Greece -- History -- To 146 B.C.; History, Ancient
18.Beyond them dwell the Neuroi; and beyond the Neuroi towards the North
Wind is a region without inhabitants, as far as we know. These races
are along the river Hypanis to the West of the Borysthenes; but after
crossing the Borysthenes, first from the sea-coast is Hylaia, and beyond
this as one goes up the river dwell agricultural Scythians, whom the
Hellenes who live upon the river Hypanis call Borysthenites, calling
themselves at the same time citizens of Olbia. 23 These agricultural
Scythians occupy the region which extends Eastwards for a distance of
three days' journey, 24 reaching to a river which is called Panticapes,
and Northwards for a distance of eleven days' sail up the Borysthenes.
Then immediately beyond these begins the desert 25 and extends for
a great distance; and on the other side of the desert dwell the
Androphagoi, 26 a race apart by themselves and having no connection with
the Scythians. Beyond them begins a region which is really desert and
has no race of men in it, as far as we know.
19. The region which lies to the East of these agricultural Scythians,
after one has crossed the river Panticapes, is occupied by nomad
Scythians, who neither sow anything nor plough the earth; and this whole
region is bare of trees except Hylaia. These nomads occupy a country
which extends to the river Gerros, a distance of fourteen 27 days'
journey Eastwards.
20. Then on the other side of the Gerros we have those parts which are
called the "Royal" lands and those Scythians who are the bravest and
most numerous and who esteem the other Scythians their slaves. These
reach Southwards to the Tauric land, and Eastwards to the trench which
those who were begotten of the blind slaves dug, and to the trading
station which is called Cremnoi 28 upon the Maiotian lake; and some
parts of their country reach to the river Tanaïs. Beyond the Royal
Scythians towards the North Wind dwell the Melanchlainoi, 29 of a
different race and not Scythian. The region beyond the Melanchlainoi is
marshy and not inhabited by any, so far as we know.
21. After one has crossed the river Tanaïs the country is no longer
Scythia, but the first of the divisions belongs to the Sauromatai,
who beginning at the corner of the Maiotian lake occupy land extending
towards the North Wind fifteen days' journey, and wholly bare of trees
both cultivated and wild. Above these, holding the next division of
land, dwell the Budinoi, who occupy a land wholly overgrown with forest
consisting of all kinds of trees.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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