The Aorsi, Upper Aorsi, and Siraci in Strabo.

What is it about?

The Aorsi, Upper Aorsi, and Siraci in Strabo. On the History and Characteristics of the Peoples in the North Pontic and North Caucasian Regions. The world view of the Western authors was significantly enriched by the campaigns of Mithridates VI. Eupator in the Pontic area and of Pompey in Transcaucasia. On the basis of these military campaigns and political activities, new reports concerning the territories and tribes of the Caucasus region and further to the north were compiled. Rome's presence in the Regnum Bosporanum after the death of Mithridates VI. and some Roman activities in Transcaucasia in the 1st century BC also contributed much to the geographical and ethnographical explorations of the peoples and the territories in the north Caucasian and north Pontic area. Strabo of Amasia obtained valuable descriptions from all those new records and gave in book VII and XI of his „Geography" the most detailed account of the north Pontic and north Caucasian areas in the 2n d - 1 s t century BC. Strabo's work deals not only with geographical and ethnographical issues, but also with historical problems. It offers invaluable material for showing the expansion of the Aorsian and Siracian tribes to the east of the Don River and to the north of the Caucasus. In the light of these testimonies it is possible to put forward the argument that the emergence of the Aorsi, Upper Aorsi and Siraci in that area ensued in the 2nd century BC. Their original homelands, according to Classical and Chinese sources, were in the Transcaspian steppe and in the Aral area. The Aorsi, Upper Aorsi and Siraci played a prominent role in the north Caucasian and Pontic steppes in the 1st century BC and the 1st century AD up to the invasion of the Alani. The available written source material and archaeological remains show the respective relations of these tribes with the Regnum Bosporanum, Pontic cities, Transcaucasia, Parthia, Central Asia and Rom.

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Photo by José Martín Ramírez Carrasco on Unsplash

Photo by José Martín Ramírez Carrasco on Unsplash

Why is it important?

A unique source study of the Geographika by Strabo and of other sources that pertain to the history of the Aiorsians, Upper Aorsians and Sirakians in the Northern Pontic - Caspian Steppes.