List of Top 10 Female Warriors in History

Top 10 Female Warriors in History: Joan of Arc is considered the most popular female warrior throughout History. She successfully led the French army and achieved so many victories in the Hundred Years’ War. On the other hand, in Indian History, Rani Lakshmibai of Jhansi is considered the most famous female warrior. She leads her army during the Indian Rebellion of 1857. For her bravery, patriotism, and heroic personality, she is considered the national hero of India.

In this article, we are going to discuss the Top 10 Female Warrior in History in detail.

Top 10 Female Warriors in History

In ancient times women were restricted in their traditional roles and they were not allowed to fight the war. Here are the top 10 Female Warrior in History who broke this tradition and fought bravely for their nations as mentioned below.

Warrior Name	Time Frame	Country	Famous For
Fu Hao	c. 1200 BC	China	Military leadership in the Shang Dynasty
Tomyris	fl. 530 BC	Massagetae (Central Asia)	Defeating and killing Cyrus the Great
Artemisia I of Caria	fl. 480 BC	Caria (Asia Minor)	Naval commander in the Battle of Salamis
Cynane	c. 358 – 323 BC	Macedonia	Military prowess, mother of Alexander IV
Olympias	Unknown	Macedonia	Mother of Alexander the Great
Eurydice	Unknown	Macedonia	Queen consort, wife of Philip II
Queen Teuta	fl. 229 BC	Illyria	Leading Illyrian naval forces
Boudicca	d. 60/61 AD	Britannia	Leading the rebellion against the Romans
Triệu Thị Trinh	ca. 222 – 248 AD	Vietnam	Military leader against Chinese invasions
Zenobia	240 – c. 275 AD	Palmyrene Empire	The queen who challenged Roman authority

1. Fu Hao – China

Lady Fu Hao was one of the 60 wives of Emperor Wu Ding during ancient China’s Shang Dynasty. She did something different by being both a priestess and a general in the army. Records on ancient bones say Fu Hao led many battles, commanded 13,000 soldiers, and was a top military leader. Lots of weapons found in her tomb show she was a strong warrior. She even had her own land near her husband’s empire. They found her tomb in 1976, and now anyone can visit it.

Name	Fu Hao
Title	Queen, Military General
Dynasty	Shang Dynasty (c. 13th century BCE)
Spouse	King Wu Ding
Military Role	General, Commander-in-Chief
Achievements	Led military campaigns, controlled territories, conducted rituals
Tomb	Discovered in Yinxu (modern-day Anyang, China)
Excavation Year	1976
Excavation Site	Yinxu
Significance	One of the few known female military leaders in ancient China

2. Tomyris – Massagetae

Tomyris was the Queen of the Massaegetae, a group of nomadic tribes living near the Caspian Sea around 2,600 years ago. She became famous for fighting against the Persian king, Cyrus the Great. After Cyrus defeated her in battle and her son died, Tomyris sought revenge. She challenged Cyrus to another fight and won, ultimately defeating him in battle.

Name	Tomyris
Title	Queen of the Massagetae
Birth	Circa 6th century BCE
Death	Circa 530 BCE
Culture	Scythian
Known for	Defeating Cyrus the Great of Persia
Achievements	– Led the Massagetae to victory against the Persian Empire
	– Strategically defeated and killed Cyrus the Great
Legacy	– Considered a symbol of resistance against foreign invasions
	– Her victory over Cyrus is celebrated in various historical accounts

3. Artemisia I of Caria – Caria

Artemisia was a queen from Ancient Greece. She lived in the late 5th century BC. She was friends with the Persian King, Xerxes I. She fought for him in the second Persian invasion of Greece. Xerxes thought highly of her and gave her rewards for how well she fought.

Name	Artemisia I of Caria
Birth	Approximately 5th century BCE
Death	Approximately 4th century BCE
Nationality	Carian
Title	Queen of Caria
Achievements	– Sovereign ruler of Caria – Distinguished naval commander – Notable participation in the Battle of Salamis (480 BCE) alongside the Persians

4. Cynane – Macedonia

Cynane was the daughter of King Philip II of Macedon. His first wife Audata was an Illyrian Princess. She was also the half sister of Alexander the Great and raised by Audata in the Illyrian tradition. She fought alongside Alexander the Great and once defeated an Illyrian queen, showcasing her military skill.

Name	Cynane
Birth	c. 357 BC
Death	c. 323 BC
Birthplace	Macedon
Title	Military commander, daughter of Philip II
Known For	Military leadership, bravery
Relationship	Half-sister of Alexander the Great
Legacy	Influential in Macedonian politics and military; mother of Eurydice of Macedon

5. Olympias – Macedonia

Olympias was a Greek princess and the mom of Alexander the Great. She was the fourth wife of Philip II. He was the king of Macedonia. Olympias broke the rules for women in her time and was a strong figure in Alexander’s life. She practically led Macedonia during his conquests. Some say she supported Alexander’s belief that his real father was Zeus, not Philip.

Attribute	Description
Name	Olympias
Birth Date	c. 375 BC
Birthplace	Epirus, Ancient Greece
Father	Neoptolemus I, King of Epirus
Mother	Polyxena
Spouse	Philip II of Macedon
Son	Alexander the Great
Daughter	Cleopatra of Macedon
Occupation	Queen consort of Macedon
Legacy	Mother of Alexander the Great, significant figure in Macedonian and Greek history
Notable Events	– Played a role in the rise of Macedon as a regional power – Allegedly involved in the murder of Philip II – Influential in the early reign of her son, Alexander the Great

6. Eurydice – Macedonia

There are different stories about Eurydice. In one, she is known as the wife of Orpheus, a musician from Greek mythology. Orpheus tried to rescue her from the underworld, but he looked back at her, breaking a promise, and lost her forever. In another story, she’s a sea nymph called a Nereid. She’s also mentioned as the wife of King Aeolus and the mother of his sons. Additionally, there’s a story where she’s a nymph and the daughter of Apollo, chased by someone named Aristaeus after marrying Orpheus.

Name	Eurydice
Origin	Greek Mythology
Spouse	Orpheus
Parents	Apollo (sometimes), King Oeagrus
Residence	Thrace (in mythological accounts)
Status	Mortal
Fate	Died from a snake bite, then descended to the Underworld
Notable Fact	Subject of the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, where Orpheus tries to rescue her from the Underworld by charming Hades with his music
Symbolism	Represents the fragility of mortal life and the power of love and music
Depictions	Various artworks, literature, and music pieces portray her story

7. Queen Teuta – Illyria

Teuta was a Queen of the Ardiaei tribe in Illyria around 230 BC. When Romans visited her to talk about Illyrian expansion, one of them got angry and shouted at her. Teuta didn’t like this and had the young diplomat killed. This made Rome angry and led to the First Illyrian War. Rome won by 228 BC, and Teuta had to leave her country.

Name	Queen Teuta
Birth	Unknown (probably between 230-220 BCE)
Death	Unknown (probably after 228 BCE)
Reign	Around 231–228 BCE
Title	Queen of Illyria
Achievements	– Gained control in Illyria
	– Did piracy and expanded, especially in the Adriatic Sea
	– Fought against Roman expansion in the Adriatic area
Notable Events	– First Illyrian War (229 – 228 BCE)
	– Took Corcyra island (modern-day Corfu) in 229 BCE
Legacy	– Her stand against Roman growth influenced the time’s big picture
	– Seen as an example of Illyrian standing up to stronger countries
	– Her rule is seen as a sign of future conflicts between Rome and Balkan nations

8. Boudicca – Britannia

Boudicca was a queen of a Celtic tribe in Britain. She rebelled against the powerful Roman Empire because they mistreated her family. When her husband died, the Romans took control and harmed her and her daughters. In response, Boudicca gathered an army and attacked Roman towns, including London. She even defeated one of Rome’s legions. But eventually, the Romans defeated her, and Boudicca chose to end her own life.

Name	Boudicca (also spelled Boadicea)
Title/Rank	Queen of the Iceni
Birth	Estimated around 25 AD
Death	Around 60 or 61 AD (exact date uncertain)
Ethnicity	British Celtic
Tribe	Iceni
Husband	Prasutagus (King of the Iceni)
Children	Two daughters (names unknown)

9. Triệu Thị Trinh Vietnam

Lady Triệu, a warrior from 3rd century Vietnam. She is known for freeing her country from Chinese control. She was tall and had large breasts that she tied up during battles. She fought on an elephant. However, Chinese history does not mention her. But for the Vietnamese, Lady Triệu is a very important figure from that period.

Full Name	Triệu Thị Trinh
Occupation	Military leader, strategist
Known For	Leading Vietnamese armies against Chinese invaders
Achievements	– Led successful resistance against Chinese
	– Earned reputation as a skilled strategist
	– Played significant role in Vietnamese history
Notable Battles	Battle of Lang Bac, Battle of Hanoi
Legacy	Remembered as a national hero in Vietnamese history
	Continues to inspire patriotism and resistance

10. Zenobia – Palmyrene Empire

Zenobia, the Queen of Syria’s Palmyrene Empire in 267 AD, took over Egypt from the Romans just 2 years into her rule. But her empire did not last long. The Roman Emperor Aurelian defeated her in 271. After that, some say she died soon after, while others believe she married a Roman governor and lived a luxurious life in Rome, known as a famous philosopher, socialite, and matron. Zenobia, nicknamed the ‘Warrior Queen’, was smart and could speak many languages. She acted more like a man, doing things like riding horses, drinking, and hunting with her officers.

Born	c. 240 AD
Place of Birth	Palmyrene Empire (modern-day Syria)
Reign	267 – c. 272 AD
Title	Queen of the Palmyrene Empire
Spouse	Odaenathus
Children	Vaballathus (with Odaenathus)
Known For	Asserting Palmyrene independence from Rome
	Military campaigns against Roman Empire
	Patronage of arts and architecture
	Intellectual pursuits and cultural development
Defeat	Captured by Roman Emperor Aurelian in 272 AD
Death	Date unknown, possibly after 274 AD
Legacy	Symbol of resistance against Roman expansion
	Subject of admiration in literature and history
	Influence on later queens and leaders

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Summary – Top 10 Female Warriors in History

The article explores the top 10 female warriors in history, highlighting their remarkable feats and contributions. From ancient China’s Lady Fu Hao, known for her military leadership in the Shang Dynasty, to Boudicca, the Celtic queen who rebelled against Roman oppression in Britannia, each warrior exhibited courage, strategic prowess, and resilience in the face of adversity. Other notable figures include Tomyris, who defeated Cyrus the Great of Persia, and Zenobia, the Queen of the Palmyrene Empire, who challenged Roman authority. These women defied traditional gender roles, fought for their nations, and left lasting legacies as symbols of strength and determination.

FAQs on Top 10 Female Warriors in History

Who was a mythical female warrior?

Athena is an armed warrior goddess, and appears in Greek mythology as a helper of many heroes, including Heracles, Jason, and Odysseus. Enyo, a minor war goddess, delights in bloodshed and the destruction of towns, and accompanies Ares—said to be her father, in other accounts her brother—in battles.

Who was the first woman warrior?

Epipole of Carystus is one of the first women who are reported to have fought in a war. 13th century BCE – Lady Fu Hao, consort of the Chinese emperor Wu Ding, led 3,000 troops into battle during the Shang dynasty.

Who was a warrior queen?

Queen Amina, known as the “Warrior Queen,” ruled Kaduna State, which was an approximately 500-square mile region located in the northwest region of Nigeria, in the mid 16th century.

Who was the last female warrior?

Nakano Takeko (1847-1868): The leader of the Jōshitai (Girls’ Army), she participated in the Boshin war, leading several women in a charge against the Imperial forces. Due to the reforms of the Meiji era, Takeko and the women of Jōshitai were some of the last samurai in history.

Which goddess is a warrior?

Greek goddess Athena, commonly referred to as the warrior goddess. As a strong, beautiful, and powerful goddess Athena was depicted often watching over the warriors of Greece.

Who is Indian warrior lady?

Uda Devi Pasi, born in Uttar Pradesh, India, became a fierce warrior after her husband’s death in the Battle of Chinhat. Skilled in archery, she courageously fought against the British in multiple battles, reportedly single-handedly eliminating 30 British soldiers.