Thesis – are the Scythians really barbarians? Comparison of the Greeks and Scythians in terms of “barbarism” in table form: Aspect Attitude to slavery Attitude to children Wars Religious rituals Betrayal Attitude to women Aestheticization of violence Observance of morality Greeks Slavery was widespread; slaves were considered property and had no rights. Scythians Slaves were used, but their status was less structured, captives were more often assimilated into society. In Sparta, weak or sick babies Children were valued as the were abandoned to die on a future of the tribe; child abuse mountain; infanticide was or murder is not mentioned in practiced as part of customs population control Frequent and destructive civil Conflicts were aimed at wars (e.g., Peloponnesian protecting land or external war), including the wars, without destructive destruction of entire cities civil strife (Melos) The cult of Dionysus Religious rites were strictly included orgies and rituals of controlled and aimed at loss of self-control, which maintaining social cohesion may have seen barbaric to the Scythians There are known cases of There are no records of betrayal for the sake of gain betrayals among the (for example, Thebes went Scythians; they were famous over to Persians) for their loyalty to the tribe In most polises, women were Women, especially among the deprived of rights, and Sarmatians, had more practically did not participate freedoms, could participate in in social and political life wars and play significant roles in public life Violence was aestheticized in Art more often depicted tragedy, art, and spectacles, mythology and nature than such as theater performances scenes of violence and competitions The Greeks could be cruel in The Scythians sought wars and personal conflicts, practical solutions and including the destruction of avoided excessive cruelty cities and the extermination within their tribes of their populations This table emphasizes that “barbarity” is a relative concept. Some aspects of Greek culture, especially those related to the treatment of children, slavery, and internal conflicts, may have been more brutal than similar practices among the Scythians. Thesis – Did Herodotus leave one of the most detailed depictions of Scythians? A table with Herodotus’s main errors about Scythians, refutations, and the years when these refutations appeared: Herodotus’s Error Modern data Scythians are an IranianOrigin of the Scythians: mythical origin from Heracles speaking people associated and a snake-legged woman with the culture of the Eurasian steppe Nomadic way of life: the The Scythians had fortified Scythians were exclusively settlements, for example, nomads Scythian Neapolis in Crimea Geography: the size of the Geographical data has been Scythian lands and rivers, for clarified, the real area of the example, the Borysthenes Scythians has been (Dnieper), are greatly established archaeologically exaggerated Customs: using the skulls of The use of skulls is enemies as cups, mass confirmed, but mass sacrifices sacrifices are unlikely The role of women: Scythian Burials of female warriors women were not mentioned with weapons have been as participants in military found, indicating their active operations participation in wars Drunkenness and cannabis The use of cannabis is use: steam baths using confirmed, but it probably cannabis are described as a had a ritual or medicinal way of “getting drunk” value Isolation: the Scythians were Active trade with the Greeks a closed people who avoided (amphoras, jewelry, weapons, contact have been found) refutes this statement Number of troops: Scythian The number of troops is armies numbered hundreds of significantly smaller, but the thousands of warriors Scythians were skilled warriors Year of refutation (main findings) Late 19th century (development of comparative linguistics 20th century, excavations from 1957-1963 Late 19th-20th century (topographic studies) 20th century (excavations of burial mounds, 1920s-1950s) 1980s (excavation of Scythian burial mounds) 20th century (excavation of vessels with cannabis residues) Late 19th century (archaeological finds) 20th century (demographic studies) Many of Herodotus’s errors have been disproved by archaeology, linguistics, and historical research, especially since the late 19th century. His work, although inaccurate, remains an important historical document that reflects the perception of the Scythians in ancient Greece. If we had the opportunity to ask Herodotus questions today, given our current knowledge and research, we might focus on refining his descriptions, identifying sources of error, and analyzing in depth his method of collecting information. Here are some questions that might be appropriate to ask: 1. About your methods of collecting information What specific sources did you use to describe the Scythians? Did you talk to them directly, or was all your information obtained from third parties (e.g. Greeks, traders, captives)? How did you check the veracity of the stories you heard? Did you have methods to distinguish fiction from reality? Why did you sometimes give multiple versions of the same event (e.g. the origin of the Scythians)? How did you decide which version was more plausible? 2. On Errors and Inaccuracies How do you explain the fact that your descriptions of some Scythian customs and geography do not always match the archaeological evidence? For example, you claimed that the Scythians never built cities, although there is evidence of fortified settlements. You wrote about Scythian sacrifices and the use of skulls as cups. Could these descriptions have been exaggerations or distortions on the part of your sources? Did you have evidence or were they just stories? Your world map, especially the description of the lands around the Black Sea, contains serious errors. Do you think these errors are due to limited information or were there distortions in the transmission of data? 3. On Bias To what extent did your perception of the Scythians depend on the fact that you were Greek? Do you think your descriptions could have been biased by cultural differences? You called the Scythians barbarians. Did you really consider them “less civilized” or was it just the accepted terminology of your time? How did you feel about the Scythians as a military force? Did you feel admiration, respect or fear of their power? 4. About myths and legends In your descriptions you mention myths, such as the origin of the Scythians from Hercules and the snake-legged woman. Did you believe in these myths or did you just consider them an interesting part of the oral tradition that needed to be written down? Why did you decide to include mythological elements in the historical description? Did you see it as a way to explain reality or did you consider myths an integral part of history? 5. About omitted details You did not mention many aspects of the daily life of the Scythians, such as their crafts, the role of women in society or the internal social structure. Why did you decide to focus on military and ritual aspects? Did you deliberately omit any aspects of their culture that could have been important for a more complete description? 6. On the modern view How would you feel about modern archaeological discoveries that refute or clarify your descriptions? For example, that the Scythians were not exclusively nomadic, but also had sedentary settlements. If you had access to modern scientific methodology, including archaeology and anthropology, how would this change your approaches to describing peoples? Result: These questions would not only help clarify the historical picture, but also understand how Herodotus treated his mistakes and what opportunities he saw in working with information. They would also allow us to delve deeper into his thought process and illuminate his personal philosophy as a historian. Research on Herodotus and his descriptions of the Scythians remains relevant and can open up new horizons in various fields of knowledge. Here are some areas that may be of interest today: 1. Revision of Herodotus’ texts based on new archaeological data What to study: Modern finds of Scythian burial mounds, settlements, and artifacts can be compared with Herodotus’ descriptions. This will help clarify the extent to which his narrative reflects reality. Example: An in-depth study of the Scythian rituals described by Herodotus in the context of new archaeological discoveries. Value: Will help analyze which of the historical myths may contain a rational grain. 2. Study of the cultural interaction of the Scythians and the Greeks What to study: The influence of Greek culture on the Scythians and vice versa. Herodotus describes trade and cultural ties that can be explored through artifacts. Example: A study of Greek amphorae found in Scythian burials, or images of Scythians on Greek pottery. Value: Will deepen the understanding of the mechanisms of cultural exchange in antiquity. 3. Ethnogenesis and migrations of the Scythians What to study: Comparison of Herodotus’ descriptions of the origins of the Scythians with modern genetic studies and data on the migrations of the peoples of Eurasia. Example: Using DNA analysis to confirm or refute the migration theories described by Herodotus. Value: Will clarify the historical routes and mechanisms of the spread of Scythian cultures. 4. Rethinking ideas about the “barbarism” of the Scythians What to study: Analysis of descriptions of Scythian customs (sacrifices, burials) in the context of modern ideas about barbarism and civilization. Example: Comparison of Scythian rituals with similar customs of other peoples of the era. Value: Will help to rethink the term “barbarian” and its use in ancient literature. 5. Ecology and adaptation of the Scythians to the steppe environment What to study: How Herodotus described the use of natural resources by the Scythians, and how these descriptions relate to ecological studies. Example: Comparison of data on nomadic livestock breeding with descriptions in the “Histories”. Value: Reveals the ways in which ancient peoples adapted to steppe ecosystems. 6. The history of the perception of the Scythians in antiquity and today What to study: How attitudes towards the Scythians changed over the centuries – from Herodotus to modern research. Example: Analysis of texts by ancient and medieval authors describing the Scythians, in comparison with Herodotus’ data. Value: Allows you to understand how stereotypes about nomadic peoples were formed. 7. Linguistic analysis of references to the Scythians What to study: The linguistic features of the Scythians described by Herodotus in the context of modern data on the Scythian-Sarmatian languages. Example: Search for parallels between Scythian words in Herodotus and the languages of modern peoples. Value: Deepen knowledge of ancient Iranian languages. 8. Herodotus as an ethnographer: methods and sources What to study: How Herodotus collected information about the Scythians, who his informants were, and what methods he used. Example: Comparison of his approaches with the methods of modern ethnographers. Value: Help rethink the role of Herodotus as the “father of history” and his contribution to ethnography. 9. Comparative analysis with other ancient authors What to study: Comparison of descriptions of the Scythians in Herodotus with the texts of other ancient authors, such as Strabo or Diodorus Siculus. Example: Analysis of discrepancies in the interpretation of Scythian customs and cultures. Value: Clarify the historical picture of the Scythians in antiquity. 10. Interpretation of Myths and Legends about the Scythians What to study: The symbolic meaning of the myths about the Scythians, as conveyed by Herodotus, and their connection with real events. Example: A study of the myth of Hercules and the snake-legged woman as a possible reflection of historical migrations. Value: Will reveal how myths shape the historical perception of peoples. These areas will help not only to deepen our knowledge of the Scythians, but also to reconsider the legacy of Herodotus in the light of modern scientific data.
