Great Scythia, Greece and Rome
A number of researchers on the basis of numerous facts came to the conclusion that modern Russians (superethnos of the Rus, including Great Russians, Little Russians, Belarusians, Rusyns) are direct descendants of Indo-Europeans-Aryans of the Bronze Age, Scythians and Sarmatians. This topic is discussed in detail in the articles of the BO: Great Scythia and superethnos Rus. Part of 1. Great Scythia and superethnos Rus. Part of 2. In this connection, the relations of Great Scythia with Greece and Rome, the advanced civilizations of the then West, are of great interest. It is necessary to understand that the East-West confrontation did not arise in the XVIII-XX centuries and not even in the times of Ivan the Terrible or Alexander Nevsky, it has much more ancient roots. The information warfare of Greek (including late, Byzantine authors) and Roman authors against the "barbarians", the Scythians of the East, gradually turns into hatred of Russians, modern Russophobia. It is also necessary to note the ancient stories cultural expansion on the part of the West, attempts to dilute the basic values of Northern civilization, “civilize” it using the “cultural cooperation” method. The main “work” was carried out with the military-political elite of Great Scythia. Almost all systemic crises that led to the Time of Troubles and the change of elite were associated with Western cultural influence on the nobility of Scythia.
The ties of Greece with Scythia were very close, diverse and almost related. It must be said that Scythia, in spite of its global, “Eurasian” geopolitical orientation, as well as later Russia, was always turned more to the west than to the east. The main contacts between civilizations passed through the Balkan Peninsula (its great importance was preserved during the Russian Empire). Given the great military might of Great Scythia, in general there were no major conflicts between Scythia and the Balkan states. The only exception is the attempts to invade Alexander and his commanders in the Scythian lands, but they were successfully repulsed. The “sea” civilization of the Aegean basin could not seriously threaten Great Continental Scythia.
At the same time, it must be said that cooperation, including cultural, was not one-sided, as it is often presented - directed from “civilized” Greece to the huge “barbarous” Scythia. In reality, the influence was bilateral. In the history of Greece, you can find many "Scythian" elements. Greek policies exported “democracy”, “market economy (built on the exploitation of slaves) economy, sophisticated (avant-garde) art forms, wine, olive oil, etc. And in return, Greece received religious and mythological tradition, statehood, bread, leather, skills horse breeding, iron production technology.
The foundations of the traditional “Greek civilization were laid in the Mycenaean period, in the Bronze Age. Although, according to researchers, Pelasgia, in which the Pelasgians, Lelegas and Carians lived, their later Greek historians considered "barbarians", played a big role in shaping this culture. How was Mycenaean Greece formed? Historians answer this question unequivocally: thanks to a series of migrations from the region of Southern Russia to the Balkans and Asia Minor. The beginning of these migrations dates back to the middle of 4 thousand BC. er Even in ancient times, among the peoples of the Northern Black Sea region were Akhai (Achaeans). Ancient authors noted the Achaeans between Taman and the Caucasus. The last migration along this route from the Northern Black Sea region to the Balkans occurred in the 12-11 centuries. BC e., after which there was an ancient Hellas. The steppe "barbarians" who came to the south of the Balkan Peninsula created the Dorian aristocracy of the feudal type, which also maintained its position in Greece of the classical era, although it was strongly pressed by the "democratic" reforms. The most famous example of the state created by the Dorians is Sparta. In Sparta, the “barbarous” traditions of a simple way of life, military valor and discipline of citizens remained the longest. The origin of the Dorians from the peoples who inhabited the steppes of Southern Russia during the late Bronze Age is indicated by the change in the character of burials in Greece at the turn of 2-1 in the thousand BC. er Instead of Mycenaean burials, barrows, traditional for the South Russian steppes, appeared in the tombs. Dorian burials coincide with the type that was common at that time in the southern Russian steppes.
The anthropological type of "ancient Greek", which is known to us from the famous bas-reliefs and statues of gods, representatives of the aristocracy, is far from the modern image of the Greeks and the "late Greeks." This type is quite familiar and common for northern tribes of Eurasia, peoples of Indo-European origin (especially Slavic, German-Scandinavian, Celtic groups) and does not at all correspond to the “Mediterranean” appearance characteristic of the modern peoples of the Balkans and the Mediterranean basin.
How were the Dorians established in Greece? It used to be thought that this was a “barbaric invasion” that destroyed the Mycenaean civilization (similar to the “invasion” of the Aryans in North India). But then it turned out that there was no single-stage invasion. The cities of Mycenaean Greece declined gradually, the process took more than a century - from the end of 13 to the end of 12 centuries. BC er Then, after a century break, a new cultural uplift began. As a result, some researchers came to the conclusion that the fall of Mycenaean Greece and the arrival of the Dorians were different events. The Dorians did not destroy anything (like the Aryans in India), the enemy came from the other side, apparently from the south. It is possible that the Spartan historical tradition sheds light on this situation. In Sparta, the Greek polis that maintained the continuity of the ancient aristocracy and the associated political and state culture the longest, it was reported that the “Dorian parish” that the local dynasty of kings (Heraklides), driven out by powerful enemies, asked the friendly Dorian people in the north of the Balkans and got it. With the help of the Dorians, Heraklides regained the throne. This legend says that the Dorians were not the enemies of the Achaeans. On the contrary, the weakened Mycenaean civilization attracted northern relatives to help. Thus, according to Homer, the army that besieged Troy consisted of Achaeans, headed by King Agamemnon and the “blond northerners” under Achilles (medieval sources say that he was a Scythian from Azov region). The conflict between Agamemnon and Achilles in this light is not a personal skirmish, but contradictions between the two layers of the military-political elite — the old and the new.
Homer does not mention the term "Dorians," calling the troops besieging Troy now Achaeans, now Danish. In the “Danaans” one can easily recognize the “new Greeks” who came with Achilles from the coast of Meotida (the name of the Sea of Azov from the Greeks and Romans). Their name is derived from the toponym "don - dan - tana", common in the Black Sea and Azov region. In the language of Indo-Europeans, this word means "river", "bottom", "channel". This word has been used to designate the river Don - Tanais. It turns out that the Achilles' Danyans, who stormed Troy, are the same as the “Don”, people living along the Don River. The warriors who came from the steppes of southern Russia, helping the Greeks against their enemies, gradually seized control in their hands. Hence the conflict between the king of Miken and the leader of the “Danaians”. When the weakened Mycenae finally fell, the "barbarians" from the southern Russian steppes gradually restored the destroyed culture. In addition, it is necessary to take into account that it was the Dorians who brought the iron processing technology to Greece (the secret of Achilles’s “invulnerability”). The first iron swords were found precisely in the Dorian layers, from the 11 century BC. er .. Especially since the Greek alphabet, which does not have a direct continuity with the ancient Niken syllable letter, was apparently also brought from the north. As a result, in 11 century BC. er Alphabetical writing, iron processing technology, a new religion, and mythology (themes of Homeric epic) appear on the territory of Greece. All this brought with them the Dorians. Therefore, to talk about the "barbarization" of Greece in 11-9 centuries. BC er say no. Dorians restored civilization and raised it to a new level.
In fact, the “Greek” civilization received from Great Scythia a charge of energy (together with the settlers), which gave Greece a new life. Further maritime colonization, the “swimming of the Argonauts”, the flowering of old and new policies, the rise of the economy, the rise of art, all these are consequences of the “Dorian invasion”. Cultural forms that Scythia received from ancient Greece can be called a “boomerang”, returning to its owner.
It is clear that the Greco-Scythian relations were far from ideal. Many Greeks were annoyed by the aristocracy of Dorian origin and its tradition. In turn, the Scythians were unhappy with the crooks of Greek merchants, their predatory, pirate disposition. The Greeks corrupted the Scythian aristocracy by the method of "cultural cooperation", their free morals. Known history of the Scythian king 5. BC e Skila in the city of Olbia, whose mother Hellenca taught Greek language and literacy. Then a brisk Greek legion was placed in his bed, who dedicated him to the Greek-Asia Minor mystical cults. As a result, Skil in his house “lived in the Hellenic way around and made sacrifices to the gods according to the Hellenic custom,” thus betraying the Scythian traditions. In addition, he began lobbying in the Scythian kingdom the interests of his mother’s homeland, Istria. Rod Skil had to resort to heavy measures: the king was deprived of power and executed as a traitor.
If in the early Iron Age Great Scythia had a significant impact on the development of Greek civilization, then in the period of late antiquity the situation changed. The classical culture of Hellas had a serious impact on Scythia, and later on Sarmatia. This is indicated by archaeological excavations in the cities of the Black Sea basin. Archaeologists discover amazing examples of architecture, sculpture, painting, jewelry, which were made by local craftsmen, but greatly influenced by the Greek tradition. It is this influence that made it possible to attribute the creation of cities on the shores of the Black and Azov Seas to the “Greeks”.
An inevitable continuation of cultural expansion was the military pressure on Scythia. Since the end of 2 century BC. er “Landings” landed one after another on the southern coast of the Crimean peninsula. The wars with the Scythians began the famous ruler of the Pontic state Mithridates Eupator (134 - 63 BC), who united under his rule the vast territories of the Hellenistic Eastern Mediterranean. Initially, the Western Scythians had a serious resistance to the expansion of Mithridates. The troops of the commander Diophantus defeated the forces of the Roksolans, who were allies of the Scythian king Palak and eliminated the ancient dynasty of the Bosporian kingdom. However, a popular uprising of the Crimean Scythians, Sinds, and Meotians began immediately, headed by Savmak. The uprising was crushed, and for several decades Mithridates gained control of the Kingdom of Bosporus and Chersonese. At that time, the Black Sea Scythians were forced to maneuver in front of two strong opponents - Pont and Rome, so the Scythian Sarmatians supported Mithridates on the principle "the enemy of my enemy is my friend." Part of the Black Sea cities were ceded to Ponto, and the Sarmatians supported Mithridates in the fight against a more dangerous enemy, Rome. The course of events of the Mithridates' wars with Rome, which lasted for several decades, is quite well known.
Mithridates was a very energetic and capable ruler who organized a very serious resistance to Rome. His power gathered around him the Hellenistic states of Asia Minor, and the Scythian-Sarmatian detachments were the striking force of his army. In addition, the Northern Pontic became for Ponta the main base of food supply. In fact, Great Scythia supported the Hellenistic world against Rome.
In the midst of the Pontic Wars (89-63 BC), the famous uprising of Spartacus (73 - 71 BC) occurred, which shook Rome to its very foundation. The actions of the Sparta forces were in the hands of the Pontic kingdom, Greece, and allied Scythia. Some researchers even believe that the Spartacus uprising was inspired by Pontus. It was too well organized and took on such a large scale. Obviously, it is difficult to attribute the uprising to the "intensification of the class struggle" - this is the largest uprising in the history of Rome. Rome at that time was overcrowded with slaves-prisoners of war from the “eastern front,” and they were sent to gladiator schools. It can be assumed that among the slaves were the commanders of the Scythian troops who served Mithridates. This explains the situation when the spontaneous revolt of slaves, which usually resulted in anarchy, gained such a dangerous character for Rome. Spartak and his commanders turned the hub of slaves and prisoners into a well-organized army.
Almost nothing is known about the origin of Spartacus. Sources call him "Thracian". In antiquity, the territory of Thrace (present-day Bulgaria) was closely connected with the Northern Black Sea region, Scythia. It was in the north of the Balkan Peninsula that the most intense hostilities were fought. The Romans called their opponents "Thracians", although it is known that it was there that the Sarmatian army, allied to Mithridates Eupator, acted. In addition, the geographic name "Thrace" was vague in late antiquity. Bulgaria was often called “Minor Thrace”, and Scythia - “Great Thrace”, emphasizing the kinship of the tribes inhabiting these lands. Therefore, a Sarmatian warrior could be a prisoner of war "Thracian", and not a native of the Balkans. The name of the leader of the gladiators also indicates the origin. Similar names are of Scythian origin - Savmak, Spartak, Arsak, Taksak, etc. The name "Spartak" was borne by some of the kings of Bosporus and Meotidas, there was even a dynasty of Spartacids. It is believed that Spartacus was from this dynasty (nowhere else is this name known).
This explains the success of the uprising, when the gladiator managed to gather an army in 120 thousand people and so successfully lead it that Rome was close to death. Spartak could be captured during one of the many military campaigns in Thrace. From sources it is known that according to the original plan, Spartak wanted, and probably could, just leave the Apennine peninsula and move to the east side, that is, in fact, break through to its own, beyond the front line on the Danube. However, the locals who did not want to leave Italy intervened. Spartak was forced to adjust his plans and stayed to join the final battle with the enemy. In addition, his army began to disintegrate on a national basis - the Gauls and the Germans broke off, their troops were destroyed separately. In addition, Roman sources say about the leader of the rebels with respect. If we recall the attitude of the Romans to the slaves, "two-legged guns", this indicates a high origin of Spartacus.
In fact, it was the uprising of Spartacus that stopped the expansion of Rome in the territory of Great Scythia (Sarmatia). The Roman elite made sure that the state could not “digest” such a piece of it. Rome's eastern policy has changed. Rome went to direct agreements with the Bosporus and the Scythians, bypassing Mithridates. The Scythians, seeing that the Roman patriciate was ready to stabilize the situation on its eastern borders, stopped supporting the Pontic kingdom. As a result, Pont, having lost the most powerful "Scythian military contingent", became the prey of Rome. The kingdom of Bosporus regained its independence.
Subsequently, on the border of Scythia-Sarmatia and Rome, there was a “cold neutrality” situation, which was at times interrupted by active hostilities. So, during the civil war in Rome 69 g. N. er Sarmatians crossed the Danube and invaded Moesia, large areas were devastated. In the end, the confrontation between Great Scythia (Sarmatia) and Rome, a free community with a people's aristocratic system and a slave-owning system, ended with the fall of the Eternal City. At the end of 4 - the beginning of 5 centuries. n er under the onslaught of the Alans-Sarmatians and Vendians-Vandals, the Roman Empire collapsed. The ring has closed ... And a new confrontation began - already the Christian Vatican with the pagan North and East.
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