Introduction
One of the several controversies that surround the current development and reexamination of the rights and place of women in Euro-American society is over the role of women in the military. A common argument given against women's participation is that women are physically different then men in ways that are relevant to conduct as a soldier. Often, the only rejoinder to this argument is "Yes,... But" -- Commonly, even the proponents of the women's role acknowledge that there is a physical difference, and acknowledge that this difference was relevant to the less "technological" forms of war prior to the twentieth century but claim that it is not relevant today.
This page however, is intended to undercut even that assumption. By looking at the place of women in a number of ancient and medieval societies it becomes clear that War was never simply a "men's club" and even in the age of sword and braun, women were often just as capable as men (or even more so).
Please note that this article is only a very basic overview intended as a starting place for curiosity and research. My intent is to raise awareness that the question exists rather than to answer the question. Please also note that a role for women in the military did not always historically correspond to a level of equality in society as a whole. That is altogether a different undertaking.

Europe in the "High Middle Ages"
Most directly, European and American ideas of society, culture, and propriety have emerged out of the social developments of the "High Middle Ages" and Renaissance (really not a clearly distinguishable period -- in my opinion, simply the later development of the "High Middle Ages"). Admittedly, the above statement can require an entire paper in itself. For now, suffice it to say that certainly the Euro-American ideas of Chivalry, Nobility of spirit, Honor, and Romance owe their origin to the "Knightly Romance" of the Middle Ages and the updating ("romantization") of those ideas in the nineteenth century. It is therefore, I believe, instructive to look at what was expressed on the current topic by that culture.
The attitude is expressed quite succinctly by Thomas Malory (through the lips of King Arthur) in his "Morte d'Artur" (the tale of the "Knight of the Two Swords"). As usual, Arthur and his knights are feasting when in comes a lady bearing a sword sheathed upon her hip. "Madam," Arthur says, "remove that, for it is unseemly for a lady to wear a knightly weapon." (there is, of course, a strong distinction between wearing the weapon and bringing the same to a man -- as the Lady of the Lake does for Arthur).
The "Morte d'Artur" is the one Arthurian work that is most well known today and the one that is the most direct source of the modern image of Arthur, the Arthurian legend, and the general concepts of romantic chivalry. It is therefore interesting, and possibly instructive, to know, that the "Morte d'Artur" was most likely written while Malory was incarcerated for rape.
Which leads quite directly to the one work of the "High Middle Ages" dealing most specifically with the concept of the "Warrior Woman" -- "The Nibelungenlied" (or "Ring of the Nibelungs").
To summarize the relevant part of the "Romance" --
In order to marry his own bride, Siegfried must help the bride's brother and guardian to marry Brunhild. Brunhild is the woman ruler of a far off land. She is unmarried, and will only marry the suitor who will best her in a series of contests of warrior prowess. The suitor who loses a contest forfeits his life. Brunhild has a miraculous strength and tremendous abilities as a warrior and many suitors have already perished at her hand.
Siegfried, who is her only match, fixes the contests. He dons his helmet of invisibility and "assists" his bride's brother in conquering Brunhild.
But this is not enough, after the wedding, Brunhild rebufs her new spouse's advances every night. Finally, Siegfried once more dons his helmet of invisibility. Unbeknownst to Brunhild, Siegfried enters the marital chamber with the newlyweds. When Brunhild attempts to rebuff her husband again, Siegfried holds her down, while her husband takes her by force.
As soon as this act is complete, Brunhild loses her warrior powers, and becomes a loving, devoted, obedient wife.

The Salmon Leap The most distinctive image of heroic combat in the Irish tales is the "Warrior's Salmon Leap" (with which one can strike down an enemy or cross a ravine). Cuchulain learned from, fought, and had a son by warrior women. Here, one of these has used the "Salmon Leap" against him (though I admit that I have no idea what this tactic actually looked like). The sword and shield designs are based on archeological finds. The woman's hair is braided, as that of all women described in the tales. Cuchulain's hair is raised and hardened with lyme into spikes, as that of the Celtic warriors of the period. The woman wears a shirt of maile of the design found in relation to early Celtic sites (a vest with a separate shoulder defense) the design later copied by the Romans. The tales describe Cuchulain's armour as being of multiple bull hides, researchers have said this was of scale design, as I illustrate. Learn more about Maile Learn more about Scale Learn more about Armour in general

The message of the story is simple and direct -- There is something wrong with a powerful woman. She is wicked (the killing of the suitors). Her power only exists in some absence of femininity (she loses her power upon the loss of her virginity). And -- most glaringly -- the powerful woman must be conquered and made subservient. She does not know what's good for her -- Her rape is justified in bringing forth her loving, caring nature. This is the image of woman inherited by Euro-American society. Here is the source for the belief that the "Warrior Arts" are not appropriate for women, and are not engaged in by "normal" women.
But the vehemence of the story is interesting. Why such a polemic against a woman warrior and ruler? To paraphrase Shakespeare, the author of "The Nibelungenlied", seems to protest too much. Though Europe's Middle Ages were a time of fierce patriarchalism, strong women were at times able to rise above their station and attain power. But the story may not just be a propaganda piece against the powerful women of Europe. Brunhild is not a European ruler. Ruling a far off land, she may well be the half remembered reflection in European legend of the real Women Warriors of nations to the East.

Prehistoric "Man"
To quote, from memory, professor White of NYU, "Judging from the illustrations and descriptions of Stone-Age people in the popular books, you'd think that Woman had not yet come into existance." Or, more correctly, one may take as a firmly known given that the women tended children and mended clothing while the men were artists, priests, and hunters.
In reality, these images of Prehistory tell us more about the modern world in the mind of the illustrator, then they do about Prehistoric society. The truth of the matter is, there is little if any evidence about what the division of labor was (or whether there was any) for the ancient hunter-gatherer. It is just as likely that women made flint knives, carved objects and painted walls, while men cooked or mended clothing, as any other version of what that division was.

The Scythians
For a long time the images of Amazons in Greek mythology were taken as simply fantasy with little or no basis in fact. However, it is now established that, among the Scythian and Sarmatian tribes of Asia Minor and Ancient Eastern Europe, women held high positions as both Warriors and Priests.
Numerous burial mounds, called "Kurgans" in Russian, have been uncovered from these civilizations. Most of the more opulent ones held bodies buried with the horses, weapons and armour of warriors, and not just the simple arms of soldiers but gold and jewel decorated arms that signify leadership. Many of those opulent "ruler" tombs were classified earlier in the century as belonging to young chieftains -- because of the smaller build of the warriors. However, with the technology and open thinking of recent research, these have been reevaluated and seen for what they are -- Women Chiefs, Priestesses, and Warrior Priesteses.

The Irish
Fifth century Church documents and decrees deride and forbid the practice by the Irish of placing women at the forefront of combat units. These documents describe this as an abuse of the women and the decree against the practice as protection for the women.
Irish heroic legends belie that claim. Instead, the stories of "the Red Branch of Ulster" refer to a number of Warrior Women. Women who are every bit as competent at the warrior arts as the male warriors, and more so. Women who are at the forefront of battles because they are leading the battles.
The most important of these is

Persia

Sohrab and Gordafarid "...Gordafarid, as she was turning in her saddle, drew a sharp blade from her waist, Struck at his lance, and parted it in two." -- from the Shahname of Abol-Qasem Ferdowsi The writer describes both heroes as putting on a horseman's coat of maile (which I have read to mean a long coat). Gordafarid (on the right) wore a Roman helmet (which I interpreted as a reference to a late Roman cavalry helmet of Romano-Sassanian design), while Sohrab wore a Chinese one (in my interpretation, a pear shaped helmet with lamellar neck defense -- a Central or East Asian design found as far West as Germany). I have felt free to add splint arm and leg defenses (a defense of Central Asian origin and thus fitting a "Turk" armour) for Sohrab, and a gauntlet found only in a 6th century Persian grave for Gordafarid. Historically, other illustrators of the Shahname have felt more free to disregard Ferdowsi's description (as I did in an illustration of Sohrab fighting his father). Learn more about Maile Learn more about Helmets Learn more about Arm Defenses and Leg Defenses Learn more about Armour in general

Central Asia

The Ghuz

Vasilisa Mikulichna The other archers with Vasilisa are: Dobrinya Nikitich, wearing the Phrygian cap (the cap of a holy pilgrim, with which this hero once killed a dragon), Vaska Dolgopoly (long coat tails), the hero whose weakness is his long coat which may trip him in battle, and Alesha Popovitch (the priest's son), wearing a jeweled cross, necklace, rings, and a fur and silk cap set with precious stones -- this hero's weakness was avarice. While Vasilisa beat all of the heroes of Kiev in wrestling and archery, Dobrinya and Alesha were the two mentioned by name in the tale. Learn more about Archery Learn more about Armour in general

Russian Tales

Ilya Murometz and his daughter The tale records the daughter's braids and large fur hat. However, while it says that their armour was strong (that they hit each other in the chest with steel maces until the maces broke), it does not describe that armour. I have therefore made educated guesses -- She wears a Central Asian harness (as she is often in the tale described as a Tatar) consisting of a girdle of Lamellar over a long shirt of maile, reinforced with mirrors at the center of the chest and back, with Bazuband lower arm defenses. He wears a very distinctly Russian maile and plates vest (called "Kolontar") over a long shirt of maile, a distinctly Russian style of helmet (a Kolpak with a brim), upper leg armour of brigandine, and cloth mitten gauntlets. Learn more about Maile Learn more about Maile and Plates Learn more about Lamellar Learn more about Mirror Armour Learn more about Brigandine Learn more about Helmets Learn more about Arm Defenses and Leg Defenses Learn more about Armour in general

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