Sarmatiana: A List of References, Old & New

[Michael Kerr]

Hi, Just 2 books that are available free at ScribeD which may interest Sarmatian sword lovers and horse harness lovers although in German come with drawings of swords and grave goods.

First Book
Das-Schwert-der-Skythen-und-Sarmaten-in-Sudrussland-by-Waldemar-Ginters Printed in 1928 it has lots of pictures and images of Scythian and Sarmatian swords including some with scabbard slides etc.

Second Book
Sarmatische-Phaleren This one is in German but I think they have some descriptions of pictures in English. It basically looks at decorative horse harness found in Sarmatian graves.

Regards
Michael Kerr

[Alanus]

A follow-up on Michael's post. :-)

Das Schwert der Skythen und Sarmaten by Waldemar Ginters (1928) has a bunch of good illustrations of akinaki and swords going right up to the late Migration Era. Some of the fittings shown are real classics; and if we could reproduce them, then our equipment would approach works of art. Look at these disk pommels. :whistle:


[attachment=6785]IllusfmGinters006.JPG[/attachment]
I made one of my Type 1 pommels in this configuration, not knowing if it was truly historically accurate. Surprise!


[attachment=6786]IllusfmGinters010.JPG[/attachment]
And here is a very familiar Type 1 scabbard slide, still made in China for their reproduction swords.

There's a lot more good stuff in Ginters, downloadabe for free at ScribeD. :lol:

[Michael Kerr]

Hi, I was going through some old PDFs which I forgot to rename but one I found is "Iranians and Greeks in Southern Russia" by Michael Rostovtzeff see link below to download PDF or read online.
http://archive.org/details/cu31924028575060
It is in English and has a few images that might interest some members.
I shall post one below which was a wall painting found in Greek Bosporus dated either 1st-2nd Century AD.
Just an extra note on above book. It was written in 1922 and in the forward the author was very apologetic about writing the book from England and how he left most of his material, photos, drawings and work in Soviet Russia (must have been an emigre) and he was not able to contact former colleagues to confer with so most drawings were done by memory or taken off current publications of the time.
[attachment=6814]kerchwallpainting.jpg[/attachment]
Courtesy of the Bodleian Library:

The pic below was a painting done in late 18th Century by Geissler of a nomadic camp caption says Travels Through The Southern Provinces of the Russian Empire in the Years 1793-1794. I know its not ancient but shows that nomadic life was still prevalent in some areas of Ukraine. It was on the cover of "A History of Russia, Central Asia and Mongolia Volume 1 (Inner Eurasia from Prehistory to the Mongol Empire) by David Christian

[attachment=6815]historycover.jpg[/attachment]

Regards
Michael Kerr

[Alanus]

Michael,

The Bosphoran rock sketch certainly shows peaked helmets and the use of the contus. Most likely an Alanic influence. The Bosphorus has produced a lot of great depictions by way of sketches and sculptures. I'm downloading the PDF, adding it to my library. Evidently "intellectuals" like Michael Rostovtzeff were forced to leave Russia in the same way Feodor Chaliapin fled to France. Here in Maine, we had the Slavophile Society formed by immigrating White Russians. There is still a Russian Orthodox church in the town of Richmond, but I think hardly anyone is proficient in the old language.

[Michael Kerr]

Hi Alanus, David Christian in his book "A History of Russia, Central Asia and Mongolia" alludes to the fact that without his papers and drawings has made a few mistakes in regards to that particular Wall Drawing as Rostovtzeff says that the riders on the right are Scythian yet the quote I pasted on the other thread he states that Scythians didn't wear conical helmets like Sarmatians. Still considering his circumstances in regard to his home country there are bound to be a few mistakes. But he seems to know most of his stuff and to think the book was published in 1922 from memory without being able to check he did a pretty good job. There must have been a few grave finds since 1922.
Regards
Michael Kerr

[Alanus]

It places Rostovtzeff as an English language writer almost 50 years before Sulimirski, quite a pioneer in Sarmatian studies. Certainly forgivable for his errors, considering some Lenninist guido had burned his notes-- "Da! Get rid of intellectulist propagandisky!" :mad:

[Michael Kerr]

Hi, just another thing Rostvtzeff said was that a lot of Alans served in Roman Cavalry and he mentioned that they are pictured in Arch Of Galerius in Thessalonica. I looked for images of Arch and found one which seemed to be Alans but I can't be sure. I shall post below. Not as well documented as Trajan's Column.

[attachment=6824]romanarmy_gallery_6.jpg[/attachment]

Regards
Michael Kerr

[Flavivs Aetivs]

Goa and Sambida were both leaders of Alanic Tribes serving Aetius in the 5th Century

[Alanus]

Hey! Pointy helmets... except the guy at the extreme upper right who lost his entire head. Two dracos... which, of course, were invented by the Dacians and ONLY borrowed by the Alans. illy:
A lot of scale armor there!

[Michael Kerr]

I think Goar/Echocar died before battle of Chalons but probably served Aetius. He was leading his army to punish Amorcans when he was met by St Germanus on the road and was so impressed by his bravery that he turned his army around. That's according to Germanus's biographer. Sambida/Sangipan fought at Chalons alongside Aetius and Goths
Regards
Michael Kerr

[Michael Kerr]

I noticed the riders have aventails.
Regards
Michael Kerr

[Alanus]

Germanus became bishop in 418, so it does appear that Goar served Aetius. Most likely, Sangiban was Goar's successor. Interesting, it was claimed Sangiban and his Alans were placed at front-center because Aatius didn't trust him. Of course, it's EXTREME COINCIDENCE that Alans were cataphract-oriented and would have been at front-center anyway. :whistle:

[Alanus]

I noticed the riders have aventails.
Regards
Michael Kerr

Well, there! Son of a gun! :woot:

You mean I wasn't having pipe dreams when I asked Suhel to provide aventails for my Sarmatian helmets? :unsure:

[Flavivs Aetivs]

@Michael

Yes, Aetius sent Goa to deal with the Amoriciani, who were troublesome rebels. In the end the Amoriciani became semi-independent and supplied troops to Aetius, as evidenced by Iordanes account of the Peoples involved at Chalons.

It's possible that Goa died before Chalons, I saw his death being placed in 449, but we know Sambida was alive (although its possible he died in the battle.)

Sambida is recorded as "King" of the Alans in Aurelianum, when his group of Alans was settled North of modern-day provence. It's likely he became king of both groups of Alans (Goa's being settled in Orleans) prior to Chalons.

@Alanus

There are a few theories as to why the Alans were placed in the center; the most likely seems to be that if the huns were deploying in a standard formation, expecting the Visigoths or Romans to be their primary foe, than deploying the Alans in the center would be a surprise to them, as the Alans had very different tactics. The Alans also had a similar fighting style to the Huns, so this could put the huns potentially at a disadvantage if they weren't prepared for an Alan center.

If the Alans used a "feigned retreat" tactic (as they are recorded as breaking and fleeing) it could have served as a trap, where Attila's forces would rush forward chasing the Alans, and then Alanic Cataphracts would turn and Roman/Visigothic/Barbarian troops would close on the Front and the Flanks (respectivly), probably causing large casualties and routing the Hun force.

Another possibility is that a Byzantine-style tactic was used, where Aetius had his Hun Auxilliaries travel to the rear of the enemy formation, and fire Arrows on the Gepids; a likely scenario for the Roman side of the Battlefield as the Gepids/Thuringians would have been typical enemies for the experienced Romans.

This is all just theoretical, of course.

[Alanus]

It was a bloody-great battle, and the Alans did "retreat"... which could have been their standard ploy. Too bad Theodoric died, though. He was a saavy king, and his successor-sons were all heavy-handed... especially Euric. A little later (470), Euric's army was surprised and countered by a small cavalry force of Arverni led by a young Gaul. His name escapes me, but he was the prototype of the perfect Medieval knight.