Caucasus, Alani, Sabiri, and the Amazons

This Good Works Translation continues the Book 8 Procopius dossier passages from the Greek.

The chapter belongs to the Scythian shelf because Procopius maps the Caucasus, the Alani, the Caspian Gates, the Hunnic nations of the passes, the Sabiri Huns, and his explanation of the Amazons through Hunnic women found among battlefield dead. The full chapter also preserves the adjacent Abasgi section, which anchors the passage on the eastern Euxine coast.

The translation is newly made from the Greek source text printed below. Dewing's public-domain English translation was used only as a control.

Translation

Wars 8.3.1-21

Above this country are the mountains of the Caucasus. This mountain, the Caucasus, rises to such a height that neither rain nor snow ever touches its highest peaks; for they happen to stand above all the clouds. But the middle parts are always covered with snow down to the lowest slopes.

From this one may infer that the foothills are exceedingly high, not at all inferior to the crags of other mountains.

Of the foothills of the Caucasus, some turn toward the north wind and the setting sun and extend as far as the Illyrians and Thracians; others turn toward the rising sun and the south wind and reach the very passes through which the Hunnic nations living there make their way into the land of both the Persians and the Romans.

One of these passes is called Tzur, while the other has from ancient times been named the Caspian Gates. The country extending from the Caucasus range to the Caspian Gates is held by the Alani, an autonomous nation, who for the most part are allied with the Persians and march against the Romans and against the Persians' other enemies. So much may be said concerning the Caucasus.

The Huns called Sabiri live in that region, and also certain other Hunnic tribes.

They say that the Amazons truly had their origin here, and afterward established their camp near Themiscyra on the river Thermodon, as I have stated above, at the place where the city of Amisus now is.

But today no memory of the Amazons is preserved anywhere around the Caucasus range, nor any name connected with them, although much has been written about them by Strabo and by some others.

It seems to me, however, that those have spoken better than the others, at least concerning the Amazons, who have said that there never was a race of women endowed with the qualities of men, and that human nature did not depart from its established order only in the mountains of the Caucasus.

Rather, barbarians from these regions, together with their own women, made an invasion of Asia with a great army, established a camp at the river Thermodon, and left the women there. Then, while they themselves were overrunning the greater part of Asia, they met the inhabitants of the land and were utterly destroyed, so that not one man returned to the women's camp.

Thereafter the women, through fear of the people living around them and constrained by the failure of their supplies, put on manly courage, not at all willingly. Taking up the arms and armor left by the men in the camp and arming themselves excellently with these, they displayed manly courage, driven by sheer necessity, until they were all destroyed.

I too believe that this is approximately what happened, and that the Amazons made an expedition with their husbands, basing my judgment on what has actually happened in my own time. For customs handed down to remote descendants show the character of earlier generations.

I mean this: on many occasions when Huns have made raids into Roman territory and have joined battle with those who encountered them, some of course have fallen there; and after the barbarians withdrew, the Romans, searching the bodies of the fallen, have actually found women among them. No other army of women, however, has appeared in any place in Asia or Europe. On the other hand, we have no tradition that the mountains of the Caucasus were ever without men. Let this suffice concerning the Amazons.

Beyond the Apsilii and the other end of the crescent, the Abasgi live along the coast, and their country extends as far as the mountains of the Caucasus.

The Abasgi have from ancient times been subjects of the Lazi, but they have always had two rulers of their own blood. One of these lived in the western part of their country, the other in the eastern part.

Even down to my time these barbarians worshipped groves and forests, for with a kind of barbarian simplicity they supposed that the trees were gods.

But they suffered most cruelly at the hands of their rulers because of their excessive greed. Both kings used to take those boys of the nation whom they noticed to have handsome faces and fine bodies; dragging them away from their parents without the least hesitation, they made them eunuchs and sold them at high prices to anyone in Roman territory who wished to buy them.

They also immediately killed the fathers of these boys, in order that none of them might ever attempt to exact vengeance from the king for the wrong done to their sons, and also that there might be no subjects in the country suspected by the kings.

Thus the physical beauty of their sons resulted in the destruction of the fathers; the wretched men were destroyed by the fatal misfortune of having beautiful children. As a consequence, most of the eunuchs among the Romans, and especially those at the emperor's court, happened to be Abasgi by birth.

But during the reign of the present Emperor Justinian, the Abasgi changed everything and adopted a more civilized way of life. For they not only chose the doctrines of the Christians, but the Emperor Justinian also sent them one of the eunuchs from the palace, an Abasgus by birth named Euphratas, and through him explicitly commanded their kings that no male in this nation should thereafter be deprived of manhood by nature being violated with iron.

The Abasgi gladly accepted this, and, now taking courage from the command of the Roman emperor, they strove with all their strength to prevent this practice.

For each of them feared that he might at some time become the father of a beautiful child.

At that time the Emperor Justinian also built a sanctuary of the Mother of God among the Abasgi, appointed priests for them, and brought it about that they were thoroughly taught all the customs of the Christians. The Abasgi immediately deposed both kings and seemed thereafter to live in freedom. Thus these things happened.

Colophon

This Good Works Translation was prepared for the Scythian shelf by the New Tianmu Anglican Church from the Greek source text printed below. The Greek text was downloaded from the PerseusDL canonical Greek repository as tlg4029.tlg001.perseus-grc2.xml and inspected locally. Dewing's public-domain English, preserved in the local ToposText capture and Ready archival dossier, was used only as a control.

This is the twenty-seventh unit in the Procopius Wars steppe and Black Sea translation dossier, and the second Book 8 unit.

Compiled and formatted for the Good Work Library by the New Tianmu Anglican Church, 2026.

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Source Text: Procopius, Wars 8.3.1-21

Greek source text from Procopius, Wars 8.3. Presented here for reference, study, and verification alongside the English translation above.

Wars 8.3

§ 8.3.1 Ταύτης δὲ τῆς χώρας καθύπερθεν ὄρος τὸ Καυκάσιόν ἐστι. τοῦτο δὲ τὸ ὄρος, ὁ Καύκασος, ἐς τοσόνδε ὕψος ἀνέχει, ὥστε δὴ αὐτοῦ τῶν μὲν ὑπερβολῶν οὔτε ὄμβρους οὔτε νιφετοὺς ἐπιψαύειν ποτέ· τῶν γὰρ νεφελῶν αὐτὰς ἁπασῶν καθυπερτέρας ξυμβαίνει εἶναι. τὰ δὲ μέσα μέχρι τῶν ἐσχάτων χιόνων ἔμπλεα διηνεκές ἐστι.

§ 8.3.2 καὶ ἀπ’ αὐτοῦ οἱ πρόποδες ὑψηλοὶ ἐσάγαν τυγχάνουσιν ὄντες, οὐδέν τι καταδεέστεροι τῶν ἐν τοῖς ὄρεσι τοῖς ἄλλοις σκοπέλων.

§ 8.3.3 τῶν δὲ τοῦ Καυκασίου ὄρους προπόδων οἱ μὲν πρός τε βορρᾶν ἄνεμον καὶ ἥλιον δύοντα τετραμμένοι ἔς τε Ἰλλυριοὺς καὶ Θρᾷκας διήκουσιν, οἱ δὲ πρός τε ἀνίσχοντα ἥλιον καὶ ἄνεμον νότον ἐς τὰς διεξόδους ἐξικνοῦνται αὐτὰς αἳ τὰ τῇδε ᾠκημένα Οὐννικὰ ἔθνη ἐς γῆν τήν τε Περσῶν καὶ Ῥωμαίων ἄγουσιν.

§ 8.3.4 ὧνπερ ἁτέρα μὲν Τζοὺρ ἐπικέκληται, ἡ δὲ δὴ ἑτέρα Πύλη ἐκ παλαιοῦ Κασπία ἐκλήθη. ταύτην δὲ τὴν χώραν ἣ ἐξ ὄρους τοῦ Καυκάσου ἄχρι ἐς τὰς Κασπίας κατατείνει Πύλας Ἀλανοὶ ἔχουσιν, αὐτόνομον ἔθνος, οἳ δὴ καὶ Πέρσαις τὰ πολλὰ ξυμμαχοῦσιν, ἐπί τε Ῥωμαίους καὶ ἄλλους πολεμίους στρατεύουσι. τὰ μὲν οὖν ἀμφὶ τῷ ὄρει τῷ Καυκασίῳ ταύτῃ πη ἔχει.

§ 8.3.5 Οὖννοι δέ, οἱ Σάβειροι ἐπικαλούμενοι, ἐνταῦθα ᾤκηνται καὶ ἄλλα ἄττα Οὐννικὰ ἔθνη. ἐνθένδε μὲν τὰς Ἀμαζόνας ὡρμῆσθαί φασιν, ἀμφὶ δὲ τὸ Θεμίσκουρον καὶ ποταμὸν τὸν Θερμώδοντα ἐνστρατοπεδεύσασθαι, ᾗπέρ μοι ἔναγχος εἴρηται,

§ 8.3.6 οὗ δὴ πόλις ἐν τῷ παρόντι Ἀμισός ἐστι. τανῦν δὲ οὐδαμῆ τῶν ἀμφὶ τὸ Καυκάσιον ὄρος χωρίων Ἀμαζόνων τις μνήμη ἢ ὄνομα διασώζεται, καίτοι καὶ Στράβωνι καὶ ἄλλοις τισὶ λόγοι ἀμφ’ αὐταῖς πολλοὶ εἴρηνται.

§ 8.3.7 ἀλλά μοι δοκοῦσι μάλιστα πάντων τά γε κατὰ τὰς Ἀμαζόνας ξὺν τῷ ἀληθεῖ λόγῳ εἰπεῖν, ὅσοι ἔφασαν οὐ πώποτε γένος γυναικῶν ἀνδρείων γεγονέναι, οὐδ’ ἐν ὄρει μόνῳ τῷ Καυκασίῳ τὴν τῶν ἀνθρώπων φύσιν θεσμῶν τῶν οἰκείων ἐξίστασθαι, ἀλλὰ βαρβάρους ἐκ τῶνδε τῶν χωρίων στρατῷ μεγάλῳ ξὺν γυναιξὶ ταῖς αὐτῶν ἰδίαις ἐπὶ τὴν Ἀσίαν στρατεῦσαι, στρατόπεδόν τε ἀμφὶ ποταμὸν Θερμώδοντα ποιησαμένους ἐνταῦθα μὲν τὰς γυναῖκας ἀπολιπεῖν, αὐτοὺς δὲ γῆν τῆς Ἀσίας τὴν πολλὴν καταθέοντας, ὑπαντιασάντων σφίσι τῶν τῇδε ᾠκημένων, ἅπαντας ἐξ ἀνθρώπων ἀφανισθῆναι, οὐδένα τε αὐτῶν τὸ παράπαν ἐπανήκειν ἐς τῶν γυναικῶν τὸ χαράκωμα, καὶ τὸ λοιπὸν ταύτας δὴ τὰς γυναῖκας, δέει τῶν περιοίκων καὶ ἀπορίᾳ τῶν ἐπιτηδείων ἀναγκασθείσας, τό τε ἀρρενωπὸν ἀμφιέσασθαι οὔτι ἐθελουσίας καὶ ἀνελομένας τὴν πρὸς τῶν ἀνδρῶν ἐν τῷ στρατοπέδῳ ἀπολελειμμένην τῶν ὅπλων σκευήν, καὶ ταύτῃ ἐξοπλισαμένας ὡς ἄριστα ἔργα ἀνδρεῖα ξὺν ἀρετῇ ἐπιδείξασθαι, διωθουμένης ἐς τοῦτο αὐτὰς τῆς ἀνάγκης, ἕως δὴ ἁπάσαις διαφθαρῆναι ξυνέπεσε.

§ 8.3.8 ταῦτα δὲ ὧδέ πη γεγονέναι καὶ ξὺν τοῖς ἀνδράσι τὰς Ἀμαζόνας στρατεύσασθαι καὶ αὐτὸς οἴομαι, τεκμηριούμενος οἷς δὴ καὶ χρόνῳ τῷ κατ’ ἐμὲ ξυνηνέχθη γενέσθαι.

§ 8.3.9 τὰ γὰρ ἐπιτηδεύματα μέχρι ἐς τοὺς ἀπογόνους παραπεμπόμενα τῶν προγεγενημένων τῆς φύσεως ἴνδαλμα γίνεται.

§ 8.3.10 Οὔννων τοίνυν καταδραμόντων πολλάκις τὴν Ῥωμαίων ἀρχήν, τοῖς τε ὑπαντιάσασιν ἐς χεῖρας ἐλθόντων, τινὰς μὲν αὐτῶν πεσεῖν ἐνταῦθα τετύχηκε, μετὰ δὲ τῶν βαρβάρων τὴν ἀναχώρησιν Ῥωμαῖοι διερευνώμενοι τῶν πεπτωκότων τὰ σώματα καὶ γυναῖκας ἐν αὐτοῖς εὗρον.

§ 8.3.11 ἄλλο μέντοι γυναικῶν στράτευμα οὐδαμῆ τῆς Ἀσίας ἢ τῆς Εὐρώπης ἐπιχωρίαζον ἐφάνη. οὐ μὴν οὐδὲ τὰ Καυκάσια ὄρη ἀνδρῶν ἔρημα γεγενῆσθαι πώποτε ἀκοῇ ἴσμεν. περὶ μὲν οὖν τῶν Ἀμαζόνων τοσαῦτα εἰρήσθω.

§ 8.3.12 Μετὰ δὲ Ἀψιλίους τε καὶ τοῦ μηνοειδοῦς τὴν ἑτέραν ἀρχὴν ἐς τὴν παραλίαν Ἀβασγοὶ ᾤκηνται, ἄχρι ἐς τὰ Καυκάσια ὄρη διήκοντες. οἱ δὲ Ἀβασγοὶ Λαζῶν μὲν κατήκοοι ἐκ παλαιοῦ ἦσαν,

§ 8.3.13 ἄρχοντας δὲ ὁμογενεῖς δύο ἐσαεὶ εἶχον. ὧν ἅτερος μὲν ἐς τῆς χώρας τὰ πρὸς ἑσπέραν, ὁ δὲ δὴ ἕτερος ἐς τὰ πρὸς ἀνίσχοντα ἥλιον ἵδρυτο.

§ 8.3.14 οἱ δὲ βάρβαροι οὗτοι μέχρι μὲν ἐς ἐμὲ ἄλση τε καὶ ὕλας ἐσέβοντο· θεοὺς γὰρ τὰ δένδρα βαρβάρῳ τινὶ ἀφελείᾳ ὑπώπτευον εἶναι.

§ 8.3.15 πρὸς δὲ τῶν ἐν σφίσιν ἀρχόντων τὰ δεινότατα διὰ φιλοχρηματίας μέγεθος ἔπασχον. ἄμφω γὰρ αὐτῶν οἱ βασιλεῖς, ὅσους ἂν παῖδας ἐν τούτῳ τῷ ἔθνει ἀγαθούς τε τὴν ὄψιν καὶ τὸ σῶμα καλοὺς ἴδοιεν, τούτους δὴ ὀκνήσει οὐδεμιᾷ ἐκ τῶν γειναμένων ἀφέλκοντες εὐνούχους τε ἀπεργαζόμενοι ἀπεδίδοντο ἐς Ῥωμαίων τὴν γῆν τοῖς ὠνεῖσθαι βουλομένοις χρημάτων μεγάλων.

§ 8.3.16 τούς τε αὐτῶν πατέρας ἔκτεινον εὐθύς, τοῦ μὴ αὐτῶν τινὰς τίσασθαί ποτε τῆς ἐς τοὺς παῖδας ἀδικίας τὸν βασιλέα ἐγχειριεῖν, μηδὲ ὑπόπτους αὐτοῖς τῶν κατηκόων τινὰς ἐνταῦθα εἶναι. ἥ τε τῶν υἱέων εὐμορφία σφίσιν ἐς τὸν ὄλεθρον ἀπεκρίνετο·

§ 8.3.17 διεφθείροντο γὰρ οἱ ταλαίπωροι, παίδων θανάσιμον δεδυστυχηκότες εὐπρέπειαν. καὶ ἀπ’ αὐτοῦ τῶν ἐν Ῥωμαίοις εὐνούχων οἱ πλεῖστοι καὶ οὐχ ἥκιστα ἐν τῇ βασιλέως αὐλῇ γένος Ἀβασγοὶ ἐτύγχανον ὄντες.

§ 8.3.18 Ἐπὶ τούτου δὲ Ἰουστινιανοῦ βασιλεύοντος ἅπαντα Ἀβασγοῖς ἐπὶ τὸ ἡμερώτερον τετύχηκε μεταμπίσχεσθαι.

§ 8.3.19 τά τε γὰρ Χριστιανῶν δόγματα εἵλοντο καὶ αὐτοῖς Ἰουστινιανὸς βασιλεὺς τῶν τινὰ ἐκ Παλατίου εὐνούχων στείλας, Ἀβασγὸν γένος, Εὐφρατᾶν ὄνομα, τοῖς αὐτῶν βασιλεῦσι διαρρήδην ἀπεῖπε μηδένα τὸ λοιπὸν ἐν τούτῳ τῷ ἔθνει τὴν ἀρρενωπίαν ἀποψιλοῦσθαι, σιδήρῳ βιαζομένης τῆς φύσεως. ὃ δὴ ἄσμενοι Ἀβασγοὶ ἤκουσαν,

§ 8.3.20 καὶ τῇ τοῦ Ῥωμαίων βασιλέως ἐπιτάξει θαρροῦντες ἤδη τὸ ἔργον τοῦτο σθένει παντὶ διεκώλυον. ἐδεδίει γὰρ αὐτῶν ἕκαστος μή ποτε παιδίου πατὴρ εὐπρεποῦς γένηται.

§ 8.3.21 τότε δὴ Ἰουστινιανὸς βασιλεὺς καὶ ἱερὸν τῆς θεοτόκου ἐν Ἀβασγοῖς οἰκοδομησάμενος, ἱερεῖς τε αὐτοῖς καταστησάμενος, διεπράξατο ἅπαντα αὐτοὺς ἤθη τῶν Χριστιανῶν ἐκδιδάσκεσθαι, τούς τε βασιλεῖς ἄμφω Ἀβασγοὶ καθελόντες αὐτίκα ἐν ἐλευθερίᾳ βιοτεύειν ἐδόκουν. ταῦτα μὲν οὖν τῇδε ἐχώρησε.

Source Colophon

Greek source text from the PerseusDL canonical Greek repository file tlg4029.tlg001.perseus-grc2.xml, inspected locally for this translation unit.

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