The history of ancient peoples is full of secrets and mysteries. Historical sources did not show an extensive picture of the ancient world. Little information about the way of life, religion and culture of nomadic peoples remained. The Alanian tribes are especially interesting, since they lived not only on the territory of the southern Russian steppes and in the mountains of the Caucasus, but also on the territory of medieval Europe.
Alans are nomadic Iranian-speaking tribes of Scythian-Sarmatian origin, which are mentioned in written sources from the 1st century AD. One part of the tribe participated in the Great Migration of Nations, while others remained in the territories in the foothills of the Caucasus. It was on them that the Alanian tribes formed the state of Alania, which existed before the invasion of the Mongols in the 1230s.
In the epic of other peoples
Multiple studies on the peoples in the era of the Great Migration, ignore or do not notice the role of the Scythian and Alanian tribes in the conquest of Europe. But they had a great influence on the military art of European peoples. The history of the Alans in Germany takesits beginning from that time. The people had a huge impact on the Gothic tribes, as they did not own military equipment.
Alanian military culture underlies medieval legends and the code of chivalry. Tales of King Arthur, the round table and the wizard Merlin. They are attributed to the Anglo-Saxon tribes, but some researchers argue that this is not true. These legends come from the Alanian people. Emperor Marcus Aurelius, at the end of the second century, recruited 8,000 Alans. Warriors worshiped the god of war - a sword stuck in the ground.
Historiography
Why were researchers interested in the relationship between the Alanian and Ossetian tribes? It's simple, the Ossetian language is very different from the languages of other peoples of the North Caucasus.
Gerhard Miller in his work “On the peoples who lived in Russia since ancient times” made an assumption about the relationship of Ossetians with Alanian tribes.
In the 19th century, the German orientalist Klaproth in his works talked about the genetic relationship of the Ossetian tribes with the Alan. Further research supported this theory.
Klaproth's concept was also adhered to by the Swiss archaeologist Dubois de Montpere, who considered the Alanian and Ossetian tribes as kindred, settled at different times in the Caucasus. The German Gaksthausen, who visited Russia in the 19th century, was a supporter of the German theory of the origin of the Ossetians. The Ossetian tribes descended from the Gothic tribes and, persecuted by the Huns, settled in the mountains of the Caucasus. The French scientist Saint-Martin paid special attention to the Ossetian language, since it came fromEuropean languages.
Russian researcher D. L. Lavrov in his work "Historical information about Ossetia and Ossetians" gives many details about the relationship of the Alans and this people.
The largest Russian researcher of the late 19th century, VF Miller, published the book "Ossetian Etudes", in which he proves the genetic relationship between these two peoples. The proof was that the names of the Caucasian Alans extended to the ancestors of the Ossetians. He considered the ethnonyms Alans, Oss and Yases as belonging to the same people. He came to the conclusion that the ancestors of the Ossetians were part of the nomadic Sarmatian and Scythian tribes, and in the Middle Ages - Alan.
Today, scientists adhere to the concept of the genetic relationship of Ossetians with Alanian tribes.
Etymology of the word
The meaning of the term "alan" is "guest" or "host". In modern science, they adhere to the version of V. I. Abaev: the concept of "Alans" comes from the names of the ancient Aryans and Iranian Agua tribes. Another scholar, Miller, suggested the origin of the name from the Greek verb "wander" or "wander".
As the neighboring peoples called the Alans
In the ancient Russian chronicles, the Alans are yases. So, in 1029 it is reported that Yaroslav defeated the Yas tribe. In the annals, the Armenians use the same term - "Alans", and the Chinese chronicles call them Alans.
Historical information
The history of the ancient Alans can be traced back to the 2nd century BC. e. on the territory of Central Asia. Later they are mentioned in ancient records from the middle of the first century. Themappearance in Eastern Europe is associated with the strengthening of the Sarmatian tribes.
After the defeat by the Huns, during the Great Migration Period, part of the tribe ended up in Gaul and North Africa, where, together with the Vandals, they formed a state that lasted until the 6th century. Another part of the Alans went to the foothills of the Caucasus. Gradually there was a partial assimilation of the Alanian tribes. They became ethnically heterogeneous, as evidenced by archaeological finds.
With the fall of the Khazar Khaganate, the unification of the Alanian tribes into the early feudal state of Alania is connected. Since this period, their influence in the Crimea has been increasing.
After the merger of the Alans with the Caucasian tribes, they switched to agriculture and a settled way of life. This was the main factor in the formation of the early feudal state of Alania. In the upper reaches of the Kuban, under the influence of Byzantium, was the Western part of the country. Part of the "Great Silk Road" passed through its territory, which strengthened the ties of the Alans with the Eastern Roman Empire.
By the 10th century Alanya becomes a feudal state. Also at this time, this people plays an important role in foreign policy relations between Byzantium and Khazaria.
By the 13th century, Alania had become a powerful and prosperous state, but after the capture of the Ciscaucasian plain by the Tatar-Mongols, it fell, and the population went to the mountains of the Central Caucasus and Transcaucasia. The Alans began to assimilate with the local Caucasian population, but retained their historical identity.
Alans in Crimea:settlement history
A few written sources tell about resettlement through the Kerch Strait to the territory of the Crimean peninsula. The burial grounds found were of an unknown design for the Crimea. Similar crypts were found in the Caucasus, where the Alans lived. The method of burial was also specific. In the crypt, there were 9 buried, and a sword was placed on the head or shoulder of a warrior. The same custom was among the tribes of the North Caucasus. In addition to weapons, gold and silver jewelry were found in some burial grounds. These archaeological finds allow us to conclude that in the 3rd century AD. e. part of the Alanian tribes migrated to the Crimea.
Crimean Alans are hardly mentioned in written sources. Only by the 13th century did different information about the Alans appear. Researchers are of the opinion that such a long silence is not accidental. Most likely, in the 13th century, part of the Alans moved to the Crimea. This may be due to the Tatar-Mongol invasion.
Archaeological data
The materials found in the Zmeysky burial ground confirm the data on the high culture of the Alans and the developed trade relations between Iran, Russia and the countries of the East. Numerous finds of weapons confirm the information of medieval authors that the Alans had a developed army.
Also, an important factor in the fall of the state was frequent avalanches in the XIII-XIV centuries. Many settlements were destroyed, and the Alans settled down the slopes. The final fall of Alanya was a consequenceTamerlane attacks. Alans participated in the army of Tokhtamysh. It was the largest battle in the history of the Golden Horde, which determined its position as a great power.
Religion
Alanian religion was based on the Scythian-Sarmatian religious tradition. Like other tribes, the Alans' beliefs centered on the worship of the sun and the hearth. In religious life there were such phenomena as "farn" - grace, and "ard" - an oath. With the formation of statehood, polytheism was replaced by a single God (Khuytsau), and the rest of the deities turned into an “avdiu” creature. Their functions and features eventually passed to the saints who surround the one God. The Alans believed that the universe consists of three worlds. Therefore, the trinity division was present in the life of society: in the religious, economic and military spheres.
After the final transition to an agricultural way of life, the formation of the Scythian-Sarmatian union, the structure of public life changed. Now the military nobility dominated, not the shepherds. Hence the numerous legends about warrior knights. In such a society, it was required to abandon the pagan pantheon and have one God. The royal power needed a heavenly patron - an unattainable ideal that would unite different people. Therefore, the Alanian king chose Christianity as the state religion.
Spreading religion
According to the legends of the church, the acquaintance of the Alans with Christianity took place in the first century. The disciple of Christ, the Apostle Andrew the First-Called, preached in the Alanian city of Fust. also inWritten sources say that Christianity was adopted by the Alans, who visited Byzantium and Armenia. After the Great Migration, many Alans adopted Christianity. Since the 7th century, it has spread widely in the territory of Alanya and has become the state religion. This fact strengthened foreign policy and cultural ties with Byzantium. But until the 12th century, the Eastern Alans remained pagans. They partly accepted Christianity, but were faithful to their gods.
After the establishment of the Golden Horde dominion in the Caucasus, the construction of Muslim mosques began on the site of Christian churches. Islam began to supplant the Christian religion.
Life
Alania was located on the part of the Great Silk Road, so trade and exchange was developed in it. Mostly merchants traveled to Byzantium and the Arab countries, but archaeological finds indicate that they also traded with the countries of Eastern Europe, Central and Central Asia.
The history of the Alans is of interest to modern scientists. The people had a great influence on the states of Eastern Europe and the Ossetians. Yet the information is not enough. A few essays on the history of the Alans do not allow us to draw conclusions about the origin of the people.
The dwellings of the Alans were different depending on the social system. The settlements of the early Alans practically did not differ from the settlements of the nomads of Eurasia. Gradually they moved from a semi-nomadic to a sedentary agricultural way of life.
Culture
The development of material culture is evidenced by the presenceburial grounds and settlements found in the Northern Donets and the North Caucasus. Above-ground tombs and crypts, dolmens, catacombs speak of the high development of the Alans' culture.
Settlements were fenced with slabs on which geometric designs or images of animals were applied.
Alans were masters of jewelry art. This is confirmed by pendants made of gold and silver with semi-precious stones, figurines of warriors, various brooches that adorned the clothes of the Alans.
The flourishing of the Alanian state is evidenced by the numerous amulets, toiletries, sabers, clothes found in the Zmeysky burial ground.
In the 10th century Alanya has its own written language and heroic epos.
Tales
Nart epic is the pinnacle of Alanian medieval art. It reflected a long period in the life of this people - from the early communal system to the fall of Alania in the XIV century. Narts is a pseudonym of the creators of the epic, who preserved in the legends the religious beliefs, life and social relations of the people. The Nart or Nart epic was formed among the Alans, and eventually developed among the Georgian peoples. It is based on the adventures of warrior heroes. The story intertwines reality with fiction. There is no chronological framework and description of events, but the reality is reflected in the names of the area where the battles of the warriors take place. The motifs of the Nart epic reflect the life and beliefs of the Alans and Scythians-Sarmatians. For example, one of the legends describes how they tried to kill the old man Uryzmag - the Alans and Scythians hadit is customary to kill old people for religious purposes.
Based on the legends, the Narts divided society into three clans, which are endowed with special features: Borata - we alth, Alagata - wisdom, Akhsartaggata - courage. This corresponds to the social division of the Alans: economic (Borata owned the we alth of the land), priestly (Alagata) and military (Akhsartaggata).
The plots of Nart legends are based on the exploits of the main characters during a campaign or hunting, matchmaking and revenge for the murder of their father. The legends also describe a dispute about the superiority of the Narts over each other.
Conclusion
Alans, Scythians, Sarmatians… The history of these peoples has a great influence on the peoples of Eastern Europe and Ossetians. We can say with confidence that the Alans influenced the formation of the Ossetian people. That is why the Ossetian language differs from other Caucasian languages. And yet, the few essays on the history of the Alans do not allow us to draw conclusions about the origin of the people.
