Some celtic tribes were known to deploy women, but it was not considered a terribly affective tactic. It is also many times stated in history how the Germanic warrior was motivated in battle by his wish to honour the women folk at home.
She wasn't the one going out there and slaying Romans by the bundle (Though if hollywood made a movie about her, she would be). As an example, take the Battle of Adrianople, or Boudica's final battle with the Romans (Can't recall the name right now) where the women folk were placed in the rear with the children and elderly so as to drive home to the tribesmen, that defeat would expose their families to the enemy.īoudica was a women, but her strength was more in her ability to rally and inspire her troops, and to lead them. This was how a barbarian army fought while migrating, it did NOT place it's women folk in amongst it's men. Also it meant defeat would bring disaster as their families would be killed or captured next. This had the psychological advantage of motivating the men not to fail in front of their women, because of the shame involved. It is many times sited in history where a germanic or celtic army would place it's women folk in the rear, behind the army in the laager of wagons, drawn up as a make shift camp, where they would shout encouragement to their men as they advanced, and would chastise them when they retreated. The average Germanic warrior was a levy spearman, and it was very much an all man operation which is made evident through many historical accounts.
The pattern also usually follows that any tribe who did deploy women with it's men, had little to no power and the fact that it was desperate enough to put women into the ranks was indicative of it's weakness. When ever a certain tribe deployed women among it's menfolk, it was almost always mentioned by ancient historians as it was viewed as a curiosity and a novelty, and it is not mentioned very often at all, lending proof to the fact that women did not play a major part in ancient combat. Sometimes even children were given a weapon and helmet (more to trick enemies into thinking the defending force was bigger than it actually was, than for any practical reason).
Like Antiochus said.women were usually fighting as a very last resort, and usually as a defense of settlements, along with old men.