As Time reports, the Dora Milaje entered the Marvel Comics pantheon in 1998, courtesy of writer Christopher Priest, but they do actually have plenty of historical precedent. It's said that the Dora Milaje's "elite group of female soldiers" concept was likely inspired by a similar real-life fighting force in the West African country of Dahomey, now known as Benin. The country's tradition of all-female troops started in the 17th or 18th century, and though they disappeared from the battlefield in the late 19th century, Smithsonian Magazine notes that the last of these powerful warriors may have died as late as 1978.
Experts disagree on the exact origin of the so-described "Dahomey Amazons." They may have started out as wives of the country's king, or were just technically married to him as part of the job description. Their origin might have something to do with the area's gbeto hunters, who were female and so hardcore that they could take down elephants. Regardless of their origin story, these warriors were constantly guarding the King of Dahomey — and they weren't just women with cool uniforms and little capacity for actual warfare. They were members of the military with extensive training, and they numbered in the thousands, according to Smithsonian Magazine.
The Dahomey women became known as determined warriors who were exceptional hand-to-hand fighters. They weren't afraid of death, and were actually exposed to pain and ruthless killing as part of their training: There are stories of the Dahomey women throwing prisoners of war to their deaths as a way of numbing to such matters. The end result was a group of efficient and fearsome warriors who gained many victories on the battlefield. Even members of the French Foreign Legion sang their praises, as Smithsonian Magazine points out.
