Samurai Warrior ManualEmerging into history in the 8th century CE, the samurai evolved to become an aristocratic warrior elite that dominated Japanese warfare and society until the 1600s. They were renowned not only for their skills at arms, first with the bow then with the sword, but also for their adherence to strict martial and personal codes. As much as they were brutal, merciless, and skilled in battle, they were also defined by ritual, etiquette, and education.