Description
History is full of stories about fighting women, but many prove to be more legend than fact. The only thoroughly documented Amazons in world history are the women warriors of Dahomey, an eighteenth- and nineteenth-century West African kingdom once called a “small black Sparta.” Like the Spartans, the people of Dahomey embraced intense militarism and collectivism, and the women trained their bodies from childhood through rigorous exercise. Originally palace guards, the Amazons became professional troops by the 1760s, armed mainly with muskets, machetes and clubs. Theoretically the king’s wives, they were sworn to celibacy and enjoyed semi-sacred status and numerous privileges. Their numbers eventually reached 6,000, and they served under female officers with their own bands, flags and insignia. They became frontline troops and fought with great determination until Dahomey’s defeat by France in 1892. Based on meticulous archival research, this book offers a comprehensive and accessible account of the women warriors of Dahomey, shaped by Alpern’s gift for narrative.
Information
Author: Alpern Stanley B.
Language: English
Publication date: April 1, 2011
Genres: English literature, Books, Foreign language books
Type: Paperback book
Pages: 280
ISBN/EAN: 9781849041089