Tomyris was a queen who ruled the Massagetae or Iranian people of Central Asia east of the Caspian Sea. This took place around 530 BC.

When Cyrus the Great captured her son, she challenged him to a battle… and she won.

The Persians were defeated and Cyrus was killed. Tomyris had his dead body decapitated then crucified and is rumored to have carried the head with her at all times in a winesack filled with blood.

She is quoted as saying “I warned you that I would quench your thirst for blood, and so I shall.” That’ll teach a mean ol’ emperor to mess with a mama bear.

There are a lot of tall tales surrounding Tomyris, but she goes down in history as a very smart leader and Queen.