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From hippos (horse) and damazo (to tame), "Tamer of horses."

Hippodamia 1

Greek Mythology

Abduction of Hippodamia, Peter Paul Rubens, c. 1637-1638.

In Greek mythology, Hippodamia ( Ἱπποδάμεια ) was the bride of King Pirithous of the Lapiths. At their wedding, Hippodamia, the other female guests, and the young boys were almost abducted by the centaurs. Pirithous and his friend, Theseus, led the Lapiths to victor over the centaurs. With Pirithous, she mothered Polypoetes.

Hippodamia 2

Greek Mythology

Hippodamia offers a phiale to Oenomaus

Pelops, riding Poseidon's quadriga, racing away from Oenomaus, with Hippodamia at his side. After an Attic red figure neck amphora, 410 BC (late classical). Arezzo, Museo Nazionale Archeologico 1460.

In Greek mythology, Hippodamia was a daughter of King Oenomaus and mother of Agamemnon, Aegisthus, Pittheus and Menelaus, Alacathous by Pelops. Her name is borne by the asteroid 692 Hippodamia.

Greek Mythology

Myrtilos, Eros and Aphrodite on the right side, left Hippodameia. In the center Pelops, Periphas and Oenomaus

Pelops wanted to marry Hippodamia. Oenamaus had pursued thirteen suitors of Hippodamia and killed them all after beating them in a chariot race. He did this because he loved her himself or, alternatively, because a prophecy claimed he would be killed by her son. Pelops (or alternatively, Hippodamia herself) convinced Myrtilus (by promising him half of Oenomaus kingdom), Oenomaus' charioteer to remove the linchpins attaching the wheels to the chariot. Oenomaus died. Pelops then killed Myrtilus because he didn't want to share the credit for winning the chariot race, or because Myrtilus had attempted to rape Hippodamia. As Myrtilus died, he cursed Pelops. This was the source of the curse that haunted Pelops' descendants, including Atreus, Thyestes, Agamemnon, Aegisthus, Menelaus and Orestes.