10 of The World’s Toughest Warrior Cultures

When looking for 10 of the world’s toughest warrior cultures, it’s important to note a few factors. Many warrior cultures have changed throughout generations but are still remembered and revered.

Mamlukes

It has to be remembered that in the ancient world, military tactics that were revolutionary back then still have some basis in the armed forces of today. The Mamlukes were impressive for one simple reason: they created a military culture because they were taken from other lands and forced to fight for a country that was not theirs. Bonding within the military, the Mamlukes fought as much for each other as they did for their military leaders.

Mongols

If not for the argument of succession when Genghis Khan died, the Mongols might not have stopped until they ruled most of the world. Their use of the recurve bow while on horseback was legendary, and their fearsome charges were said to shake the ground. There’s a reason why Genghis Khan dominated so much of the known world in his time.

Samurai

Many believe that the samurai epitomizes what a warrior should be. Their calm and Zen-like demeanor and ferocity created a caste of fearsome warriors to look upon. Still, they were only truly defeated when technology changed the battlefield.

Zulu

Some of the most impressive warrior cultures throughout history have at least one thing in common: they had great leaders. From implementing new battle tactics to new weapons and new ways to use them, Shaka Zulu was an amazing chieftain. But after his death, the Zulus were finally defeated by the British. In their time, though, they were tough to contend with.

Cossack

Akin to the Mamlukes, the Cossacks were brought together to form an elite warrior class of excellent horsemen who initially fought for a living. One could say that after so many generations, they were defeated from within, but the reality is that the Cossacks, like all warrior cultures, changed with the times, and not every change was a great one.

Celts

How many warrior cultures can say they were a serious issue for the Roman Empire? It’s elementary to say that the Celts, loosely united by their hatred of the Romans, were not a cohesive unit and used chaos to eventually send the Romans packing. But hey, it worked, right?

Vikings

What’s odd about the Vikings (who didn’t necessarily recognize themselves as such) is that they did not unify and fight together. Their chieftain-led tribes fought against each other as often as they fought against others. But many feared them thanks to their ferocity and military tactics, and seeing a Viking longship land on the shore was reason to worry back in the day.

Assyrians

As a serious superpower that came before many other cultures, the Assyrians ushered in the use of steel weapons and superior technology for their time, making them nigh unstoppable. Also, once they conquered an army, they absorbed it, meaning they used tactics that were helpful while abandoning methods that were not.

Romans

It’s impossible to narrow down everything that made the Roman army great and so amazingly dominant. But the fact is that if they came up against an enemy, the enemy was typically defeated. Superior technology, tactics, and the ideas that they learned from their enemies also helped to establish an empire that spanned most of the known world at that time.

Spartans

Hollywood has done a bit of a disservice to this militarized culture since the mythic proportions of the Hoplites were given too much hype to be believable. However, their military excellence was expected from a young age, as many male Spartans were soldiers first and foremost. Despite carrying a sword, shield, and spear, their phalanx was one of the most impressive displays of military might they displayed.