This army has the peculiarity of constituting one of the components of my army Kushan (their cousins called Yue zhi by the Chinese). I like playing the Scythians as a DBA army because of my interest in the history of this people and this civilization.
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| King Alteas |
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| The famous Amazons |
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| Nobles or Massagetae |
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| A wagon as baggage |
The Scythians (/ sit /, in ancient Greek Σκὐθαι, Skúthai) were a group of Indo-European peoples of Eurasia largely nomadic and speaking Iranian languages. Originating from Central Asia, they lived their apogee between the seventh century BC. AD and the end of antiquity, especially in the Eurasian steppes, a vast area from Ukraine to Altai, passing through Russia and Kazakhstan. The Persians designated these peoples by the name of sakas, which was translated into Saces. Numerous ancient sources testify to the Scythian peoples, the Assyrians mention the Saces as early as 640 BCE.
In the 3rd century BC. Arsace I, chief of the Parni, a Scythian tribe, conquered the Seleucid province of Parthia, and founded there the dynasty of the Arsacidae. One of his successors, Mithridates I, then conquered much of the Greco-Persian empire in the 2nd century BC. And founded the powerful empire Parthian or Empire Arsacide. In the 2nd and 1st centuries BC. AD of the Scythian tribes also created kingdoms in India, the Indo-Scythians covering the entire Indus basin and part of the upper Ganges at their peak, on the rubble of the Indo-Greeks. Many ethnic or noble groups continue to claim Scythian ancestry. At the beginning of the modern era, the Poles, Lithuanians, Ruthenians ... of the vast Polish and Lithuanian kingdom often claimed a fabulous Scythian or Sarmatian origin, as was the case with the Jats in India North.
Ateas (ca. 429 BC - 339 BC) is described by Greek and Roman sources as one of the most powerful kings of Scythians. He lost his life, and his empire, during the conflict with Philip II of Macedonia in 339 BC. His name also appears as Atheas, Ateia, Ataias and Ateus.
It remains uncertain whether or not Ateas was in connection with the royal dynasty of the Scythians. Most historians see him instead as a usurper who deposed the other Scythian kings and eliminated the traditional tripartite divisions of Scythian society around 400 BC. In the years 340 BC. BC, he had united under his control the Scythian tribes inhabiting the vast territory between the Danube and the Maeotian marshes (Palus Maeotis). Its supposed capital was discovered by Soviet archaeologists near the town of Kamianka-Dniprovska on the river Dnieper.
It remains uncertain whether or not Ateas was in connection with the royal dynasty of the Scythians. Most historians see him instead as a usurper who deposed the other Scythian kings and eliminated the traditional tripartite divisions of Scythian society around 400 BC. In the years 340 BC. BC, he had united under his control the Scythian tribes inhabiting the vast territory between the Danube and the Maeotian marshes (Palus Maeotis). Its supposed capital was discovered by Soviet archaeologists near the town of Kamianka-Dniprovska on the river Dnieper.
Plutarch tells several anecdotes about Ateas's personality and his attitude towards Greek culture: "Ateas made prisoner Isménias, an excellent flute player, and ordered him to play; And when others praised him, he exclaimed that it was more pleasant to hear a neighing horse. Ateas wrote to Philip: "You reign over the Macedonians, men who have learned how to fight; And I on the Scythians, who can fight hungry and thirsty. "
Towards the end of his life, Ateas came to challenge more and more the Greco-Macedonian sphere of influence in the Balkans. Greek sources describe his campaign against the tribe of the Histrians in Thrace. At first, Ateas had the prudent idea of asking Macedonia for support. When Philip's troops arrived in Scythia, they were dismissed with contempt: the king of the Histrians was already dead, and the military actions were over. Another incident took place between Philip and Ateas during the siege of Byzantium; The Scythians refused to give provisions to the Macedonian troops under the pretext of poverty on their own lands.
Towards the end of his life, Ateas came to challenge more and more the Greco-Macedonian sphere of influence in the Balkans. Greek sources describe his campaign against the tribe of the Histrians in Thrace. At first, Ateas had the prudent idea of asking Macedonia for support. When Philip's troops arrived in Scythia, they were dismissed with contempt: the king of the Histrians was already dead, and the military actions were over. Another incident took place between Philip and Ateas during the siege of Byzantium; The Scythians refused to give provisions to the Macedonian troops under the pretext of poverty on their own lands.
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| Royal artefacts, Alma ata museum |
These innocuous incidents with Ateas gave Philip a reason for the invasion of this first domain. The final drop that caused the vase to overflow came when the Scythians refused Philip the right to consecrate a statue of Hercules in the estuary of the Danube. In 339 BC, AD, the two armies clashed on the plains of Dobruja. Ateas, then 90 years old, was killed in action and his army routed. It seems that Philip was so wounded and his horse died in battle.
Peace was re-established at the cost of 20,000 Scythian women and as many horses given to the Macedonians. As a result of this defeat, the Empire of Ateas collapsed completely. The Scythians lost their dominant position in the steppes of the Bridge during two centuries, until the reign of Scilurus in the 2nd century BC. AD
Peace was re-established at the cost of 20,000 Scythian women and as many horses given to the Macedonians. As a result of this defeat, the Empire of Ateas collapsed completely. The Scythians lost their dominant position in the steppes of the Bridge during two centuries, until the reign of Scilurus in the 2nd century BC. AD
