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Female in roman army
#1
Hi to all,

                    Did ever involve any time female in roman army and any link
                    where we read about this matter ?

with best regards-sajid
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#2
Actively in combat? Not as far as I know of.

Well, the ERE had once an empress, if that counts for you. Some other women of the royal family were pretty influential and active, too. But rather politically and not in the army.

The wife of a general of Germanicus prevented that the panicking romans destroyed the bridge over the Rhine, while her husband was on his way back chased by the germans. This is the most militarian affair a woman was involved in, I remember.
Ut desint vires, tamen est laudanda voluntas
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#3
I have a feeling that Roman soldiers would have considered it a very bad omen if a woman was discovered amongst their ranks.
Author: Bronze Age Military Equipment, Pen & Sword Books
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#4
There is one exception: in one of the Sieges of Thessalonika during the 8th or 9th century, it is recorded that Women made military turbans and Kavadions for themselves, implying that they may have been allowed to help garrison the city.

Other than that, no.
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#5
well probably the whores that followed the troops around
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Gelu I.
www.terradacica.ro
www.porolissumsalaj.ro
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#6
(12-14-2015, 07:02 AM)Gunthamund Hasding Wrote: well probably the whores that followed the troops around

Or possibly Women Shoemakers(or other crafts), although I dont know of any directly associated with the army, female Shoemakers or "Sutrix" existed....
Ivor

"And the four bare walls stand on the seashore. a wreck a skeleton a monument of that instability and vicissitude to which all things human are subject. Not a dwelling within sight, and the farm labourer, and curious traveller, are the only persons that ever visit the scene where once so many thousands were congregated." T.Lewin 1867
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#7
I'm now confused. I was under the impression that the OP was asking about female combatants, not slaves and other camp followers.
Author: Bronze Age Military Equipment, Pen & Sword Books
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#8
(12-14-2015, 08:14 AM)Dan Howard Wrote: I'm now confused. I was under the impression that the OP was asking about female combatants, not slaves and other camp followers.

This was what I was answering, female combatants.

Not even famous women from the time period like Boudicca and Zenobia fought. We like to think they did with modern feminism and that stuff, but they sat back and watched at best, if they were even there on the battlefield.
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#9
sadly no shield maiden for SPQR
[Image: 66ddab85cb7c4835e54ab0f48ed417da.jpg]
-----------------
Gelu I.
www.terradacica.ro
www.porolissumsalaj.ro
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#10
(12-15-2015, 07:29 AM)Gunthamund Hasding Wrote: sadly no shield maiden for SPQR
[Image: 66ddab85cb7c4835e54ab0f48ed417da.jpg]
Ahh so thats what Sulpichia Lepidina looked like Big Grin

https://www.academia.edu/11712262/2012._...ow._105-14
Ivor

"And the four bare walls stand on the seashore. a wreck a skeleton a monument of that instability and vicissitude to which all things human are subject. Not a dwelling within sight, and the farm labourer, and curious traveller, are the only persons that ever visit the scene where once so many thousands were congregated." T.Lewin 1867
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#11
(12-15-2015, 11:06 AM)Crispianus Wrote: Ahh so thats what Sulpichia Lepidina looked like Big Grin

I am pretty sure, that the wife of a roman commander knew, that the survivability of a dual-wielding centurion with lorica musculata is rather limited.  Wink
Ut desint vires, tamen est laudanda voluntas
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#12
(12-14-2015, 10:26 PM)Flavivs Aetivs Wrote:
(12-14-2015, 08:14 AM)Dan Howard Wrote: I'm now confused. I was under the impression that the OP was asking about female combatants, not slaves and other camp followers.

This was what I was answering, female combatants.

Not even famous women from the time period like Boudicca and Zenobia fought. We like to think they did with modern feminism and that stuff, but they sat back and watched at best, if they were even there on the battlefield.

Is that actually something we know? or just something we are guessing about?
Thomas Aagaard
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#13
As far as I can discover, no females ever fought in the Roman Army. There's no mention of such a person by ancient authors, Roman or otherwise. And unlike Barbarian graves, no archaeological evidence points to a Roman woman having weapons buried with her. Maybe I'm wrong on this, but I don't think so. Wink

Sajid, Please go to "Search" at the top right of these pages. Search for "Women in a Roman Unit." There were over 30 posts on this same subject. However, I believe you will come to the same conclusion. Big Grin
Alan J. Campbell

member of Legio III Cyrenaica and the Uncouth Barbarians

Author of:
The Demon's Door Bolt (2011)
Forging the Blade (2012)

"It's good to be king. Even when you're dead!"
             Old Yuezhi/Pazyrk proverb
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#14
(12-15-2015, 11:06 AM)Crispianus Wrote: Is that actually something we know? or just something we are guessing about?

I doubt we know, where exactly Boudicca was at the final battle. Perhaps where a leader has to be: somewhere on this famous hill behind the lines?

Regarding Zenobia, who played a bit of a different role, it is a good guess, that she never saw a battlefield. But just a good guess.

However, I do not expect from a woman, even not a british one, if the roman stories about british female warriors are right at all, to be as crazy as Julius Caesar or Alexander and ride directly to the front. Women are usually more reasonable. And both were commanders in chief. The majority of ancient commanders led from behind the lines, if I remember correctly. Even crazy Caesar did so, as long as the shit did not hit the fan. And what do we really know about him? The main source about Caesar is he himself writing the perhaps best propaganda of all times.
Ut desint vires, tamen est laudanda voluntas
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#15
"Is this something we know?"

I'll stick with my answer on Post #13. If Roman women went into the battlefield, at least one ancient author would have mentioned a specific case. They loved to create drama, and such an incident would be "news." Instead we receive absolute silence. All modern suppositions in the world can't dispute a total lack of a singular example from ancient authors. Cool
Alan J. Campbell

member of Legio III Cyrenaica and the Uncouth Barbarians

Author of:
The Demon's Door Bolt (2011)
Forging the Blade (2012)

"It's good to be king. Even when you're dead!"
             Old Yuezhi/Pazyrk proverb
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