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The Scythians

If the Scythians were not the first to domesticate the horse they were among the earliest. Perhaps the most striking feature of Scythians was the enormous amount of gold they wore and used.

Equality in War: The act of war was one in which the Scythian women are said to have participated in equally with the men. Scythian women were tattooed like their mates, and the ancient historian Diordorus commented that Scythian women 'fight like the men and are no less inferior to them in bravery'.

A History—Encyclopedia Britannica

Scythians were nomadic herders of the steppes north of the Black Sea. Their origin, just like their mother tongue, is essentially unknown. They were among the first nomads riding domesticated horses, which gave them tremendous mobility and power.

From the seventh century B.C. they dominated the Eastern part of Europe by conquering most other nomads and agricultural tribes.

Some Notes

The Scythians' military prowess was in large measure the result of their abilities as equestrian archers. They lavished care and attention on their horses and dressed them in ornate trappings.

Because of their generally nomadic or semi nomadic existence the Scythians usually had relatively few possessions. Those they did have were often of exquisite quality and craftsmanship and established the Scythians' reputation in the ancient world as devotees of finery.