War Goddesses of the Ancient World

While in the ancient world, most of the fighting was done by men, there was occasionally a woman who made her mark militarily. Likewise, while most of the war gods were male, there were also war goddesses, some of whom doubled as love and fertility goddesses.

01
of 21

Agasaya

Semitic
Semitic war goddess who was combined with Ishtar. She is called "The Shrieker."
Source: Encyclopedia Mythica.

02
of 21

Anahita

Possibly Anahita with Ardashir I and Shapur.
Possibly Anahita with Ardashir I and Shapur. From Sarab-e Qandil, vicinity of Kazerun, Fars province, Iran, May 2009. CC Flickr User dynamosquito

Persian, Chaldean, Iranian, and possibly Semitic
As well as being a war goddess, Anahita is the Persian water goddess, fertility goddess, and patroness of women. She drives a 4-horse chariot with the horses representing wind, rain, clouds, and sleet. She is tall, beautiful, and wears a golden crown
Sources:
"Anāhitā and Alexander," by William L. Hanaway, Jr. Journal of the American Oriental Society, Vol. 102, No. 2 (Apr. - Jun., 1982), pp. 285-295.
Dictionary of Ancient Deities, by Patricia Turner, Charles Russell Coulter.

03
of 21

Anath

Semitic
West Semitic love and war goddess, associated with Baal.
Source: Encyclopedia Mythica

04
of 21

Andraste

Celtic
Celtic Britain war god honored by Boudicca.
Source: "Omens and Celtic Warfare", by Ellen Ettlinger. Man, Vol. 43, (Jan. - Feb., 1943), pp. 11-17.

05
of 21

Ankt

Egypt
Spear-carrying war goddess.
Source: Encyclopedia Mythica.

06
of 21

Anouke

Egypt
Elder war goddess with bow and arrows, as well as a shuttle.
Source: Encyclopedia Mythica.

07
of 21

Ashtart

Canaanite

Journal of Near Eastern Studies

, Vol. 14, No. 1, Henri Frankfort Memorial Issue (Jan., 1955).

08
of 21

Athena

Athena at the Carnegie Museum
Athena at the Carnegie Museum. CC Flickr User Sabbath Photography

Greece

Multi-faceted virgin goddess. Goddess of wisdom, crafts, and warfare.

09
of 21

Badb

Celtic
Irish Celtic war goddess who takes part in battle. Assumes raven shape. Also Morrigan.
Source: Encyclopedia Mythica.

10
of 21

Bellona

Rome
Roman war goddess who accompanied Mars into battle. Wears helmet, and carries a spear and torch.
Source: Encyclopedia Mythica.

11
of 21

Enyo

Greece
Greek horror and war goddess, sometimes daughter of Ares. Associated with Bellona.
Source: Encyclopedia Mythica.

12
of 21

Eshara

Chaldean
Chaldean war goddess.
Source: Encyclopedia Mythica.

13
of 21

Inanna

Sumer
Love fertitlity and war goddess. Most important Sumerian goddess.
Source: Encyclopedia Mythica.

14
of 21

Ishtar

Lion frieze, Ishtar Gate, Pergamon Museum, Berlin
Lion frieze, Ishtar Gate, Pergamon Museum, Berlin. CC Flickr User Rictor Norton & David Allen

Babylonia/Assyrian Love, fertility and war goddess, associated with a lion. Carries a staff known as a harpe that was, once, a weapon.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin

, New Series, Vol. 10, No. 7 (Mar., 1952), pp. 211-216.

15
of 21

Korrawi

Tamil
Also called Katukilal. War and victory goddess.
Source: Encyclopedia Mythica.

16
of 21

Menhit

Egypt
"She Who Slaughters." Lion and war goddess.
Source: Encyclopedia Mythica.

17
of 21

Minerva

The Roman goddess Minerva at Corbirdge
The Roman goddess Minerva at Corbirdge. CC Flickr User Alun Salt.

Rome

Multi-faceted virgin goddess. Goddess of wisdom, crafts, and warfare.

18
of 21

Nanaja

Sumer
Sumerian and Akkadian goddess of sex and war.
Source: Encyclopedia Mythica.

19
of 21

Neith

Hieroglyph for Neith
Hieroglyph for Neith. CC Flickr User pyramidtextsonline.

Egypt

Southwestern Journal of Anthropology

, Vol. 4, No. 1 (Spring, 1948), pp. 1-30.

20
of 21

Sakhmet

Sskhmet
Sskhmet. CC Flickr User unforth.

Egypt
Destructive lioness-headed Egyptian goddess associated with war and vengeance
Sources:
Encyclopedia Mythica.
"The King of Egypt's Grace before Meat," by A. M. Blackman. The Journal of Egyptian Archaeology, Vol. 31, (Dec., 1945), pp. 57-73.

21
of 21

Zroya

Slavonic
Virgin war goddess associated with the storm god Perun.
Source: Encyclopedia Mythica.

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Gill, N.S. "War Goddesses of the Ancient World." Learn Religions, Apr. 5, 2023, learnreligions.com/war-goddesses-of-the-ancient-world-118520. Gill, N.S. (2023, April 5). War Goddesses of the Ancient World. Retrieved from https://www.learnreligions.com/war-goddesses-of-the-ancient-world-118520 Gill, N.S. "War Goddesses of the Ancient World." Learn Religions. https://www.learnreligions.com/war-goddesses-of-the-ancient-world-118520 (accessed March 28, 2024).