Machlyes

The Machlyes or Machlyans (Ancient Greek: Μάχλυες) were a legendary ancient Libyan tribe.

According to Herodotus, their young women held a ritual battle with sticks and stones annually with neighboring Auseans (Ancient Greek: Αὐσέες). Those who died of their wounds were said to have lied about their virginity.

Pliny the Elder claimed they were hermaphrodites that had a male half and a female half, possibly inspired by the martial practices of the females.

French anthropologist Lucien Bertholon hypothesized that the Maghrawa tribal confederation in Tunisia were descendants of the Machlyes.

In the book Sweet Shadows by Tera Lynn Childs, the machlyes Achilla saves Gretchen from the merdaemon in the abysses.^{[citation needed]}