Ancient Peoples of the Russian Steppes
Author: Linda DeLaine
Publication: Website
Date:
Thursday, March 15, 2007
Summary: Part II of this feature
Beginning in the 4th century BC, several of the nomadic tribes settled to the north of the Black Sea. Kamenskoe Gorodishche (situated in the center of the land separating the Black and Caspian Seas, north of the Caucasus) became the center or capital of the Scythians. King Atheas managed to unite the many Scythian tribes and expanded his domain to the banks of the Danube. In 339 BC, Atheas died while doing battle with Philip of Macedon. Scythia was a power to be reckoned with until the latter part of the 3rd century BC when they were attacked and ultimately absorbed by Thracians from the west and Sarmatians from the east. From hence on, the Scythians are not mentioned in history.
The Sarmatians were nomadic, warring peoples who lived to the northeast of the Scythians. They used brass and wore mail. Sarmatians were fair haired in contrast to the dark haired Scythians. Scholars believe that they descended from the Timber Grace culture in the Volga River region and Andronovo culture located in the southern Ural steppes.
Sarmatians are said to be the offspring of Scythian males and Amazon females; both warrior groups. Herodotus wrote that the female offspring, have continued from that day to the present to observe their ancient [Amazon] customs, frequently hunting on horseback with their husbands; in war taking the field; and wearing the very same dress as the men . . . No girl shall wed till she has killed a man in battle.
The Sarmatians and Scythians were kindred tribes with the primary difference being the role of women in their cultures. Traditionally, Scythian women did not have much status in their society. Their duties were purely domestic. This contrasts with neighboring tribes of Sarmatians whose women, believed to be descendants of the part myth, part fact based Amazons, had gained a reputation as fierce warriors. Scythian women did not ride horses like their Sarmatian counterparts. Instead, they traveled in wagons with their young. There is no evidence of strive between these two groups during the 700 - 500s BC. In fact, Herodotus claims that the Sarmatians were allies of the Scythians in their resistance of Darius' attempts to expand the Persian Empire to the southern Russian steppes during the 600s BC.
By the 500s BC, individual Sarmatian tribes had moved into the lower Volga River area. Their westward expansion continued to the 300s BC as powerful Sarmatian tribes occupied lands from the southern Urals to the lower Don and Kuban Rivers. These tribes had names; the Aorsi, Roxolani, Alans and Iazyges. Eventually, these tribes aborbed their cousins, the Sycthians, in the northern Black Seas area by the early 300s BC.
The Alans were well established in the area to the northeast of the Azov Sea and along the Don by the 1st century AD. The were the ruling force in this region until the 4th century AD when they were taken over by the Huns. A small group of Alans escaped and settled along the shores of Gilbralter in modern day Spain.
Next Page Scythian Society Page 1, 2, 3, 4
