Barry Cunlife - The Scythians

the scythians as others saw them
Beyond the Syr Darya and probably extending to the Caspian Sea were the Massagetae,
a people who, so Herodotus believed, resembled the Scythians: ‘They fight both
on horseback and on foot… . They use bows and lances but their favourite weapon is
the battleaxe. They also used much gold in their personal decoration and that of their
horses’ (Hist. i. 215). The Massagetae were at this time led by a queen, Tomyris, and it
was Cyrus’ intention to bring them within the empire. Diplomacy failed, however,
so in 530 bc he crossed the river and invaded their territory. It was during the ensuing
hostilities that, according to Herodotus, Cyrus was killed. His body was brought
back to the Persian capital, Pasargadae, where his tomb still survives.
Cyrus’ achievement in creating such a huge empire was remarkable and further
extensions were made by his son Cambyses (r. 530–522) and by Darius (r. 521–486).
But there were inherent instabilities in so vast an edifice. Before Darius could assume
power he had to put down a contender, Gaumata, leader of a rebellion which broke
out in the recently conquered territories. His success is dramatically displayed in a
relief carved from a cliff face at Bisitun in Iran which shows the triumphant king, one
foot upon the body of his dead adversary, confronting nine rebel kings, hands bound
behind them, roped together by their necks. The last of the line is King Skunkha,
leader of the Sakā Tigrakhauda, distinguished by his tall pointed hat. As a composition
designed to strike terror in the heart of anyone thinking of opposing the authority
of Darius it could hardly have been more effective.
2.4 Darius fought a successful campaign against Gaumata, a contender for the throne, whose body is
seen here under the right foot of Darius on the famous relief at Bisitun, Iran, dating to 520–19. The nine
kings who had joined the rebellion, including Skuka, the king of the Sakā (last in the line) were brought
in chains to Darius.
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