SUn Tzu commanded an army of women soldiers.
Actually, he was demonstrating to his king that anyone could be trained out to form an armed unit, and to demonstrate it he had the kings concubines dressed out in armor and weaponry.
First go round after instruction they were all giggling and in disarray, and he struck the head off of one and on the subsequent attempt they fell in in good order. King was pissed that one of his favorites was whacked, but understood the lesson taught.
This, IIRC, opened the door to levying the general peasantry and greatly expanded what that particular ruler could put in the field.