Explores mythological, legendary, archaeological, and historical evidence of women in a military setting.

Women and Warfare in the Ancient World presents a broad view of women and female figures involved in war in the ancient world, incorporating mythological, legendary, archaeological, and historical evidence for women in a military setting. Within this context are found not only fighters but also strategists, trainers, and leaders who may not have been on the actual battlefield. Exploring women and war within the Indo-European and Near Eastern worlds, this title seeks to challenge the view that women do not fight and that war is completely a male occupation – a view expressed as early as Xenophon and as late as the end of the 20th century.

Karlene Jones-Bley begins her study by defining Virgins, Viragos, and Amazons, going on to explore war goddesses, legendary, and historical women giving insights into different cultures, their attitudes towards women and how these have developed over time. Recent archaeological evidence supports her conclusions that women have always been a part of warfare.

• Cover
• Title
• Copyright
• Contents
• Preface
• Acknowledgements
• List of Illustrations
• Abbreviations
• Introduction
  • Virgins, Viragos and Amazons
  • The Effects of War on Women
  • Women Do Not Fight
  • Women Do Fight
  • Methodology
• Chapter 1 In the Beginning: Mythological Figures
  • Mesopotamian War Goddesses
  • Ugaritic War Goddesses
  • Egyptian War Goddesses
  • Common Themes Among the Goddesses
• Chapter 2 Indo-European Goddesses Affiliated with War
  • The Hittites
  • The Iranian Goddesses
  • The Greek Goddesses
  • The Armenian Goddess
  • The Roman Goddesses
  • The Celtic Goddesses
  • Continental and British Goddesses
  • The Irish Celts
  • The Germanic Goddesses
  • The Slavic Goddess
  • The Indic Goddesses
  • Summary of Chapters 1 and 2
• Chapter 3 Legendary Figures – Mortal and Supernatural
  • The Amazons
  • The Greeks
  • The Romans
  • The Persians
  • The Celts
  • Germanic Legends
  • The Scandinavians
  • The Balkans
  • An Indic Legend
  • Back to Britain and a Segue to History
  • Summary
• Chapter 4 Archaeological Evidence
  • A Warrior’s Grave
  • Modern Evidence from the West
  • The Steppe Evidence
  • The Physical Evidence
  • Recent Finds
  • Wheeled Vehicles
• Chapter 5 Historical Women Through the Roman Period
  • The Near East
  • The Iranian Speakers
  • Anatolia
  • The Greeks
  • Macedonia
  • The Romans
  • The Celts
  • The Germanic People
  • Palmyra
  • The Goths
• Chapter 6 Historical Women from the Roman Period to 1492
  • Byzantium
  • The Slavs
  • The Anglo-Saxons
  • Post-Conquest Britain
  • The Continent and Beyond
  • India
  • Non-Royal Women
  • The Iberian Peninsula
• Conclusion
• Endnotes
• Bibliography
• Classical References