Final answer:
Warrior cultures often emerged from harsh climates due to the need to defend resources and survive, alongside exploiting weakened neighbors. Historical examples include the Arab-Muslims, Wa chiefs of Kyushu, and the Xiongnu on the Eurasian Steppe. Modern climate change continues to affect nomadic warrior societies.
Step-by-step explanation:
Many warrior cultures have historically arisen out of harsh climates and challenging environments, which is why their emergence is often attributed to a combination of factors, including the necessity to defend scarce resources, the need for survival, and opportunities presented by the weakness of neighboring empires. For example, the Arab-Muslims became formidable due to the harsh conditions they endured, which honed their military capability. Similarly, during the second century AD, climate change led Wa chiefs in Kyushu to assert dominance through warfare, an indication of how environmental pressures can lead to militarization. Furthermore, societies such as the Xiongnu adapted to climate change by adopting nomadic lifestyles, later forming military confederations and engaging in conflicts like those for control over the Silk Roads.
Cultural systems that glorified military exploits and characterized other populations as enemies entrenched the role of warriors in these societies. Additionally, the gender egalitarianism seen in the societies of the steppes contributed to the unique character of their warrior culture, with women participating in combat and horsemanship, as evidenced by archaeological discoveries. However, the modern challenges of climate change are impacting nomadic lifestyles, with droughts and severe weather threatening the grasslands and water sources essential for pastoralists' survival, illustrating that environmental conditions continue to have a significant influence on warrior societies and their adaptation or decline.