From Camp Followers to Leaders: A Historical Evolution of the Role of Women in the Military
Journal: Contributions to Contemporary History
Year: 2025

The article traces the historical development of women’s roles in the armed forces, emphasising their participation in various military tasks throughout human history. Originally, women were attached to armies on the march, accompanying soldiers and mainly performing support roles. In Antiquity and the Middle Ages, women’s roles in the military remained relatively unchanged, despite the occasional emergence of female military leaders. It was only in modern times that this began to shift. Initial