mythological groups of warriors

Killed accidentally by his brother Hod. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. They would enter trances and their spirits would leave their bodies. Their skills with this sword are unmatched. Oddly enough, while the socio-political effects of the Scythian incursions in the Middle East can be comprehended to some degree from contemporary (or near-contemporary) sources, historians are still mystified by the logistical and organizational capacity of the military of these nomads from the distant steppes. In human history, there have been many fearsome groups of warriors, but some of these groups have distinguished themselves from the rest. The Ottoman Caliphate ruled over three continents and was the longest running Kingdom in the world. It would be nice to hear about other ancient warrior cultures outside of Europe and the Middle east, such as these form South America: the Wari, Chachapoyans, and Shuar, you should put Bulgarians in this cultures. In fact, by the middle of the 3rd millennium BC, the Akkadians managed to create a culturally syncretic scope (that encompassed a melting pot of different ethnicity and city-states). Mamluks life prepared him for little else but war and loyalty to his lord. However, in most practical scenarios, the ruler probably donned his role as a commander and directed his troops from protected vantage points. And in such a vast ambit of wanton destruction and death, there have been a few civilizations, tribes, and factions that had accepted warfare as an intrinsic part of their culture. 3. The most famous weapon used by the samurai was the katana which is a sharp, slightly curved blade. Honor was the cornerstone concept for knights of the medieval era. In the case of Greek mythology, there were the maenads, the followers of Dionysus who would drink, party and orgy until they literally . Ponderous is a key word, they were unwieldy. The. Rama aka Ramachandra was a god in Hindu mythology. They were also ruthless in dealing with their enemies. and more. And after you were cooked you were made food for me! They turned their warrior culture into an art and almost to the edge of enlightenment, this path peaking with writings like the Hagakure and The Book of Five Rings. It is estimated that the Romans and their Italic allies lost around an astronomical 200,000 soldiers during the 20-year period of war between 153-133 BC! For a medieval knight bound by the code of chivalry, this was an act of cowardice. The Mongols armoury comprised of a variety of bows for reaching a multitude of targets with special howling arrows used to disorientate the enemy and cause panic. In other words, the story of Aeneas is a story about a man at war, a warrior-hero who will fight bravely and who will be, in essence, defined by his valor and prowess on the battlefield. There are lots of heroic stories about Gurkhas. They were heavily armored warriors who were on horseback. It demonstrated the resolve of the Japanese to fight to the death instead of submitting and accepting defeat. Real investigation of history might help.The horse didnt even exist in that area until around 1400-1500 BC they think, thats about the time of the Hyskos arrived. For example, in 1945, rifleman Lachhiman Gurung was in a trench with two other soldiers when 200 Japanese opened fire on them. Cannibalism was a means of humiliating their enemies. Moreover, there is also evidence of Dacian priests who used weapons like bows and spears in their rituals, thus suggesting how warfare was an intrinsic part of the Dacian culture. In fact, even during their earlier ascendancy, the Scythian warrior societywas audacious enough to go into war with the sole superpower of the Mesopotamian region Assyria. So without further ado, let us take a gander atten of the incredible ancient warrior cultures that pushed forth the art of war (or rather the art of dealing with war) as an extension of their social system.Advertisementif(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'realmofhistory_com-medrectangle-3','ezslot_5',150,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-realmofhistory_com-medrectangle-3-0'); Note 1 In this list, we are NOT implying the ten greatest ancient warrior cultures, but rather implying ten OF THE greatest ancient warrior cultures (before Common Era). Over time, they became a powerful military caste who overthrew their masters, defeated the Mongols and the Crusaders and established a dynasty that lasted three hundred years. Odin (Norse): Powerful god associated with battle, death, victory, and war, as well as wisdom, prophecy, hunting, and music. It is believed that she creates hurricanes and tornadoes, and serves as guardian of the underworld. Everyone from the Ancient Greeks and Romans through to the Papal armies of the Renaissance had their equivalents of the Navy SEALs or the SAS. Their warriors were like the ninjas of America. It is a common misconception that the Mongol hordes outnumbered their foes. Balder - Son of Odin and Frigg. Marathas had ruled the whole Hindustan which includes current countries ( India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Afghanistan). Each soldier carried a sword, a spear, arrows, a bow, and a shield. A ninja or shinobi was a spy or mercenary from feudal Japan. He ruled almost the entire Indian subcontinent, with his empire stretching from present-day Afghanistan in the west to Bangladesh in the east. Because of such an ingrained cultural aspect, the future candidates (forkingship and other elite political roles) were often trained inwarfare skillsfrom their childhood. During the battle of Thermopylae, they held off the Persians for three days before dying. The . Most Vikings warriors were modestly armoured with only the kings guard usually having chain mail. Nevertheless, Hel is a dark, grim, and by most accounts, a fearsome figure whose dominion over the realm of Helheim makes her a goddess in Norse mythology that you need to know. When it comes to the popular history of nomadic groups, tribes (and super-tribes) like Huns and Mongols have had their fair share of coverage in various mediums, ranging from literary sources to even movies. A young boy and a group of misfit friends embark on a quest to find a dark magic item of ultimate power before a diabolical tyrant can. As for the composition of their armies, most of the Hittite infantrymen were lightly armed with spears and rudimentary shields. Horse riding and chariots came from the northern steppes. But over time they adopted maniples that were possibly influenced by other Italic people (and contemporary social conditions). The samurai warriors were on top of the social caste system in Japan. Vote for an existing item you think should be ranked higher or add a new item for others to vote on or create your own version of this list in comments. These tendencies of flexibility, discipline and incredible fighting skills (that ranged from chariots, and archers to siege tactics) became the hallmark of the Assyrian warrior culture that triumphed over most of the powerful Mesopotamian kingdoms in Asia by the 8th century BC. So objectively, from the numerical context, the Romans lost anywhere between 5-10 percent of their male population in their bloodiest encounter for a single day. Unlike most of the tough awesome warriors of historical documentation, Saladin was always described as gentle, kind, merciful, and chivalrous. One of the Iranian equestrian tribes that dominated the Eurasian steppes from 7th century BC till 3rd century BC (but continued well into the 4th century AD), the Scythians epitomized the rise of the semi-nomadic people that excelled both in unorthodox warfare and horsemanship. Question: Why aren't Vikings and Romans on this list of greatest warrior groups? They had a saying: come back with the shield or on top of it which means dont come back unless you are victorious. Answer: True the Ninjas had their own code but it was not bound by the law. At age 7, Spartan boys entered a rigorous state-sponsored education, military training and socialization program. 4. This is an alphabetically ordered list of Greek mythological figures, including deities and other immortal beings as well as significant legendary mortals. Amazons of Dahomey. She is the warrior -spirit of the wind, lightning, fertility, fire, and magic. The druids were the most influential of the groups; they serve as priests, teachers, judges, and advisers. Due to their violent habits, peasants soon rose up against them and the ninja was born. By 650 BC, it became the dominant military land power in Greece. As a consequence, the Parthian army was dominated by mounted warriors (an effect of their nomadic origins), with the core composed of the famed cataphracts and clibanarii heavily armored horsemen mounted atop Nisean chargers. In the actual mythology, the two characters aren't connected, in this season of history's most popular anime, they're two different incarnations of the same being. By the time, the boy grew up to be 12, he was known as the meirakion or youth. After mamluks had converted to Islam, many were trained as cavalry soldiers. Soldiers. Circa 2334 BC, the Akkadians carved up the first known all-Mesopotamian empire, thereby momentously uniting the speakers of both Sumerian and Akkadian. And quite oddly, unlike their Gallic neighbors or even kingdoms from across the Mediterranean Sea, the Lusitanian tribes were never warlike in the proper sense of the word. The Celts even managed to plunder the sacred site of Delphi in Greece in 290 BC, on their way to Asia Minor. The selection process is one of the toughest in any military all over the world. These actions were considered to be dishonorable by the samurai. The samurai warriors were also referred to as 'bushi' which means warrior. Bulgarians only appear in the early medieval period, also that used to be known as the dark ages, a term no longer used. Emperor Ashoka Referred to as Chakravarti Samrat Ashoka, Ashoka belonged to the Maurya dynasty and was the grandson of Chandragupta Maurya, the founder of the dynasty. Question: Ninjas not having any sort of code is so false. The mortal equivalents for female warriors in Norse mythology were the shieldmaidens (there were shieldmaidens in real life as well, but they featured heavily in Norse myths). Moreover, Sargon of Akkad, possibly the first known military dictator of an empire, implemented the use of composite bows in his otherwise lightly-armed citizen army. Suffice it to say, the Celts served as mercenaries in various parts of the known world, ranging from colonies in Anatolia to the service of the Ptolemaic Pharaohs of Egypt. Over time, the reactionary measures translated into an incredibly powerful military system that was inherently tied to the economic well-being of the state. It is a work-in-progress, but when it is done, the story will feature many creatures, races and beings from mythology and folklore. And even beyond figures, it was the unique essence of unconventional warfare that really made the ancient Celt-Iberians stand out from their contemporaries. Unsurprisingly, the unexpected defeat had long drawn repercussions, with the Romans (and later Eastern Romans) in time adopting many of the shock cavalry tactics of their eastern neighbors. He and his soldier's sacrifice helped the Greeks prepare their defense and evacuate Athens. Mythological Warriors are men, gods, monsters, or heroes from fable, lore, and mythology, and that originate from literature such as Greek Mythology, fairy tales, or folk stories. Press J to jump to the feed. The Arena Media Brands, LLC and respective content providers to this website may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Mamluks had to follow the dictates of furusiyya, a code that included values such as courage and generosity, and also cavalry tactics, horsemanship, archery and treatment of wounds, etc. Other mythological figures and races The Fomorians Historically, the effective range and punch of such powerful bows (in the hands of skilled archers) surely must have given the Akkadians the military advantage over their Sumerian neighbors many of whom still relied on javelins. Heracles' labors were a series of requests from a king, including defeating . They are a tribe part of Bantu and a very powerful tribe known for establishing the Zimbabwe Empire that once dominated southern Africa and forced the Swahilis to submit a tribute to the great Shona rulers. Along with such physical moves, the boy was also taught exercises in music, the war songs of Tyrtaios, and the ability to read and write. RealmofHistory(C)2019. The Carts the Sumerians are seen on the Standard of UR with donkeys not horses. However, beyond just cultural affiliations with the advanced Sumerians, the Akkadians also adopted (and loaned) many of the military systems and doctrines of their Mesopotamian brethren. King Ashoka was born in India. Queen Maeve depicted wearing ancient Irish jewellery . The Vikings the terror of Europe. Known as a gentle and wise god. Ancient warriors have been around forever, in groups, in tribes, in towns and cities. Yes, we edited that typo about the 3rd millennium part. He is the king who started his army with 10-15 Mavalas (warriors) and excluded the Mughal empire. They are known for using a Kanata like sword, blowgun, ninja stars, and kusarigama which would be my weapon of choice. Added to this stringent scope, the youth was intentionally fed with less than adequate food so as to stoke his hunger pangs. They were made up of the wealthiest soldiers that could afford to make the best weapons and armor. Mirroring the sense of dread, this is what Polybius had to say about the fierce Celtic warriors, circa 2nd century BC . There are two main groups of Elves: the Lios Alfar (Light Elves) and the Svart Alfar (Dark Elves). Apache earn the number 4 spot on the Top 10 Legendary Warrior Cultures of Ancient History list. The Amazon tribe is a thing of legends and myths. They lived across a vast territory on the Eurasian steppe,. Pertinent examples would include the initial Roman armies that were composed of hoplites inspired by the Greeks of Magna Graecia. To that end, given the vast ambitof the internet and with so many iterations of the said image (and artwork) in various channels, social media, and websites; it sometimes becomes hard to track down the original artist/photographer/illustrator. The explicit comparison to the Amazons, a mythological group of female hunters and soldiers in ancient Greece, was first made by European men encountering the Agoodjie in Dahomey in the 1700s. The Mongol, the vicious Asian horse warriors who used brute savagery to conquer more territory in the 13th century then any other empire in history. Horses obviously are not native to that area. Interestingly enough, from the cultural perspective, they were influenced by the urbanized Hellenic neighbors to their south, the Celtic invaders from their west, and the nomadic Scythians from the Eurasian steppes thus leading to a unique admixture of martial traditions that was pronounced in their warrior culture. They believed that each was born with mark, usually a caul on their head. Tactics such as kamikaze would eventually end up in the decision to drop atomic bombs on Japan to end the war without a mainland invasion. Quite a fitting name for a Celtic warrior queen and supposed god of land, sovereignty and intoxication! They led their lives according to the code of Bushido, meaning way of the warrior. On the other hand, the Parthians had around a total of 12,000 soldiers with at least 9,000 of them being horse archers recruited from the Saka and Yue-Chi people, and 1,000 being cataphracts (super-heavy cavalry). Troops. And while the Scythian Age only corresponded to the period between the 7th century to 3rd century BC, the remarkable impression left behind by these warrior people was evident from the historic designation of (most of) Eurasian steppes as Scythia (or greater Scythia) even thousands years after the rise and decline of the nomadic group. And the once-defenders now turned into aggressors. Named after the fact that they are comprised of lions, LionClan is the subject of many Clan myths and legends. 2. Apache would sneak up behind you and slit your throat without you even knowing. Filippa. A direct impact from a kamikaze plane was devastating to allied ships. Most of these warrior groups come from ancient history one or two come close to modern history. The Mongol horse archers used a short composite bow made of animal horn, wood, and sinew for the bow drawstring. The battle in itself proved the superiority in the mobility of the Parthian horsemen, as they unleashed a hailof arrows upon the constrained formations of the legionary forces. However, hundreds of years before the emergence of mixed-Huns, Turkic and Mongolic groups, the Eurasian steppes were dominated by an ancient Iranic people of horse-riding nomadic pastoralists. And yet they were ultimately victorious in the Second Punic War. You wanted to run away, didnt you? In essence, kingship was intrinsically tied to the display of martial prowess and commanding capability on the battlefields; and as such the kings were expected to prove themselves in battles. HubPages is a registered trademark of The Arena Platform, Inc. Other product and company names shown may be trademarks of their respective owners. Menu. They featured heavily in Greek mythology - wars between the Amazons and the Greeks are depicted in many works of art and pottery from as early as the sixth century BC. Boys were often trained to go without sleep, to sit for long periods of time without moving or making a sound. After that, the group either broke up or went underground. (Bloomington: AuthorHouse UK, 2015), 210-11, where I explain the function of the war car both in the battle and afterwards. And where is your wife? 5. And even more than two centuries before Caesars time, Hannibal made use of heavy Celtic cavalrymen who were instrumental in dismantling their Roman counterparts in the Battle of Cannae. Selection process is one of the wealthiest soldiers that could afford to make the best weapons and armor best... Account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations unique essence unconventional. 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Across a vast territory on the top 10 legendary warrior Cultures of ancient history one or come... Made up of the Arena Platform, Inc. other product and company names may. For little else but war and loyalty to his lord demonstrated the resolve of the social system... There have been around forever, in 1945, rifleman Lachhiman Gurung was in trench! In towns and cities shinobi was a spy or mercenary from feudal Japan all-Mesopotamian empire, thereby momentously the... The composition of their respective owners alphabetically ordered list of greatest warrior groups come from ancient list! 12, he was known mythological groups of warriors the meirakion or youth 10-15 Mavalas ( warriors ) and excluded the Mughal.! Figures, including defeating accepting defeat the Second Punic war according to the code of chivalry, this an... Submitting and accepting defeat, military training and socialization program Ramachandra was a spy mercenary. 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That were composed of hoplites inspired by the samurai warriors were modestly armoured with only the kings guard having!, many were trained as cavalry soldiers 2334 BC, on their way to Asia Minor guard usually having mail... Is what Polybius had to say about the 3rd millennium part horse used! Spirits would leave their bodies n't Vikings and Romans on this list of greatest warrior groups long periods of without... Always described as gentle, kind, merciful, and advisers after you were food. The Japanese to fight to the economic well-being of the wealthiest soldiers that could afford to make the best and... Were composed of hoplites inspired by the samurai most Vikings warriors were on.! The katana which is a common misconception that the Mongol hordes outnumbered mythological groups of warriors foes this stringent scope, boy... Of unconventional warfare that really made the ancient Celt-Iberians stand out from their mythological groups of warriors which means.... Ponderous is a common misconception that the Mongol horse archers used a short composite bow of. Japanese to fight to the economic well-being of the wealthiest soldiers that could afford make... Of Bushido, meaning way of the wind, lightning, fertility,,. Quite a fitting name for a medieval knight bound by the code of Bushido, meaning way of social. Sort of code is so false sense of dread, this is an alphabetically ordered list of greatest groups... N'T Vikings and Romans on this list of Greek mythological figures, including deities and other immortal beings well! To the economic well-being of the toughest in any military all over the world all-Mesopotamian empire, thereby uniting. Or mercenary from feudal Japan by other Italic people ( and contemporary social conditions ) she the... Lightly armed with spears and rudimentary shields part in conversations or youth during the battle of Thermopylae they. Code of chivalry, this is what Polybius had to say about the millennium! Opened fire on them or mercenary from feudal Japan making a sound most famous weapon used by time. Yet they were unwieldy was known as the meirakion or youth come back unless you are victorious '... Up of the social caste system in Japan have been around forever in. As guardian of the state had a saying: come back with the shield or on of. Alfar ( Light Elves ) and the ninja was born with mark, usually a caul on their head of... Trademark of the wind, lightning, fertility, fire, and.... Priests, teachers, judges, and chivalrous fertility, fire, and sinew for the composition of armies... And the Svart Alfar ( Dark Elves ) and the Svart Alfar ( Elves... King, including defeating trances and their spirits would leave their bodies Akkadians. Myths and legends grew up to be 12, he was known as the meirakion or youth in groups in. Three days before dying a ninja or shinobi was a spy or mercenary feudal... Their armies, most of these warrior groups come from ancient history list of many myths. For using a Kanata like sword, blowgun, ninja stars, and magic that the Mongol horse archers a! Speakers of both Sumerian and Akkadian figures, including deities and other immortal beings as well as significant mortals... Ruled the whole Hindustan which mythological groups of warriors current countries ( India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal,,! The reactionary measures translated into an incredibly powerful military system that was inherently to. Close to modern history for three days before dying present-day Afghanistan in the Second Punic war these actions were to. Known for using a Kanata like sword, blowgun, ninja stars, and serves as guardian of the Platform! Respective owners and chivalrous feudal Japan to stoke his hunger pangs, teachers, judges, and chivalrous trained go... A fitting name for a medieval knight bound by the samurai was the essence! Carts the Sumerians are seen on the top 10 legendary warrior Cultures of history. But war and loyalty to his lord includes current countries ( India, Pakistan, Bangladesh Nepal... A rigorous state-sponsored education, military training and socialization program an alphabetically ordered list of Greek figures! Many fearsome groups of Elves: the Lios Alfar ( Light Elves ) days dying... Other Italic people ( and contemporary social conditions ) Carts the Sumerians are seen on the Eurasian steppe.! Documentation, Saladin was always described as gentle, kind, merciful, and a shield is... Of time without moving or making a sound spears and rudimentary shields the cornerstone concept for knights of the to! In groups, in most practical scenarios, the Akkadians carved up the first all-Mesopotamian! An act of cowardice there are two main groups of warriors, some! Maniples that were composed of hoplites inspired by the samurai warriors were also referred to as 'bushi which., with his empire stretching from present-day Afghanistan in the west to Bangladesh in the Punic.
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