Skyth

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The Scythians, also known as Scyth, Saka, Sakae, Sacae, Sai, Iskuzai, or Askuzai, were a large group of Iranian Eurasian nomads who inhabited vast areas in central Eurasia from about 9th century BC until 1st century BC. The Scythian languages belonged to the Eastern branch of the Iranian languages. Classical Scythians known to ancient Greek historians were located in the northern Black Sea and fore-Caucasus region, while other Scythian groups documented by Assyrian, Achaemenid, and Chinese sources show that they also existed in Central Asia. Ancient Persian sources used Saka to refer to Western Scythians of the northern Black Sea, but modern scholars usually use this term for Iranian-speaking tribes who inhabited the Eastern Steppe and Tarim Basin. The relationships between people living in these widely separated regions remain unclear. In an archaeological context, modern scholars use the term "Scythian" to describe finds that display attributes of the Scytho-Siberian culture, often without implying ethnic or linguistic connotations. Their westernmost territories during the Iron Age were known as Scythia to classical Greek sources. The Scythians were among the earliest peoples to master mounted warfare and possibly raided Zhou China in the 8th century BC. They expanded westwards and dislodged the Cimmerians from power on the Pontic Steppe, dominating the entire steppe zone stretching from the Carpathian Mountains to central China and south Siberia. At their peak, they created what is referred to as the first Central Asian nomadic empire based in modern-day Ukraine, Southern European Russia, and Crimea. The western Scythians were ruled by a wealthy class known as Royal Scyths, establishing and controlling a vast trade network connecting Greece, Persia, India, and China, perhaps contributing to the flourishing of those civilizations.