Greek and Roman Sources

Greek and Roman literary, historical, geographical, and philosophical witnesses for Scythia and the northern Black Sea world.

Pages

Aelian -- Various History Scythian Notices — Selected public-domain Scythian, Sauromatian, Anacharsis, and Persian-frontier notices from Aelian's Various History in the 1666 English translation.
Aeschylus -- Prometheus Bound — Aeschylus' Prometheus Bound in Theodore Alois Buckley's public-domain English prose translation, presented for the Scythian shelf because the drama opens in an untrodden Scythian desert and moves through Caucasus, Colchis, and northern frontier geography.
Aeschylus — Prometheus Bound and the Scythian Wild — A public-domain E. D. A. Morshead translation of Aeschylus' Prometheus Bound.
Ammianus — The Alans and the Sword God — Ammianus Marcellinus' late Roman account of the Alans, their nomad life, war ethic, and sword worship, translated from Latin.
Ammianus Marcellinus -- Book 22 Black Sea Geography -- Archival English Text — A public-domain English archival text from Ammianus Marcellinus, Book 22, preserving his fourth-century geography of Thrace, the Black Sea, the Sea of Azov, the Cimmerian Bosporus, the Danube mouths, and the peoples named around the north Pontic world.
Ammianus Marcellinus -- Book 23 Persian and Inner Asian Geography -- Archival English Text — A public-domain English archival text from Ammianus Marcellinus, Book 23, preserving the fourth-century Persian and Inner Asian geography that names Cadusii, Scythian tribes, Hyrcania, Bactria, Sogdiana, Sacae, the two Scythias, Serica, the Jaxartes, and the road to China.
Ammianus Marcellinus — Book 31 — Ammianus Marcellinus' full Book 31 in C. D. Yonge's public-domain English translation, including the Huns, Alans, Goths, and the Danubian crisis.
Ammianus Marcellinus — Rerum Gestarum Book 31 — Ammianus Marcellinus' Rerum Gestarum Book 31 newly translated from Latin, covering portents before Valens' disaster, the Huns, Alans, Goths, Danube crossing, Roman frontier collapse, Adrianople, and the late antique northern invasion crisis.
Anna Komnene -- Alexiad Book 7 — Anna Komnene's Alexiad Book VII in the public-domain Dawes translation, preserving the Byzantine use of Scythian for Danubian steppe war, Tzelgu, Sauromatians, Dacians, the Ister, Rusium, Tzouroulus, and Pecheneg frontier tactics.
Apollonius Rhodius -- The Argonautica — Apollonius Rhodius' Argonautica in R. C. Seaton's public-domain English prose translation, presented for the Scythian shelf as the full Jason, Medea, Colchis, Phasis, Golden Fleece, and Euxine epic.
Apollonius Rhodius — Aeetes and the Sauromatae — A public-domain R. C. Seaton translation of Apollonius Rhodius on Aeetes, Colchis, and the Sauromatae.
Apollonius Rhodius — Amazons, Thermodon, and the Black Sea — A public-domain R. C. Seaton translation of Apollonius Rhodius on Amazons, Thermodon, Ares, and the Black Sea route.
Apollonius Rhodius — The Caucasus and the Grove of Ares — A public-domain R. C. Seaton translation of Apollonius Rhodius on Caucasus, Phasis, Colchis, and Ares' grove.
Apollonius Rhodius — The Island of Ares and the Amazons — A public-domain R. C. Seaton translation of Apollonius Rhodius on the island temple of Ares and Amazon rites.
Apollonius Rhodius — The Ister and Scythian Pursuit — A public-domain R. C. Seaton translation of Apollonius Rhodius on the Ister, Scythians, Sindi, and Colchian pursuit.
Appian -- The Mithridatic Wars — Appian's Mithridatic Wars in Horace White's public-domain English translation, presented for the Scythian shelf as a full Pontic, Colchian, Bosporan, Tauri, Sarmatian, Roxolani, and Black Sea source body.
Arrian -- Anabasis Book 3 -- Archival English Text — A public-domain English archival text of Arrian, Anabasis of Alexander Book 3, preserving Alexander from Egypt and Arbela through Media, Parthia, Hyrcania, Bactria, the Oxus, Bessus, Maracanda, Sogdiana, and the Tanais.
Arrian -- Anabasis Book 4 -- Archival English Text — A public-domain English archival text of Arrian, Anabasis of Alexander Book 4, preserving the Sogdian revolt, the Scythians beyond the Tanais, Spitamenes, the Chorasmians, Bactria, the Sogdian Rock, and Roxana.
Arrian -- Anabasis Book 7 -- Archival English Text — A public-domain English archival text of Arrian, Anabasis of Alexander Book 7, preserving Alexander after India, Susa, Babylon, the Caspian inquiry, embassies from Scythians and other peoples, and the death of Alexander.
Arrian -- Anabasis of Alexander Book 4 — Arrian's Anabasis of Alexander Book 4 in E. J. Chinnock's public-domain English translation, preserving the Sogdian revolt, Alexander's battle with the Scythians beyond the Tanais, Massagetae, Bactria, and Roxana.
Arrian -- Voyage Round the Euxine Sea -- Archival English Text — Arrian's second-century Black Sea periplus in William Falconer's 1805 public-domain English translation.
Arrian — Periplus of the Euxine Sea — Arrian's Periplus of the Euxine Sea newly translated from Ancient Greek, covering the Black Sea circuit from Trapezus and Colchis to Dioscurias, the Cimmerian Bosporus, Tanais, Taurica, Olbia, the Ister mouths, Achilles Island, and Byzantium.
Avienus -- Periegesis Northern and Eastern Geography -- Good Works Translation — A selected Latin-source Good Works Translation of Avienus' Periegesis, gathering the Tanais, Maeotis, Scythia, Sarmatians, Caspian, Massagetae, Sogdiana, Tochari, Seres, Parthians, and southern Scythian passages.
Cassius Dio -- Dacians, Sarmatians, and the Danube Frontier — A public-domain Cassius Dio archival dossier on Dacians, Bastarnae, Getae, Sarmatians, Iazyges, Alani, Bosporus, and the Danube frontier.
Claudian -- The Gothic War — Claudian's public-domain English Gothic War, a late Roman poem on Alaric, Stilicho, Getae, Alans, Scythian language, and the battle of Pollentia.
Clement of Alexandria — The Scythian Akinakes — A source-language Good Works Translation of Clement of Alexandria's notice that the Scythians worshipped the akinakes.
Ctesias -- Persica in Photius — Photius' epitome of Ctesias' Persica in the public-domain Freese English translation, preserving the Sacae, Amorges, Sparethra, Sacan cavalry, the Derbices, Darius' Scythian expedition, the stronger Scythian bow, and Ctesias' rival Persian tradition against Herodotus.
Curtius Rufus — The Scythian Embassy to Alexander — A source-language Good Works Translation of Curtius Rufus' Scythian embassy speech to Alexander at the Tanais.
Diodorus Siculus — Scythians, Amazons, and Hyperboreans — A Good Works Translation of Diodorus Siculus, Library of History 2.43-47, covering Scythian origins, Saka, Massagetae, Sauromatae, Amazons, and Hyperboreans.
Dionysius Periegetes -- Tanais, Caspian, Saka, and Scythia — A Good Works Translation of selected Greek lines from Dionysius Periegetes on Tanais, Maeotis, Sauromatae, Scythia, the Caspian, Bactria, Massagetae, Sogdiana, the Jaxartes, Saka, Tochari, Seres, and northern Scythians.
Euripides -- Iphigenia in Tauris — Euripides' Iphigenia in Tauris in Gilbert Murray's public-domain English verse translation, presented for the Scythian shelf as a full Tauric, Black Sea, Artemis, stranger-sacrifice, and Greek-barbarian frontier drama.
Euripides — Heracles and the Maeotic Amazons — A public-domain E. P. Coleridge translation of Euripides' Heracles, including the Maeotic Amazon labor.
Euripides — Iphigenia in Tauris — A public-domain Robert Potter translation of Euripides' Iphigenia in Tauris.
Euripides — Rhesus and the Thracian Frontier — A public-domain English translation of Euripides' Rhesus, a tragedy set around Trojan, Thracian, and northern frontier war.
Eutropius -- Northern and Eastern Imperial Notices -- Good Works Translation — A Good Works Translation from Eutropius' Breviarium, gathering Dacian, Sarmatian, Scythian, Bosporan, Gothic, Parthian, Persian, Armenian, Albanian, Iberian, and Danubian frontier notices.
Festus -- Breviarium -- Good Works Translation — A complete Good Works Translation of Festus' Breviarium, a late antique Roman summary of provinces, Scythia, Dacia, the Danube, Goths, Sarmatians, Bosporus, Armenia, Persia, and eastern war.
Florus -- Northern and Eastern War Notices -- Good Works Translation — A Good Works Translation from Florus' Epitome, gathering Thracian, Mithridatic, Parthian, Moesian, Dacian, Sarmatian, and northern embassy notices.
Frontinus -- Stratagems of the Scythian and Eastern Frontiers -- Good Works Translation — A Good Works Translation from Frontinus' Stratagems, gathering Scythian, Parthian, Armenian, Mithridatic, Dacian, Cimbrian, and Pontic military examples.
Herodotus -- Histories Book 1 — Herodotus Book 1, the complete Clio, in G. C. Macaulay's public-domain English translation, preserving Cyrus, Tomyris, the Massagetae, the Araxes, the Caspian, Issedonians, and Scythian pressure from Asia.
Herodotus — Histories Book 4 — Herodotus Book 4, the complete Melpomene, in G. C. Macaulay's public-domain English translation.
Herodotus — The Scythian Logos — Herodotus' account of Scythian origins, gods, rites, warfare, divination, burial, and customs, translated from Ancient Greek.
Hippocrates -- On Airs, Waters, and Places — Hippocrates' On Airs, Waters, and Places in Francis Adams' public-domain English translation, including the full environmental-medical account of the Scythians and Sauromatae.
Hippocrates — The Scythian Climate and the Sauromatae — Hippocrates' account of the Sauromatae and Scythian nomads in Airs, Waters, Places 17-22, translated from Ancient Greek.
Historia Augusta -- Northern Frontier Notices -- Latin and Archival English Texts — Selected Latin and public-domain archival English notices from the Historia Augusta on Sarmatians, Alans, Roxolani, Tauroscythians, Olbia, the Bosporus, Goths, Parthians, Persians, and the later Roman northern frontier.
Isidore of Seville -- Scythian Peoples and Geography -- Good Works Translation — A Good Works Translation from Isidore of Seville's Etymologiae on Scythian peoples, Sarmatians, Massagetae, Amazons, Huns, Alans, Scythia, Maeotis, the Caucasus, and northern geography.
Jordanes — Attila and the Sword of Mars — A source-language Good Works Translation of Jordanes' account of Attila finding the Sword of Mars, said to have been sacred among Scythian kings.
Jordanes — Getica — The complete Getica of Jordanes in Charles Christopher Mierow's public-domain English translation, preserving the late antique Scythia, Goths, Huns, Attila, Danube, and Black Sea frame.
Justin -- Alexander, Zopyrion, and the Eastern Campaigns — A Good Works Translation of Justin, Epitome of Pompeius Trogus Book 12, on Alexander after Darius, Zopyrion in Scythia, Bactria, Sogdiana, the Tanais, Chorasmians, Dahae, India, Babylon, and Alexander death.
Justin -- Epitome of Pompeius Trogus Book 2 — Justin's Epitome of Pompeius Trogus Book 2 in John Selby Watson's public-domain English translation, preserving the Scythian antiquity argument, Amazon cycle, slave revolt, and Darius' Scythian campaign.
Justin — The Antiquity and Customs of the Scythians — A source-language Good Works Translation of Justin's account of Scythian antiquity, nomad life, justice, and material restraint.
Lucan -- Scythian and Northern Poetic Geography -- Good Works Translation — A selected Good Works Translation from Lucan's Pharsalia, gathering Scythian cold, Sarmatians, Dacians, Getae, Massagetae, Dahae, Colchis, Maeotis, Tanais, Parthians, Hyrcania, Bactrus, Arimaspians, and Geloni.
Lucian -- Anacharsis — Lucian's Anacharsis, A Discussion of Physical Training, in the public-domain Fowler translation, preserving the Scythian sage's debate with Solon over Greek civic and bodily education.
Lucian -- Toxaris — Lucian's Toxaris, or A Dialogue of Friendship, in the public-domain Fowler translation, preserving a Scythian-Greek literary debate over cult, loyalty, oath, friendship, and Scythian custom.
Lucian — Anacharsis — A public-domain Fowler and Fowler translation of Lucian's Anacharsis, a dialogue between Solon and the Scythian sage on Greek athletics and war training.
Lucian — The Scythian — A public-domain Fowler and Fowler translation of Lucian's Scythian lecture on Toxaris, Anacharsis, Solon, and Greek friendship.
Lucian — The Scythian Oath of Friendship and the Akinakes — Lucian's dialogue notice on Scythian friendship, the blood-and-sword oath, and the divine oath by Wind and the Akinakes, translated from Ancient Greek.
Lucian — Toxaris — A public-domain Fowler and Fowler translation of Lucian's Toxaris, a dialogue of Greek and Scythian friendship stories.
Notitia Dignitatum -- Scythia, Sarmatians, Alans, and Taifals -- Good Works Translation — A Good Works Translation of selected Notitia Dignitatum entries preserving the Dux Scythiae, Scythian units, Sarmatian settlements, Alan companions, and Taifal cavalry.
Orosius -- Scythian Geography, War, and the Amazons — A Latin-source Good Works Translation dossier from Orosius' first book, gathering his Scythian geography, Vesozes war narrative, Amazon origin account, Cimmerian notice, and late antique Getic-Gothic framing.
Ovid — Medea and Scythia's King — A public-domain Garth-Dryden-era translation of Ovid's Metamorphoses Book 7, with Medea, Jason, Colchis, and Scythia's king.
Ovid — The Hypanis and the Scythian Women — A public-domain Garth-Dryden-era translation of Ovid's Metamorphoses Book 15, including the Hypanis and Scythian transformation notices.
Pausanias -- Description of Greece Book 1 -- Attica — Arthur Richard Shilleto's public-domain translation of Pausanias' Description of Greece Book 1, preserving Attic notices on Amazons, Anacharsis, Sarmatian armor, Scythian routes, Tauric Artemis, and Athenian frontier memory.
Plato — Scythian Archery and Sauromatian Women — A public-domain Benjamin Jowett translation of Plato's Laws Book 7, including Scythian archery and Sauromatian women.
Pliny the Elder -- Natural History Book 6 — Pliny the Elder's Natural History Book 6 in the 1855 Bostock and Riley public-domain English translation, preserving the Scythian, Saka, Caspian, Hyperborean, Caucasian, and eastern-ocean geography.
Pliny the Elder — Hyperboreans and the Northern Ocean — A Good Works Translation of Pliny's Latin account of the Riphaean mountains, Hyperboreans, northern ocean, amber island, and Scythian sea traditions.
Pliny the Elder — The Scythian Bow and Taurica — A Good Works Translation of Pliny's Latin geography of the Pontus, Maeotis, Olbia, Achilles' island, Hylaea, Taurica, and Scythian peoples.
Plutarch -- Life of Alexander — Plutarch's complete public-domain Life of Alexander in the Stewart and Long English translation, preserving Alexander's Bactrian, Sogdian, Tanais, Scythian, and Amazon notices as a large Greek biographical witness for the Scythian shelf.
Plutarch -- Lucullus and Pompey on the Pontic Frontier — Selected public-domain passages from Plutarch's Lucullus and Pompey on the Pontic and Caucasus frontier: Mithridates, Tigranes, the Bosporus, Colchis, Armenia, Albanians, Iberians, the Caspian, and the Roman command transfer.
Polyaenus -- Stratagems of the Scythian Frontier — A Greek-source Good Works Translation dossier from Polyaenus' Stratagems, gathering Scythian, Saka, Massagetae, Taurian, Maeotian, Sarmatian, and Bosporan frontier episodes.
Polybius -- Byzantium, Pontus, Maeotis, and the Black Sea Trade -- Archival English Text — A public-domain English archival text from Polybius, Histories Book 4, preserving the Byzantium-Pontus trade passage, the Pontus and Maeotis geography, the Bosporus channels, Darius crossing toward Scythia, and the Rhodian-Byzantine war over Black Sea tolls.
Pomponius Mela -- European Scythia, Thrace, and Pontic Islands -- Good Works Translation — A Good Works Translation of Pomponius Mela's Book II northern route through European Scythia, Thrace, the Bosporus, the Hellespont, Maeotis, Pontus, and the Symplegades.
Pomponius Mela — Scythian Mars and the Sword Offerings — Pomponius Mela's Roman geographical notice on Scythian customs, Mars, sword offerings, belts, and human sacrifice, translated from Latin.
Priscus — Fragments on Attila and the Steppe Court — Priscus' fragments on Attila newly translated from Greek and Latin source text, gathering the diplomacy, road narrative, banquet scene, court economy, Roman plot, Honoria crisis, and the later embassy of Attila's sons.
Procopius -- Buildings Book 3 Euxine, Bosporus, Cherson, and Crimean Goths -- Archival English Text — A public-domain English archival dossier from Procopius, Buildings Book 3, preserving Justinian's Euxine, Lazic, Bosporan, Chersonesite, Tauroscythian, Hunnic, and Crimean Gothic frontier notices.
Procopius -- Buildings Book 4 Danube, Scythia, and Chersonesus -- Archival English Text — A public-domain English archival text of Procopius, Buildings Book 4, preserving Justinian's Danube, Thracian, Scythian, Euxine, Chersonesus, and Balkan frontier building catalogue.
Procopius — Wars Steppe and Black Sea Dossier — Selected steppe, Hunnic, Black Sea, Caucasus, Bosporus, Sclaveni, Antae, Sabiri, Utigur, Cutrigur, Massagetae, and Scythian passages from Procopius' Wars newly translated from Ancient Greek.
Pseudo-Scylax -- Scythia, Taurica, Maeotis, and the Tanais -- Good Works Translation — A Good Works Translation of selected Greek sections from Pseudo-Scylax's Periplus on Scythia, Taurica, Maeotis, the Tanais, Sauromatae, Maeotians, and Sindoi.
Ptolemy — European Sarmatia and Taurica — Ptolemy's gazetteer chapters for European Sarmatia and the Tauric peninsula in the public-domain Stevenson English edition preserved by LacusCurtius.
Quintus Curtius Rufus -- History of Alexander Book VII -- Good Works Translation — A full Good Works Translation of Quintus Curtius Rufus, History of Alexander Book VII, on Bactria, Sogdiana, the Tanais, the Scythian king, the Scythian embassy, the Sacae, and the Sogdian rock.
Solinus -- Scythia, the Sacae, and the Northern Roads — A Latin-source Good Works Translation dossier from Solinus' Polyhistor, gathering Scythia, Taurica, Sacae, Massagetae, the Caspian Gates, Bactria, Seres, Hyperboreans, and Parthian frontier notices.
Strabo -- Geography Book 7 — Strabo's Geography Book 7 in the 1854 Hamilton and Falconer public-domain English translation, preserving Germany, the Getae, Dacians, Danube, Tauric Chersonese, Little Scythia, Sarmatians, Thrace, and Dodona.
Strabo -- Geography Book 11 -- Archival English Text — Strabo's full Book 11 in the public-domain Hamilton and Falconer English edition, preserving the ancient geographical frame for Scythia, Sarmatia, the Caucasus, the Caspian, Massagetae, Dahae, Saka, Bactria, and Ariana.
Strabo — Geography Book 11 — Strabo's Geography Book 11 newly translated from Ancient Greek, covering Asia's northern division, the Tanais, Maeotis, Sarmatians, Aorsi, Siraces, Caucasus, Colchis, Iberia, Albania, the Caspian, Dahae, Saka, Massagetae, Bactria, Sogdiana, Media, Atropatene, Armenia, Jason, and Medea.
Tacitus — The Bosporus, Aorsi, and Siraci — A public-domain Church and Brodribb translation of Tacitus on the Bosporus, Aorsi, Siraci, Tanais, and Tauri.
Thucydides -- History of the Peloponnesian War Book 2 — Thucydides Book II in Richard Crawley's public-domain English translation, preserving the political context for the Odrysian kingdom, Getae, mounted archers, and the explicit comparison of Thracian power with the Scythians.
Valerius Flaccus -- Argonautica Book VI -- Good Works Translation — A full prose Good Works Translation of Valerius Flaccus, Argonautica Book VI, the Scythian battlefield book of the Roman Argonautic tradition.
Virgil — Scythia and the Maeotic Winter — A source-language Good Works Translation of Virgil's Georgics on Scythia, Maeotis, the Hister, and the Rhipaean north.
Xenophon -- Anabasis Book 4 — Xenophon's Anabasis Book IV in H. G. Dakyns' public-domain English translation, preserving the retreat through Armenia, the Chalybes, Taochians, Scythenians, Phasis, and the Caucasus-Black Sea corridor.
Xenophon -- Cyropaedia Scythian and Sakian Imperial Frontier Notices — A public-domain English archival dossier from Xenophon, Cyropaedia, preserving the work's Scythian comparison and its Hyrcanian, Cadousian, and Sakian notices around Cyrus, Assyria, and imperial coalition-building.
Zosimus -- New History -- Complete Archival English Text — The complete extant New History of Zosimus in the public-domain 1814 Green and Chaplin English translation, preserving Roman decline, Scythian and Gothic invasions, Huns, Alaric, and late antique frontier history.
Zosimus -- New History Northern Invasion Dossier — A public-domain English archival dossier from Zosimus New History, gathering Scythian, Gothic, Hunnic, Alanic, Danubian, Rhine, Pontic, and Alaric-era northern invasion passages.