Citation with stable link: Philip A. Harland, 'Dyrbaians: Ktesias on an extremely just people between Baktria and India (early fourth century BCE),' Ethnic Relations and Migration in the Ancient World, last modified June 19, 2024, https://philipharland.com/Blog/?p=11945.

Ancient authors: Ktesias of Knidos (early fourth century BCE), Persian Matters as cited by Stephanus of Byzantium (sixth century CE), Ethnika at “Dyrbaians” (142) = Nichols F11.

Comments: This is one of the very few references to Dyrbaians (or: Dyrbaeans) as a people to the east, presumably pictured as living between Baktria and India. Another reference is found on a fragmentary papyrus of a now lost work, perhaps by Nymphodoros (link). In both cases, there is emphasis on both honesty (regarding not taking things that do not belong to them) and diet. In Ktesias, at least (the other passage is fragmentary), there is a reference to this being a “most just” people, having the ring of ancient Greek notions of the noble barbarian (on which compare the most just Abians of Homer as discussed by Strabo and/or Ephoros – link).

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Dyrbaians (Dyrbaioi): This is a people (ethnos) belonging to the Baktrians and India. In Persian Matters book 10, Ktesias says:

“A country which is situated towards the south is that of the Dyrbaians, extending from Baktria to India. These are happy men who are also wealthy and extremely just (κάρτα δίκαιοί). They neither treat unjustly nor kill another person. Now if they find gold, clothing, silver, or anything else in the street, they do not take it away. They do not make or eat bread, nor do they consider . . . unless it is for sacrifices. But they make barley meal very fine just like Greeks, and they eat cakes made from plants.”

Δυρβαῖοι, ἔθνος καθῆκον εἰς Βάκτρους καὶ τὴν Ἰνδικήν. Κτησίας ἐν Περσικῶν ι, χώρα δὲ πρὸς νότον πρόσκειται, Δυρβαῖοι, πρὸς τὴν Βακτρίην καὶ Ἰνδικὴν κατατείνοντες. οὗτοι εὐδαίµονες ἄνδρες καὶ πλούσιοι καὶ κάρτα δίκαιοί εἰσι· οὗτοι οὔτε ἀδικοῦσιν οὔτε ἀποκτέννυσιν ἄνθρωπον οὐδένα. ἐὰν δέ τι εὕρωσιν ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ ἢ χρυσίον ἢ ἱµάτιον ἢ ἀργύριον ἢ ἄλλο τι, οὐδὲν <ἂν> ἀποκινήσειαν. οὗτοι οὔτε ἀρτοποιέουσιν οὔτ’ ἐσθίουσι οὔτε †νοµίζουσι† ἐὰν µὴ ἱερῶν οὕνεκεν. ἄλφιτα δὲ ποιοῦσιν λεπτότερα καθάπερ οἱ Ἕλληνες· καὶ ἐσθίουσι µάζας ποῶν

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Source of the translation: Translations by Harland.