SCYTHIANS

2013.09.08.

Homer called "most just" and "proud" those who by no means spend their lives on contracts and money-getting but actually possess all things in common except sword and drinking-cup./Strabo

Aeschylus, too, is clearly pleading the cause of the poet when he says about the Scythians: "But the Scythians,law-abiding, eaters of cheese made of mare's milk."/Strabo

Ephorus says that some of the Scythians,who feed only on mare milk, excel all men in justice./Strabo Ephorus says that the blower, the two-fluked anchor and the potter's wheel are inventions of Anacharsis the Scythian/Strabo Choerilus, in his The Crossing of the Pontoon-Bridge, which was constructed by Dareius, says, "the sheep-tending Sacae, of Scythian stock; but they used to live in wheat-producing Asia; however, they were colonists from the Nomads, law-abiding people./Strabo Dareius sent a message to King Idanthyrsus in which he reproached the latter for fleeing and not fighting. Idanthyrsus replied that he was not fleeing because of fear, but was merely doing what he was wont to do in time of peace; and if Dareius insisted on a fight, he might search out and violate the ancestral tombs, and thus come to realize whether or no the Scythians would fight; "and in reply to your assertion that you are my master, I say 'howl on !' '' - Herodotus/Strabo

Strabo And this assumption even now still persists among the Greeks; for we regard the Scythians the most straightforward of men and the least prone to mischief, as also far more frugal and independent of others than we are.

Dio Chrysostom In asking what is and is not necessary for the happy life, the philosopher Dio Chrysostom writes that the pastoral Scythians, though they neither have houses nor sow seed nor plant trees, are by no means prevented from playing their part as citizens with justice. Arrian The nation of Abian Scythians live in Asia and are independent, chiefly by reason of it's poverty and love of justice.

Plato - "Take the quality of passion or spirit; it would be ridiculous to imagine that this quality, when found in States, is not derived from the individuals who are supposed to possess it, e.g. the Thracians, Scythians, and in general the northern nations"- The Republic

Marcus Junianus Justinus The nation of the Scythians was always regarded as very ancient; though there was long a dispute between them and the Egyptians concerning the antiquity of their respective races;..... ....The Egyptians being confounded with these arguments, the Scythians were always accounted the more ancient. Justice is observed among them, more from the temper of the people, than from the influence of laws.No crime in their opinion is more heinous than theft. .... Gold and silver they despise, as much as other men covet them. They live on milk and honey. ..... Such abstemiousness has caused justice to be observed among them, as they covet nothing belonging to their neighbours. .... And would that other men had like temperance, and like freedom from desire for the goods of others! There would then assuredly be fewer wars in all ages and countries, and the sword would not destroy more than the natural course of destiny. And it appears extremely wonderful, that nature should grant that to them which the Greeks cannot attain by long instruction from their wise men and the precepts of their philosophers. ..... They thrice aspired to the supreme command in Asia; while they themselves remained always either unmolested or unconquered by any foreign power. Darius, king of the Persians, they forced to quit Scythia in disgraceful flight. They slew Cyrus with his whole army. They cut off in like manner Zopyrion, a general of Alexander the Great, with all his forces. Of the arms of the Romans they have heard, but never felt them. They founded the Parthian and Bactrian kingdoms. They are a nation hardy in toils and warfare; their strength of body is extraordinary; they take possession of nothing which they fear to lose, and covet, when they are conquerors, nothing but glory.

Scymnus says, the Scythians are very pious and live in common,having their whole social life and property on a communal basis. Horace lauds the Scythian's simple life, 'whose unallotted acres bring forth fruits and corn for all in common'.

Nicolaus of Damascus writes that the Galactophagi Scythians are distinguished for righteousness and hold their property in common. Consequently they call all older man fathers and they contemporaries brothers.

Clearchus The nation of the Scythians was the first to use common laws.

Giambattista Vico - Universal Right 1720 Why among the Scythians there was no discrimination due to birth; It is from that equality that the Scythians, every other year, dedicated themselves either to the culture of the fields with labor, or to the culture of the self with leisure. It is also from this, that we can deduce that their commonwealths were founded on the 'patria potestas' alone with no intervention of clienteles, and that among them there was no discrimination between nobility and plebs. For these same reasons, the Transylvanian Siculi, who constitute one part of that nation, and are a Gens most courageous in war and boast to be descendants of the most ancient Huns, are dedicated to farming and raising cattle but consider themselves nobles by equal rights. Scythia became the mother of a very strong nations in the West and of a very peaceful and equitable Gentes in the East. Therefore, some very robust and courageous Gentes originated from Scythia, among which the first we find are the Thracians, the Germans, the Parthians. Then, in the heart of crude Europe, we find the Vandals, the Huns, the Goths, the Herulians, the Longobards, the Turks, and the other barbarian nations.

The propagation of humankind; It was, thus, through the Chaldeans, the Scythians, and the Egyptians that the human race propagated throughout the whole world Why was Tanaus placed before Sesostris?; Profane History mentions Tanaus before Sesostris because the Scythians were nearer to Armenia, where on the top of one of its mountains the Ark rested when the waters of the Flood receded.

Epiphanius of Salamis says the Scythians were those who built the tower of Babel; and hi's Scythism extends from the Flood to this later events./John Pinkerton Eusebius, in his Chronicle, puts the Scythians as the immediate descendants of Noah down to Serug his seventh descendant./John Pinkerton Epiphanius is of opinion, that the Scythian monarchy began soon after the Flood,....; he says, farther, that the laws, customs, and manners of the Scythians, were received by other nations as the standards of policy, civility and polite learning, and that they were the first after the Flood, who attempted to reform mankind into notions of courtesy, into the art of government and the practice of good manners. /Geoffrey Keating Johannes Boemus, in the ninth chapter of his second volume, where he treats of the laws and customs of

all nations, remarks, that the Scythians were never corrupted by the rude and savage behaviour of any foreign nation. /Geoffrey Keating It is the observation of Johannes Nauclerus, that the Scythians were always famous for worthy and heroic acts, and that historians, when they speak of them give them the character of a brave and generous people. /Geoffrey Keating

The Chronicon Paschale (7th century A.D.) says the Scythism started after Flood and after that the Hellenism. Marcus Porcius Cato (234 B.C.-149 B.C.) awowed, that the humanity was renewed in Scythia after Flood. He also says that the Umbri, before remembered, ( who were so called because saved from Deucalion's Flood ) were the sons of the Galli, a nation of Scythians. And says farther, 'certainly the prime antiquity of offspring is always given to Scythians.' [ here is interesting because in Hungarian the 'Man' is said 'Ember' -- my add] Plinius (23 A.D.-79 A.D.) also said that the Umbri in Italia are the most ancient nation, who descended from the Scythians. Annius of Viterbo ( 1432-1502 ) also says the Humanity was saved in Scythia after Flood. Giacomo Filippo Foresti ( 1434-1520 ) writes that the Kingdom of Scythians sprang into life at this very early moment in human history.

Jeremiah's prophecy reasambles the Scythians; "Behold, i am bringing against you a Nation from afar. It is an enduring nation, it is an ancient nation, a nation whose language you do not know, nor can you understand what they say. The sound of them is like the roaring of the sea; they ride upon horses, arrayed as a man for battle against you. Their quiver is like an open grave, all of them are Mighty Warriors."

The Chalyb Scythians (Chalybes) inventors of metallurgy; The Siderotektones are said to be a Scythian Tribe, living where the iron was born - Etymologicon Magnum and Suidas According to Hesiod the Scythians were who discovered the bronze smelting According to Plinius the Sericum Ferrum is the best iron (of Seres Scythians)

Polydorus Vergilius ''I will not fail to mention the silk, a great incitement to luxury of women and men. A Scythian people, the Seres, first invented this and gave it it's name, as Pliny says in book 6; The first humans known there are the Seres, famous for the fleecy stuff that comes from trees.'' - De Inventoribus Rerum

Ichthus Histories translated by St. Jerome, affirms that Griphon the Scythian was the inventor of long boats or gallies, in the Northern Seas. Hyginus - Indus, king of Scythia, first discovered silver, which Erichthonius was first to bring to Athens. Aeschylus talks about Scythian steel. Aristotle - Lydus the Scythian invented the bronze melting and tempering Ezekiel - the Tubal Scythians ( Tibareni ) were the first coppersmiths and producers of bronze articles. Aristotle - the copper of Mossynoeci, the neighbours of Tibareni, was celebrated as being extremly bright and without any admixture of tin. Xenophon describes the country of Tibareni as consisting of fertile plains and possessing some fortified places along the coast. Ephorus says the Tibareni had numerous flocks and they were the most laughter-loving people. Strabo says that the wagon-lager war tactic is Scythian costume Herodotus talks about Agricultural, Pastoral and Royal Scythians.

Hiketas ( 5-4 century B.C. ) said after the voyaging on Euxine, that in Scythia the Golden Age still reigned. The Greeks and Romans were talking about boundless fertility in the Golden Age among peoples like Scythians, Cyclopses,Phaeacians, where the ploughing and sowing are superfluous and the land not parcelled out.( like Hesiod,Lucian,Babrius,Ovid,Horatius,Homer,Mela,Diodorus Sciulus,Aeschylus,Strabo,Junior Philosophus,Virgil,Tibullus,Oracula Sibyllina,Dracontius,Avitus,Pseudo-Cyprian,Ephraem )

Berossus (3th century B.C.) talks about Scythian letters; '' Has igitur principum atque Heroum origines atque posteritates abbreviamus ex nostris Chaldaeis atque Scythicis libris, quoad satis sit.'' Plato in he's Cratylus, says, the Greeks received the writing and letters from Hyperboreans ( the Scythians or Pelasgians ) Eustathius of Thessalonica says the Scythians wrote with characters and emblematical figures. Many 19th century scholars said that the Sumerian letters are Scythian. And many 18th-19th century schoolars still said that the letters,runes, and the ancient language originates from Scythians. ( like Olaus Rudbeckius,Boxhornius,Charles Pougens, Leibnitz,Hickesius,Ihre,D'Ankarwille ) Robert Anthony Bromley (18th century) in he's History of Fine Arts, says that the sculpture was invented by Scythians The Scythians were the first who produced butter in Europe; Herodotus described it among the oddities of Scythians. Hippocrates is the first who mentions the butter. Speaking of the Scythians, he says, '' they pour the milk of their mares into wooden vessels and shake it violently; this causes this to foam, and the fat part, which is light, rising to the surface, becomes what they call butter.''

Diogenes Laertius Anacharsis the Scythian was the son of Gnurus and brother of Caduidas, king of Scythia. He wrote on the institutions of the Greeks and the Scythians, dealing with simplicity of life and military matters, a poem of 800 lines. So outspoken was he that he furnished occasion for a proverb, "To talk like a Scythian."

Curtius Rufus With the Scythians, however, the understanding is not as with the rest of the Barbarians, left rugged and unformed; some of them are represented to acquire as much knowledge, as can be gained by a people constantly in arms. It is certain the Abian Scythians were the justest of all Barbarians, never having recourse to arms but when provoked.

Scythian envoy to Alexander; If the Gods had given you a body suitable to the insatiable greediness of your mind, the world would not be able to contain you; you would stretch one arm out to the farthest extremities of the east, and the other to the remotest bounds of the west; you would have discovered whither the light of the deity withdraws. As you are, you covet what you cannot grasp. You pass out of Europe into Asia and from Asia you return again to Europe; and when you have overcome all mankind, rather than be quiet, you will quarrel with the woods and the mountains, drifts of snow, the rivers and wild beasts. What! do you not know that lofty trees take a long while to grow, and may be cut down in an hour? He is a fool who looks up at the fruit, without measuring the height; take care, while endeavouring to climb to the top, that you do not fall with the branches in your hands. ...... We will not serve; we desire not to command. Now that you may be sensible what sort of people the Scythians are; Heaven has presented us with a yoke of oxen, a plough, an arrow and a bowl; these things we either communicate with our friends, or make use of them to defend ourselves against our enemies; we impart to our friends the corn which is produced by the labour of the oxen, and our arrows serve us against our enemies at a distance, and we use our spears in a closer engagement. By these means we overcame the king of Syria and the kings of Persia and of the Medes and opened our selves a way even into Egypt. You, who want that you come to punish plunderers, are the plunderer of every country. .... Pass now the Tanais, and you will know how wide the Scythian plains are; you will never overtake the people. Our poverty will be swifter than your army, which carries the spoil of so many nations. Again; when you imagine us at the greatest distance, you will see us in your camp. With the same rapidity as we fly, we pursue. ...... If you are a God, you ought to be beneficent to mortals, and not take away their possessions. But if you are a man, constantly think on what you are. ..... The Scythians do not ratify an alliance by oaths; they substitute integrity for swearing. The Greeks, as an assurance, seal treaties and invoke the Gods; we show our religion by observing our promises. They who have no respect for men, will engage falsly to the Gods. Nor have you need of an ally, of whose good will you can doubt. ..... Beyond the Jaxartes, we occupy regions as far as Thrace; and Thrace is rumoured to border on Macedonia. Neighbours to both your empires, consider whether you will have us for friends or enemies.

Herodotus Even of the Scythian nation i cannot in general speak with extraordinary commendation; they have, however, one observance, which for its wisdom excels everything i have met with. The possibility of escape is cut off from those who attack them; and if they are averse to be seen, their places of retreat can never be discovered.

Maximus Tyrius

The Egyptians are husbandmen, the Scythians are warriors; the Scythians are brave, the Egyptians cowards. The Scythian nation is free, the Egyptian enslaved. A wise man from among the barbarians, in the land of the Scythians, came to Greece, professing a wisdom neither verbose nor loquacious, but the sum of which was, an accurate life, a sound mind, brief but acute speech, not similar to a hireling light-armed soldier unexpectedly running, but resembling a heavy armed soldier marching slowly, and securely moving.

Thucydides For there is no nation, not to say of Europe, but neither of Asia, that are comparable to this, or that as long as they agree, are able one nation to another, to stand against the Scythians; and yet in matter of council and wisdom in the present occasions of life they are not like to other men.

Scythians the Horse-Lords

Several major battles of Scythians

1. Defeat of the Sesostris's egyptian army in 19th century B.C. (scythians vs. 700000 egyptians) 2. Defeat of Sargon II's assyrian army at Tabal province in 705 B.C. 3. Occupation of Ashkelon and Niniveh - defeat of Assyrian empire by king Madyas in 627 B.C. 4. Destruction of Cyrus's persian army by queen Tomyris in 530 B.C. (500000 scythians vs. 330000 persians) 5. Defeat of Darius's persian army and eliberation of Egypt under persian rule by king Idantyrsos in 513 B.C. (ca.4000000 scythians vs.700000-800000 persians) 6. Destruction of Alexander's macedonian army of 30000 men in 331 B.C. at Pontus 7. Defeat of Aripharnes's thataean army by king Agar in 310 B.C. on Thatis river (30000 scythians vs. 42000 thataeans) 8. Destruction of Antonius's roman army in 61 B.C. at Histria 9. Destruction of Crassus's roman army by Surena (Srnyes) in 53 B.C. at Carrhae (10000 scythians vs. 43000 romans) 10. Defeat of Macrinus's roman army in 217 A.D. at Nisibis 11. Battle of Trnok-valley and Cesunmaur - destruction of Valentinian's roman-german army by king Keve in 374 A.D. (250000 scythians vs. 300000 german-romans) 12. Siege of Aquileia and other citys - occupation of Italy by king Atilla 451 A.D. 13. Battle of Pozsony - destruction of german-frank army by king rpd in 907 A.D. (40000 scythians vs. 100000 german-franks) 14. Battle of Lajta river - defeat of german-roman army of Henrik by king Gza in 1146 A.D. (70000 scythians vs. armys of Germany) 15. Battle of Drnkrut - defeat of german-bohemian army of Ottokar II. by king Lszl 1278 A.D. (56000 scythians vs. 45000 germans-bohemians)