Female Warriors Throughout History

**Blatta Optima Maxima** · July 16, 2011, 01:40 PM

Generally women warriors were fielded either in despair, or in nomadic cultures. In despair - when there was a need for manpower (oh, the irony). In the nomadic cultures there was generally little distinction between young males and females, as both were trained the same way to survive and fight, and women could be just as good at horse archery until they were bound to stay behind protecting the children.

**Trax** · July 16, 2011, 04:55 PM

An interesting case.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nadezhda_Durova

There are plenty of females throughout history who dressed as men in order to join the army but this is one of the most successful cases, I think.

**Ancient Aliens** · July 16, 2011, 04:57 PM

Originally Posted by Trax

An interesting case.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nadezhda_Durova

There are plenty of females throughout history who dressed as men in order to join the army but this is one of the most successful cases, I think.

I have never heard of this case, thanks Trax!

**KaRoU23** · July 16, 2011, 06:12 PM

We forgot someone.....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joan_of_Arc

**Manco** · July 16, 2011, 06:37 PM

Originally Posted by Trax

An interesting case.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nadezhda_Durova

There are plenty of females throughout history who dressed as men in order to join the army but this is one of the most successful cases, I think.

Especially interesting because this seems to be completely verifiable.

**Khassaki** · July 17, 2011, 01:04 AM

Originally Posted by Manco

Especially interesting because this seems to be completely verifiable.

Her book is extraordinary because she is actually as dumb as a box of hammers, and her writing gives an insight into the workings of her mind. It was not really a secret that she was a woman, but it was accepted at the time as cosmopolitan.

There is an English woman who did the same thing as a line infantryman during the Napoleonic war, but as she was over 6 feet she had no trouble with the physical aspect of the job.

**Blatta Optima Maxima** · July 17, 2011, 02:49 AM

Joan of Arc was more of a mascot than a warrior.

**Jlop985** · July 17, 2011, 05:39 AM

Originally Posted by Cocroach the great

Joan of Arc was more of a mascot than a warrior.

She did get wounded in the line of duty, so she did more than just stand there and look pretty.

**Blatta Optima Maxima** · July 17, 2011, 05:43 AM

Originally Posted by Jlop985

She did get wounded in the line of duty, so she did more than just stand there and look pretty.

Ok, she was a mobile mascot.

**Mangalore** · July 17, 2011, 06:01 AM

Originally Posted by Cocroach the great

Ok, she was a mobile mascot.

Essentially all generals are partly mascots the soldiers identify with on some level since they can only do their thing because all those other guys know how to do their part in it. Even the "heroes" leading from the front usually had the small advantage of several dozen to hundreds of other guys being assigned to assure he doesn't get the sniffles.

She was accused of murder because in the eyes of the English she was leading the army without being a soldier and thus all dead under her command where her responsibility.

**Blatta Optima Maxima** · July 17, 2011, 06:19 AM

Originally Posted by Mangalore

Essentially all generals are partly mascots the soldiers identify with on some level since they can only do their thing because all those other guys know how to do their part in it. Even the "heroes" leading from the front usually had the small advantage of several dozen to hundreds of other guys being assigned to assure he doesn't get the sniffles.

She was accused of murder because in the eyes of the English she was leading the army without being a soldier and thus all dead under her command where her responsibility.

Generals command armies. They keep the whole thing from becoming a diseased, disorderly and very, very dead mob. Joan of Arc did not command, at least from what I've read. She didn't really fight either.

Although the fact that a 17 year old peasant girl is France's symbol of manliness and valor speaks for itself.

**Manco** · July 17, 2011, 06:23 AM

Originally Posted by Cocroach the great

Although the fact that a 17 year old peasant girl is France's symbol of manliness and valor speaks for itself.

Well, it inspired enough manliness and valor to kick English asses all the way back to England. So what does that say about the English?

**Mangalore** · July 17, 2011, 08:24 AM

Originally Posted by Cocroach the great

Generals command armies. They keep the whole thing from becoming a diseased, disorderly and very, very dead mob. Joan of Arc did not command, at least from what I've read. She didn't really fight either. ...

Yeah,... all throughout history armies were commanded by generals, not whoever won the birth lottery by chance.

Pretty much all current political systems have a mascot position for the government (presidents, kings & queens), similarily in the good old days whoever was the nominal leader was not necessarily the guy who had to know how the stuff is being run. Alot of kings certainly didn't and their advisors and councils could only hope they were smart enough to keep their incompetent hands out of their business. They were still the commanders and figureheads of the armies and countries.

**Gorrrrrn** · July 17, 2011, 08:39 AM

Women served in Soviet Air Force:
http://mysite.pratt.edu/~rsilva/main.htm

not to mention, tank drivers, AA gunners, snipers etc etc:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet_...n_World_War_II

**2Shy** · July 17, 2011, 08:54 AM

Women of almost all step people were warriars.

**Asterix** · July 17, 2011, 12:22 PM

Originally Posted by Manco

Well, it inspired enough manliness and valor to kick English asses all the way back to England. So what does that say about the English?

it took the French over 100 years to do that. What does that say about the French?

**Tureuki** · July 17, 2011, 02:27 PM

As far as I know a Venetian ambassador to Akkoyunlu(forget the name, josaphat or something like this) who crossed the the Anatolia and Iran, mentioned about female forces in Anatolia, he says Dulkadir Turkomans have 30 000 female warriors(of course exaggeration) and Akkoyunlu Turkomans have 1000 well-trained female warrior.

**Father Jack** · July 17, 2011, 03:46 PM

Queen Cartimandua of the Brigantes.

Of "illustrious birth" according to Tacitus,[5] she probably inherited her power as she appears to have ruled by right rather than through marriage.

Even today in the UK and the commonwealth with the monarch as head of state, women cannot succeed to the throne if they have a brother, even if that brother is younger. Perhaps we can learn a thing or two from the Brigantes and Iceni of our past.
Cartimandua also face a revolt and an invasion with support of enemy tribes led by her divorced husband Venutius in 57 and 69 AD.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cartimandua

There is also Queen Septimia Zenobia who carved out the Palmyrene Empire.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zenobia

**Jlop985** · July 17, 2011, 07:32 PM

Originally Posted by Viridios

Queen Cartimandua of the Brigantes.

Even today in the UK and the commonwealth with the monarch as head of state, women cannot succeed to the throne if they have a brother, even if that brother is younger. Perhaps we can learn a thing or two from the Brigantes and Iceni of our past.

Ironic, given that England and Britain's most celebrated and successful monarchs have been women.