Ancient Women Warriors 

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Throughout history, women warriors have fought and led troops into battle. This partial list of warrior queens and other women warriors runs from the legendary Amazons -- who may have been real warriors from the Steppes -- to the Syrian queen of Palmyra, Zenobia. Sadly, we know too little about most of these brave warrior women who stood up to the powerful male leaders of their day because history is written by the victors.

No, I\'m not talking about a cat fight between his wives, but a battle of sorts for succession after Alexander\'s untimely death. In his Ghost on the Throne, classicist James Romm says these two women fought the first recorded battle led by women on each side. It wasn\'t much of a battle, though, because of mixed loyalties.

The Amazons are credited with helping the Trojans against the Greeks in the Trojan War. They are also said to have been fierce women archers who cut off a breast to aid them in shooting, but recent archaeological evidence suggests the Amazons were real, important, powerful, two-breasted, warrior women, possibly from the Steppes.

Tomyris became queen of the Massegetai upon the death of her husband. Cyrus of Persia wanted her kingdom and offered to marry her for it, but she declined, so, of course, they fought each other, instead. Cyrus tricked the section of Tomyris\' army led by her son, who was taken prisoner and committed suicide. Then the army of Tomyris ranged itself against the Persians, defeated it, and killed King Cyrus.

Artemisia, queen of Herodotus\' homeland of Halicarnassus, gained renown for her brave, manly actions in the Greco-Persian Wars\' Battle of Salamis. Artemisia was a member of the Persian Great King Xerxes\' multi-national invading force.

When her husband Prasutagus died, Boudicca became queen of the Iceni in Britain. For several months during A.D. 60-61 she led the Iceni in revolt against the Romans in response to their treatment of her and her daughters. She burned three major Roman towns, Londinium (London), Verulamium (St. Albans), and Camulodunum (Colchester). In the end, the Roman military governor Suetonius Paullinus suppressed the revolt. This information comes mainly from Athena Review Vol.1, No.1.

Third century queen of Palmyra (in modern Syria), Zenobia claimed Cleopatra as ancestor. Zenobia started as a regent for her son, but then claimed the throne, defying the Romans, and rode into battle against them. She was eventually defeated by Aurelian and probably taken prisoner.

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In 732 B.C. Samsi rebelled against Assyrian King Tiglath Pileser III (745-727 B.C.) by refusing tribute and perhaps by giving aid to Damascus for an unsuccessful fight against Assyria. The Assyrian king captured her cities; she was forced to flee to the desert. Suffering, she surrendered and was forced to pay tribute to the king. Although an officer of Tiglath Pileser III was stationed at her court, Samsi was allowed to continue to rule. 17 years later, she was still sending tribute to Sargon II.

A Short History of the Tribes of Ancient North Arabia

"Pre-Islamic Arab Queens," by Nabia Abbott. American Journal of Semitic Languages and Literatures

After two centuries of Chinese rule, the Vietnamese rose up against them under the leadership of two sisters, Trung Trac and Trung Nhi, who gathered an army of 80,000. They trained 36 women to be generals and drove the Chinese out of Viet Nam in A.D. 40. Trung Trac was then named ruler and renamed "Trung Vuong" or "She-king Trung." They continued to fight the Chinese for three years, but eventually, unsuccessful, they committed suicide.

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The Journal of Asian Studies, Vol. 35, No. 3 (May, 1976).

"Kateb Yacine\'s Journey beyond Algeria and Back"

Research in African Literatures, Vol. 34, No. 3 (Autumn, 2003).

© El Peru Waka Regional Archaeological Project

Said to have been the greatest queen of the late classical Maya, she ruled from c. A.D. 672-692, was military governor of the Wak kingdom, and bore the title of Supreme Warrior, with higher reigning authority than the king, her husband, K\'inich Bahlam.

About: El Peru Waka Regional Archaeological Project

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