The Cimmerians in History
- Thread starter The King
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Pharoah Kromium
Mongoose
Here's a quick summary from www.livius.org by Jona Lendering
Cimmerians: nomadic tribe from Ukraine, invaded Asia Minor in the seventh century BCE.
The Cimmerians are known from several Assyrian texts, which call them Ga-mir or Gi-mir-a-a. In the Assyrian language, the last name means something like 'people traveling back and forth' and seems to be the less adequate of the two renderings of the Cimmerians' Indo-European name, but it describes their way of life excellently, because they were nomads. The Cimmerians were closely related and are archaeologically almost identical to the Scythians, who may have expelled them from their home country.
Originally, the Cimmerians lived in southern Ukraine, where the Crimea is still called after the Cimmerians. Archaeologists have identified them with the Novocerkassk culture on the grass plains between the river Prut and the Lower Don (c.900-c.650 BCE). Cimmerian men were buried with bows, sword, and spear. Everything suggests that they fought as mounted archers. Their most precious possessions were their cows, and we must imagine them as roaming across the plains with their cattle.
In the eighth century, manyy Cimmerians moved to the southwest, to the region north of the Caucasus. Here, they threatened the kingdom of Urartu (an old name for Armenia). The Urartean king Rusa decided upon a preventive attack, but was defeated (c.720). Almost immediately, the Cimmerians invaded Urartu and looted the country as far south as Lake Urmia.
The plain of Phrygia (©***)
This caused panic in Phrygia, a kingdom in western Turkey. In 710/709, king Midas (Mit-ta-a according to Assyrian sources) was forced to ask for help from the Assyrian king Sargon II. However, this did not prevent the Cimmerian invasion. In 696/695, Midas committed suicide after he had lost a battle. This was the end of Phrygia, but a new kingdom arose from the ashes: Lydia. Probably, Cimmerians settled on the Phrygian plain, which was perfectly suited to their cavalry.
During the next generation, they are mentioned several times in Assyria. In 679, their leader Teus<caron>pa and his men were besieged at a town called Hubus<caron>nu. Later, they could be found near Ellipi, Media and Elam in the extreme south. The Assyrians needed much time to restore order. At the same time, another band of Cimmerians was operating to the west of Lake Van in Urartu.
This group of Cimmerians seems to have moved to Cappadocia in the west, from where they attacked the new kingdom Lydia (c.665). They were repelled by king Gyges, but twenty years later, they were back and in 644, they defeated the Lydians and looted their capital Sardes. Gyges was killed by the Cimmerian leader Lygdamis (Dugdammê).
During the next decade, the Cimmerians raided the Greek towns in Aeolia and Ionia, looted Paphlagonia, and captured Sinope. After 640, Lygdamis attacked Assyria twice, but was defeated. Another defeat was inflicted upon them by the Lydian king Alyattes (c.600-560), after which the Cimmerians disappear from history.
Literature
* Vjaceslav J. Murzin, "Kimmerier und Skythen" in: R. Rolle, M Müller-Wille, K. Schietzel (eds.) Gold der Steppe. Archäologie der Ukraine, 1991 Schleswig, pages 57-70
* Sergej Machortych, "Kimmerier in Nordkaukasien" in: R. Rolle, M Müller-Wille, K. Schietzel (eds.) Gold der Steppe. Archäologie der Ukraine, 1991 Schleswig, pages 71-73
Cimmerians: nomadic tribe from Ukraine, invaded Asia Minor in the seventh century BCE.
The Cimmerians are known from several Assyrian texts, which call them Ga-mir or Gi-mir-a-a. In the Assyrian language, the last name means something like 'people traveling back and forth' and seems to be the less adequate of the two renderings of the Cimmerians' Indo-European name, but it describes their way of life excellently, because they were nomads. The Cimmerians were closely related and are archaeologically almost identical to the Scythians, who may have expelled them from their home country.
Originally, the Cimmerians lived in southern Ukraine, where the Crimea is still called after the Cimmerians. Archaeologists have identified them with the Novocerkassk culture on the grass plains between the river Prut and the Lower Don (c.900-c.650 BCE). Cimmerian men were buried with bows, sword, and spear. Everything suggests that they fought as mounted archers. Their most precious possessions were their cows, and we must imagine them as roaming across the plains with their cattle.
In the eighth century, manyy Cimmerians moved to the southwest, to the region north of the Caucasus. Here, they threatened the kingdom of Urartu (an old name for Armenia). The Urartean king Rusa decided upon a preventive attack, but was defeated (c.720). Almost immediately, the Cimmerians invaded Urartu and looted the country as far south as Lake Urmia.
The plain of Phrygia (©***)
This caused panic in Phrygia, a kingdom in western Turkey. In 710/709, king Midas (Mit-ta-a according to Assyrian sources) was forced to ask for help from the Assyrian king Sargon II. However, this did not prevent the Cimmerian invasion. In 696/695, Midas committed suicide after he had lost a battle. This was the end of Phrygia, but a new kingdom arose from the ashes: Lydia. Probably, Cimmerians settled on the Phrygian plain, which was perfectly suited to their cavalry.
During the next generation, they are mentioned several times in Assyria. In 679, their leader Teus<caron>pa and his men were besieged at a town called Hubus<caron>nu. Later, they could be found near Ellipi, Media and Elam in the extreme south. The Assyrians needed much time to restore order. At the same time, another band of Cimmerians was operating to the west of Lake Van in Urartu.
This group of Cimmerians seems to have moved to Cappadocia in the west, from where they attacked the new kingdom Lydia (c.665). They were repelled by king Gyges, but twenty years later, they were back and in 644, they defeated the Lydians and looted their capital Sardes. Gyges was killed by the Cimmerian leader Lygdamis (Dugdammê).
During the next decade, the Cimmerians raided the Greek towns in Aeolia and Ionia, looted Paphlagonia, and captured Sinope. After 640, Lygdamis attacked Assyria twice, but was defeated. Another defeat was inflicted upon them by the Lydian king Alyattes (c.600-560), after which the Cimmerians disappear from history.
Literature
* Vjaceslav J. Murzin, "Kimmerier und Skythen" in: R. Rolle, M Müller-Wille, K. Schietzel (eds.) Gold der Steppe. Archäologie der Ukraine, 1991 Schleswig, pages 57-70
* Sergej Machortych, "Kimmerier in Nordkaukasien" in: R. Rolle, M Müller-Wille, K. Schietzel (eds.) Gold der Steppe. Archäologie der Ukraine, 1991 Schleswig, pages 71-73
Zen Ken
Mongoose
I know from what I've read in the original Conan stories as well as Vincent's and Dale's writings that REH borrowed names heavily from history. It's interesting that he can patch so many borrowed items into stories that in themselves reflected a folktale of timelessness. Of course, it could be that he just had serious issues that played out well through his writing.
I wonder, philosophically, if REH considered himself somewhat of a reincarnated storyteller, much like Patton imagined himself a reincarnated warrior of old.
I wonder, philosophically, if REH considered himself somewhat of a reincarnated storyteller, much like Patton imagined himself a reincarnated warrior of old.
ethicalsean
Mongoose
Also, I knew the question of Cimmerians possibly under the name of th "Cimbri" came up in a Roman history class of mine once.
The Cimbri, assumed to be a far northern celtic tribe (and I think at least comparisons were made to the Cimmerians in Greek mythology at the time), invaded Rome following the conclusion of the Jugurthine War in northern Africa (105 BC). Basically, from the sources I've read (was it Polybius or Plutarch?), they were tall, large fellows, dwarfing the size of the Romans.
Their MO was to beat the living hell out of the Romans so bad, that the Romans would think them worthy enough to settle in the empire. The Romans thought otherwise, and after several defeats, finally eradicated them under the command of Gaius Marius and Catulus. I think one of the accounts of the early battles in Italy is that the Cimbri somehow damned a river the Roman troops were fortified on and flooded em out of their fortress.
I always thought that Conan Cimmerians somewhat reflected the Cimbri. Crazy fellows who were into war and barbarians in the truest sense of the word... with the skills to prove it.
The Cimbri, assumed to be a far northern celtic tribe (and I think at least comparisons were made to the Cimmerians in Greek mythology at the time), invaded Rome following the conclusion of the Jugurthine War in northern Africa (105 BC). Basically, from the sources I've read (was it Polybius or Plutarch?), they were tall, large fellows, dwarfing the size of the Romans.
Their MO was to beat the living hell out of the Romans so bad, that the Romans would think them worthy enough to settle in the empire. The Romans thought otherwise, and after several defeats, finally eradicated them under the command of Gaius Marius and Catulus. I think one of the accounts of the early battles in Italy is that the Cimbri somehow damned a river the Roman troops were fortified on and flooded em out of their fortress.
I always thought that Conan Cimmerians somewhat reflected the Cimbri. Crazy fellows who were into war and barbarians in the truest sense of the word... with the skills to prove it.
The King
Cosmic Mongoose
I found the link again: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0415969786/qid=1111056357/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/103-1212350-5859834?v=glance&s=booksLucius said:
In his letters he frequently told that he felt himself being dicted his Conan stories by another "power" and that he never had to think long about them because they came easily to him.Zen Ken said:
There is also a Cymric (also written Cumbri) culture of Celts which existed in Cambria and Cumbria in the (historical) Arthur timeline. More about this in: "The Age of Arthur - A history of the British Isles from 350 to 650" by John Morris.ethicalsean said:
I also advise this book if you want to learn more on the Scots, the Saxons, the Picts and the Irish.
This book is noted as a main reference in the Pendragon RPG Core book.
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