Its fair to say that Historically, women have not received the recognition due to them, and that the same problem continues today as women continue to strive for respect and equality, and so in this entry we take time to pay homage to some of the Warrior women of the Ancient world including the Amazon’s of Dahomey depicted in the film The Woman King.
Zenobia Of Palmyra
Our journey begins with Zenobia of Palmyra.
Following the King’s death, Zenobia ascended to the Throne of Palmyra as regent for her Son, and she is most well known for her conflict with Rome.
Soon after ascending the Throne she annexed Egypt from Rome, and expanded her Kingdom’s territory into Syria, Lebanon and Palestine.
In time, the Empire she created became separate and independent of Rome, and with the Romans pre-occupied with the conquest of the Barbarians in Gaul, there was little they could do to stop Zenobia’s expansion.
However, after the conquest of Gaul was complete, the Romans mounted an attack against Zenobia, and although she initially escaped, Zenobia was eventually captured and sent to Rome as a captive to be paraded during Aurelius’ Triumph celebration.
Her fate is not exactly clear with some reports saying she committed suicide and others saying she died in captivity from a Hunger Strike.
Dahomey’s Amazons
Black Panther has resurrected the image of Dahomey’s famous Amazon female regiments who are the subject of the film The Woman King.
Known for their ruthlessness and fierce loyalty to the King, Dahomey’s Amazons formed the inner core of the King’s Bodyguard Regiment.
Meticulously trained and proficient in the use of modern weapons like Rifles and Muskets, the Amazons were such a strong force to contend with that even after the French conquest of Dahomey, their courage made a lasting impression on the French Legionnaires that fought them in the brutal Franco-Dahomean Wars.
Whilst most Amazons died during the French conquest of Dahomey, their fierce reputation and legacy has continued to echo.
QUEEN BOUDICCA
Queen Boudicca was Queen of the Iceni Celtic Tribe.
Following the death of her husband, she assumed power and was immediately forced into a conflict with Rome after the Romans invaded and raped her daughters.
In order to preserve her Kingdom and dignity of the Celtic people, Queen Boudicca led a fierce revolt against Rome.
After an initial round of victories, the Romans under Nero eventually subdued Boudicca’s revolt, although Queen Boudicca was never captured, and to date no record of her capture or how she died has been found.
Queen Nzinga
Queen Nzinga of Angola’s Mbundu people fought against the expansion of the Slave Trade by the Portuguese in Central Africa in the 16th Century.
In search of alternatives to the Slave Markets of West Africa in which they faced stiff competition from the British and the French, the Portuguese entered Angola and established a Fort in Luanda which was in Mbundu territory.
Despite efforts at establishing Diplomatic Ties and converting to Christianity to placate the Portuguese, the increasing demand for Slave Concessions by the Portuguese became intolerable, and after ascending the Mbundu Throne in 1626, Queen Nzinga mounted a resistance campaign against the Portuguese that would last for over 30 years.
Queen Nzinga was never captured by the Portuguese, and the Portuguese resistance she had initiated would continue years after her death.
Inanna/Ishtar
Innana/Ishtar was the Sumerian Goddess of War.
According to Sumerian Texts, she was the daughter of the Supreme Earth God Enlil, and the Sumerian Records are full of accounts of her restlessness and lust for Power.
She is credited with helping Sargon Of Akkad form the world’s first Empire after choosing him to lead, riding into battle at the forefront of his Armies and guiding him to victory.
Inanna reportedly caused so much unrest that eventually she was awarded her own Kingdom in the Indus Valley Region.
Even this would not be enough however, as she still sought to expand and control the lands of Egypt and Mesopotamia leading to upheavals amongst the Ancient Empires of Persia involving the Kingdoms and peoples of Sumer, Akkad and Egypt like the Amorites, Hittites and Canaanites.
Her fingerprints are all over the Map and Wars of the Ancient World according to the Sumerian Record and memorials left by Ancient Kings like Sargon Of Akkad.
For more on Innana and the Indus Valley Kingdom she established in Ancient India, you can check out our entry on the Indus Valley Vimana Epics which explores the connections between Ancient India, its Epics and the Gods Of Ancient Sumer.
Legacy Of The Warrior Women Of The Ancient World
History certainly bears witness to the role of Warrior women and their influence on some of the most significant events that have unfolded in world History.
The Warrior Women of the Ancient World built and defended nations, and in doing so inspired their descendants to continue the Tradition of resistance, national pride and individual sacrifice.
In the case of Inanna, we also encounter the uncompromising equal of the male desire for world domination that forged the greatest Empires known to the world today…And if the Sumerian records are to be accepted, then the concept of an Empire and its actual creation were first conceived and implemented on Earth by a Woman.
If you’re interested in exploring the world of Ancient History including Alternative Ancient History related to the Anunnaki, you can explore our article archive below:
