Warrior
A warrior is a person specializing in combat or warfare, especially within the context of a tribal or clan-based warrior culture society that recognizes a separate warrior class or caste.
Drawing of a Thracian peltast of 400 BC
Warrior classes in tribal culture
Further information: Trifunctional hypothesis and Martial Race
In tribal societies engaging in endemic warfare, warriors often form a caste or class of their own. In feudalism, the vassals
essentially form a military or warrior class, even if in actual
warfare, peasants may be called to fight as well. In some societies,
warfare may be so central that the entire people (or, more often, large
parts of the male population) may be considered warriors, for example in
the Iron Age Germanic tribes and Indian clans like the Rajputs.Women as warriors
Main article: Women warriors in literature and culture
While the warrior class in tribal societies is typically all-male,
there are some exceptions on record where women (typically unmarried,
young women) formed part of the warrior class.A purported group of fighting women is the legendary Amazons, recorded in Classical Greek mythology. Many Women not only fought on the field but led entire hosts of men within Pictish, Briton, and Irish Tribes in Pre Christian culture.[citation needed]
Military castes in feudal society
Further information: Estates of the Realm and Trifunctional hypothesis
The military caste in a feudal society is evolved from—but not identical with—the warrior class in a tribal society.Many pre-modern states had castes, estates or social groups dedicated to warfare. This includes the Khalsa and Kshatriya castes in ancient and modern India, the samurai class in feudal Japan, the Timawa and Maharlika classes in pre-colonial Philippines and noble knights in feudal Europe.
The warrior goddess Athena of Greek mythology - Musée du Louvre.
Behavioral codes
In many societies in which a specialized warrior class exists, specific codes of conduct (ethical code or honour code) are established to ensure that the warrior class is not corrupted or otherwise dangerous to the rest of society. Common features include valuing honour in the forms of faith, loyalty and courage.Examples include the following:
- Ethical codes of the early Germanic Peoples, as well as Prussian virtues
- Spartiate behavioral codes of discipline in the Spartan army.
- Virtues and skills of Gaelic kerns, modeled on the Fianna, semi-independent warrior bands in Irish mythology and Scottish mythology
- Medieval knights' code of chivalry;
- Samoa's Toa[disambiguation needed] class, which used a warrior code known as fa'aaloalo (respect) that is still in existence today;
- Kshatriya code of Dharma in Hinduism;
- Khalsa code of saint Soldiers in Sikhism;
- Japan's samurai class, which uses a warrior code known as Bushido (The Way Of The Warrior)
- Nepal's Gurkha, warriors from mountain and hills of Nepal.
- Chhetri's of Nepal, warrior and Kings caste of Nepal, original true Gurkhas.
- Xiá in China;
- French Foreign Legion Code d'Honneur, still in use today;
- Spanish Legion Credo legionario, still in use today, and
- Arab-Persian ethical code of Furusiyya during the Middle Ages.
Modern "warriors"
Modern warfare
An Indian Mughal Era Warrior and his wife
Due to the heroic connotations of the term "warrior", this metaphor is especially popular in publications advocating or recruiting for a country's military.[1]
Figurative use
In addition to the literal meaning, now mostly historical, the term has acquired a figurative sense referring to "a person who shows or has shown great vigor, courage, or aggressiveness, as in politics or athletics."[2] The "warrior" metaphor in sports is particularly popular in combat sport, as evident from brand names such as Warrior-1 MMA, Cage Warriors, Supreme Warrior Championship, etc. The company Warrior Roots combines the martial arts metaphor with the connotation of antiquity and tribal heritage by offering to test clients' "ancient ancestral roots" as well as their "genetic tendencies for various athletic characteristics".Spiritual warrior
Main article: Spiritual warrior
A spiritual warrior is a person who battles with the "universal enemy," self-ignorance (avidya), the ultimate source of suffering according to dharmic philosophies.[3] The term is applied in religious and metaphysical writing. There are self-described spiritual warriors.[4] The spiritual warrior can be described as an archetype character on a journey for self-discovery. [5]See also
- Albanians[6]
- Amazons
- Ashigaru
- Berserker
- Cheema
- Dog soldier
- Eagle warrior
- Ghazw
- Gladiator
- Gurjar
- Hersir
- Hoplite
- Hwarang
- Impi
- Jatt
- Jaguar warrior
- Janissary
- Kheshig
- Knight
- Kshatriya
- Ansar
- Mandalorians
- Montenegrins
- Ninja
- Nair
- Thiyya Kalarypayattu
- Phalangite
- Persian Immortals
- Pirates
- Pronoia
- Rajput
- Reddy
- Ronin
- Sacred Band of Carthage
- Samurai
- Shieldmaiden
- Spahi
- Sohei
- Timariots
- Uhlan
- Valkyries
- Viking
- Xia
- Yamabushi
Geronimo, perhaps the most famous Apache warrior.
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