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The Scythians
Who were the Scythians? Most information
about the Scythians comes from Herodotus' Book Four where he
describes the lifestyle of the Scythians. The Scythians moved
from central Asia to the region of the Black Sea sometime in
the late 700's BC The Scythians were at their height in
the Near East during the period between the 8th and 4th
centuries BC They were a nomadic group traveling from
location to location in search of food, trade goods, and
pasture. They based their economy on herding sheep and goats.
There is indication that they were skilled horsemen that
fought as mercenaries for various groups in the Ancient Near
East. The Scythian mounted archers were an important element
in battle. Due to their nomadic lifestyle, much of what
archaeologists know about the Scythian culture comes from
their rich burials, which contained examples of art and
weaponry crafted by their skilled metalworkers.
Where do we find mention of the Scythians in the Ancient Near
East? One 9th century relief from Assyria shows mounted
archers, which may be Scythian. The first mention of the
Scythians in the ancient Near East comes from Assyrian texts
dated to the 8th century BC during the reign of Sargon II
(721-705 BC). The Assyrians called them the Ashkuzi.
Esarhaddon, another Assyrian king (680-669 BC), claims to
have defeated them in 676 BC Later, the Assyrians and the
Scythians formed an alliance when Esarhaddon married his
daughter to Bartatua, the king of the Scythians. In addition
to the Scythian connections to Assyria, they may be the
Ashkenaz mentioned in the Hebrew Bible, or Old Testament in
Jeremiah 51:27 or the northern foes of Jeremiah 4-6 and 8-9.
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