During a search for African tribal 'battle tactics' I found this article on female warriors, there are references to other continents ...but I found the article on African females very interesting......the Hausa, Dahomey, the Congo ...to name a few....all had warrior queens at some time or other.
Were edged weapons made specifically for woman.....ceremonial or functional.....or were swords etc. 'adapted' for their use?
I'm not being sexist...I am sure a female warrior could easily wield a 'man's' sword....I was thinking more ...that culturally there might be differences in their weapons.
Link below, scroll down to 'African woman warriors'.......oh by the way....if the picture (under this heading) is typical of a female warrior....armour certainly wasn't a priority .....I think distraction must have been a tactic
(OK I suppose that IS sexist)
http://www.fscclub.com/gender/warrior-hist.shtml