The Institute of African Studies at the African School of Economics is in the process of conducting a study focused on the history of the Amazons of the Danxome Kingdom, a unique institution in global military history.

Their brave exploits as warriors were celebrated in the box-office hit film “Black Panther,” revealing a cursory glimpse into their lives.  But where do they really come from? How were they trained? How were they organized? Better yet, what is their social history? In particular, how have the impacted the status of women in the communities where they lived during their military service?

With a team of historians from ASE, Professor Léonard Wantchékon retraced the steps of one of their warriors who served the kings Guézo (1818-1858), Glèlè (1858-1889) and Béhanzin (1889-1894).