Atalanta is a figure from Greek mythology famed as a huntress, wrestler, and runner. The heroine was a key participant in the Calydonian boar hunt, striking the first wound in this fearsome beast with her bow. Long-determined to remain a virgin, Atalanta did finally bow to fatherly pressure and consent to marry but only to a man who could beat her in a running race. Like the goddesses Athena and Artemis, Atalanta is a rare strong female figure in Greek literature and she appears frequently in Greek art in scenes showing her renowned hunting and sporting skills.
More about: Atalanta