Women in the roman army? (Combatants)

[Steakslim]

First of all I apoligize if this is in the wrong place and if this has been asked before. My question is would it be possible for a woman to disguise herself, join (For whatever reason) and serve in the legions as a fighter?

[Steakslim]

12 views 0 Replies God I hate you people

[Matthew Amt]

Well, in the Principate I understand that recruitment started with a physical examination by a doctor. Granted, medical technology wasn't quite what we have today, but I'm guessing most doctors could tell a girl from a boy.

If she gets past that, first day after training, everyone hits the bathhouse. Naked. "There's something different about that new kid, can't quite put my finger on it, hmmm...."

Given that, it's no wonder the accounts of women fighting in the Roman army disguised as men are so few! Sorry about that!

Matthew

[Steakslim]

Okay well what about the army of the Dominate?

[John Conyard]

The same applies I fear.

But Equal Opportunities legistlation certainly demands that women, well disguised as men, be allowed to take part in our public events.

[Marcus F.]

I guess only absolutely crazy women would have had the wish to join the Roman army.

[M. Demetrius]

IMHO, there is no possible way that a woman could disguise herself as a man in the tight confines of a 9' x 9' tent environment, and the public latrines, etc. Just wouldn't happen.

This has, of course, been discussed a number of times already.

In the modern reenactment world, some groups allow women to participate if they do the best they can at disguising themselves as men, some do not. It seems the majority of women don't want to kit up in 40 pounds of steel and wood and walk around in the sunny summer, and cold winter. Go figger. My speculation on that is that they're simply smarter than we.

[Sean Manning]

First of all I apoligize if this is in the wrong place and if this has been asked before. My question is would it be possible for a woman to disguise herself, join (For whatever reason) and serve in the legions as a fighter?

I think that the baths would pose a problem by the Imperial period, and so would have any physical examination of recruits. I'm sure it happened at least once, especially during periods of disorder, but I'm sure that a legionary was struck by lighting at least once too!

There are a few recorded cases of women joining 18th century armies, and we only know about them because our sources are so much better then. We wouldn't know about Mary Read if she hadn't become a particularly notorious pirate after two stints in the army! However, eighteenth-century Europeans had more of a male nudity taboo than Romans of the principate did.

[Steakslim]

Demtrius the seg only weighs around ten pounds

Dang! I could have an excellent book :evil: So your sure it wouldn't have happened during late roman times I mean whats one more goth who doesn't bathe?

[Robert Vermaat]

:evil: So your sure it wouldn't have happened during late roman times I mean whats one more goth who doesn't bathe?

Only in Hollywood I suppose. :twisted:

[Steakslim]

Could she have posed as a goth?

[caiusbeerquitius]

What? Like this?

[caiusbeerquitius]

...
or more like this?

[Steakslim]

Your a mod and your trolling

[Medusa Gladiatrix]

We had discussed the topic of women in the Roman army in this topic:

http://www.romanarmy.com/rat/viewtopic.php?t=20426

We came to the conclusion that there weren't any female legionaries, so far no traces of this have been found. The only fighting women in the Roman world of which we have proof where gladiatrices.