Women Warriors in Antiquity by
Moogie
History overflows with the stories of heroes and warriors. They entertain
and inspire us. As Amtgardians, we dream of being like them. Although most
of the great fighters in history and legend are men, there are also many
women warriors whose stories are no less inspiring. This is a brief overview
of some of the women warriors of the past.
The Amazons
Probably the best known women warriors are from the stories of the Greeks:
the Amazons. A warlike tribe of women, the Amazons appear many times in
Greek legends, battling Heracles, sacking Athens, fighting with Penthesilea
at the Trojan War. Their images are found often in Greek art. They are
often represented fighting fiercely, sometimes with one breast bared, usually
on horseback. Their city was rumored to be on the River Thermodon, on the
edge of the Greek world. They are usually seen as a representation of the
uncivilized world to the Greeks, although recent archeological discoveries
have offered evidence of the existence of an Amazon-like tribe with warrior
women in the Sarmation region, west of the Greek world.
Boudica - Romano-Celtic Britain
The Celtic tribes of Britain were often led by great queens, who were also
warriors. One the most famous revolts against the Roman occupation of Britain
was led by a Celtic queen called Boudica, queen of the Iceni. In the first
century A.D., after the death of her husband, Prasutagus, the Romans plundered
her lands, flogging the queen and raping her two daughters. In revenge,
Boudica led the Iceni and neighboring tribes in a revolt, sacking and burning
Roman towns. The Celtic warriors first looted and burned the Roman town
of Camulodunum, then turned towards Londinium and Verulamium, which they
also burned. The revolt was put down at last by the Roman forces, but not
before they had taken great losses at the hands of the Celtic tribes, led
by their warrior queen.
Aethelflaed - Anglo-Saxon Britain
Another British warrior queen ruled later, in Anglo-Saxon Britain, in the
early tenth century. A daughter of Alfred the Great, King of Wessex, Aethelflaed
was married to Aethelred, King of Mercia. Mercia and Wessex were adjoining
Saxon kingdoms at a time when the Saxons in Britain were threatened by
Danish invaders. After Alfred's death in 899 A.D., Aethelflaed's brother
Edward succeeded to the kingship in Wessex. In 911 A.D., Aethelred died,
and Aethelflaed became queen of the Mercians. Coordinating their efforts,
the sister and brother began a new strategy against the Danes, building
a chain of fortifications across southern and midland Britain. In 916 A.D.,
the Welsh raided, and in a counter-attack, Aethelflaed captured a Welsh
king's wife and 33 members of his court, leading to the Welsh king's submission
to her authority. The next year Danish war-bands raided Mercia, and Aethelflaed
and Edward planned a coordinated attack into Danish territory. Edward led
an attack on Danish forts and forced their submission in Northampton and
Huntingdon. In East Anglia, and Essex, the Danish army swore allegiance
to Edward. Meanwhile, Aethelflaed led her army against Derby, taking it
without a siege. She then moved on to Leicester and York, getting pledges
of loyalty from both. As she moved her troops toward the remaining Danish
forts, she became sick and died, in 918 A.D., at the height of her success.
Edward took con- trol of her armies and conquered the last of the Danes.
Aethelflaed's strategy and military support made the final victory for
the Saxons possible. She was described by the historian William of Malmesbury,
"This spirited heroine assisted her brother greatly with her advice, was
of equal service in building cities, and whether through fortune or her
own efforts, was a woman who protected men at home and intimidated them
abroad."
Tomoe Gozen - Fuedal Japan
In feudal Japan in the 12th century, the society of the samurai was at
its height. Though samurai society was dominated by men, women of samurai
clans were trained in martial arts, especially in the use of the naginata.
Heroic samurai women appear in epics of the period; chief among these is
Tomoe Gozen. Tomoe Gozen was the wife of Minamoto Yoshinaka, a samurai
at war with Minamoto Yoshitsune. At the fighting at the River Uji, she
supported him in battle. When it was obvious that they were defeated, Yoshinaka
and his few remaining warriors made a desperate charge against Yoshitsune's
samurai. Tomoe Gozen insisted on remaining to face defeat with her husband,
saying, "I want to fight the last glorious fight in front of you." The
'Heike Monogatori' records that, facing a powerful enemy, she "flung herself
upon Onda, and, grappling with him, dragged him from his horse... and cut
off his head." She told her husband that she would hold off the enemy long
enough for him to commit seppuku, the samurai s ritual suicide in defeat,
but he was struck by an arrow. Tomoe Gozen's fate after the battle is not
known, but it is thought that she retired to a Buddhist convent.
These women warriors are just a few of the examples of fighting women
who have enriched our history and legend and captured our imaginations.
There are many more remaining to be discovered, each bringing her own unique
insight on war, warriors, and women. Though men have primarily been the
fighters in our history, many women through the ages have taken up the
sword, for defense, for power and for glory. Their stories are with us
in epics, legends and history books.
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This page last updated 3/8/00
This site is owned and maintained by Moogie of House Morrigan.
All works copyrighted Laura Brashear 2000 unless otherwise noted. To request
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