Greek mythological texts writings about Hippolyta and the Amazons in general are rather sparse when compared to those of the more prominent Greek mythic figures like the gods. But being the queen of a warrior race of women, her father is appropriately the God of War Ares.
She wears a magical girdle gifted to her by her father. This divine gift marks her out as queen above the rest of the Amazons.
Beyond her original ancient depictions she has also featured in relatively more modern works before her comic book incarnation; works such as A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare.