Citation with stable link: Philip A. Harland, 'Scythians and Thracians: Hekataios of Miletos on European peoples (sixth century BCE),' Ethnic Relations and Migration in the Ancient World, last modified May 28, 2024, https://philipharland.com/Blog/?p=21081.

Ancient authors: Hekataios of Miletos (sixth-fifth centuries BCE), Europe, = FGrHist 1 F170-193 (link to FGrHist), with some omissions, as cited by Stephanos of Byzantion (sixth century CE), Ethnika, various entries.

Comments: As Stephanos of Byzantion’s much later (sixth century CE) dictionary of ethnic designations shows, Hekataios of Miletos’ now lost work on Europe at least “mentioned” (frequently Stephanos’ language), sometimes located, and perhaps at times further discussed numerous peoples around the Black Sea in Thracia (on the west coast), Scythia (north and northeast), and the area around what is now the Caucasus mountain range (east coast). These citations give a sense of coverage but the depth of analysis by Hekataios is unknown. It seems that Hekataios divided the known world into two main continents: Europe and Asia (in contrast to the tradition of three continents followed by Herodotos: Europe, Asia, and Libya). On this see Romm 2009. Stephanos’ citation of Hekataios two works – Europe and Asia – suggests that Hekataios drew the line between European peoples and Asia peoples in the Caucasus mountain range and likely at the Phasis (Rioni) river itself. On this see the post on peoples in Hekataios’ book on Asia, which begins just south of the Caucasus range (link).

Works consulted: F. Pownall, “Hekataios of Miletos (1),” in Jacoby Online: Brill’s New Jacoby, Part I, edited by Ian Worthington (Brill: Leiden, 2013); J. Romm, “Continents, Climates, and Cultures: Greek Theories of Global Structure,” in Geography and Ethnography, ed. Kurt A. Raaflaub and Richard J. A. Talbert (Hoboken, NJ: Wiley, 2009), 215–35.

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Thracian peoples

(F170 = Stephanos of Byzantion, Ethnika, at Krobyzoi) Krobyzians: A people (ethnos) south of the Ister river [Danube]. Hekataios mentions them in his work on Europe. The Krobyzian land is named after them.

(F171 = Stephanos, at Trizoi) Trizians: A people south of the Ister river. Hekataios mentions them in his work on Europe.

(F174 = Stephanos, at Bantioi) Bantians: A people of Thrace. Hekataios.

(F175 = Stephanos, at Darsioi) Darsians: A Thracian people. Hekataios mentions them in his work on Europe.

(F176 = Stephanos, at Dasiloi) Dasilians: A Thracian people. Hekataios mentions them in his work on Europe.

(F177 = Stephanos, at Datyleptoi) Datyleptians: A people of Thrace. Hekataios mentions them in his work on Europe.

(F178 = Stephanos, at Disorai) Disorians: A Thracian people. Hekataios in his work on Europe.

(F179 = Stephanos, at Entribai) Entribians: A people of Thrace. Hekataios mentions them in his work on Europe.

(F180 = Stephanos, at Xanthoi) Xanthians: A Thracian people. Hekataios in his work on Europe.

(F181 = Stephanos, at Satrokentai) Satrokentians: A Thracian people, as Hekataios says in his work on Europe.

(F182 = Stephanos, at Skai.) Skaians: A people between the Troad and Thrace, as Hekataios says in his work on Europe.

(F183 = Stephanos, at Trispilai) Trispilians: A Thracian people. Hekataios mentions them in his work on Europe.

Scythian peoples

(F184 = Stephanos, at Karkinitis) Karkinitis: A Scythian city. Hekataios mentions it in his Europe. Its inhabitants are Karkinitians (Karkinitai).

(F185 = Stephanos, at Melanchlainoi) Melanchlainians (“Black-cloaks”): A Scythian people (ethnos). Hekataios mentions them in his work on Europe. They are named after the clothing which they wear, just as the Hippemolgians (‘Mare-milkers’) are named after their milking of mares and the Mossynoikians (‘Tower-dwellers”) after their homes.

(F186 = Stephanos, at Edoi) Edians: A Scythian people. Hekataios in his work on Europe.

(F187 = Stephanos, at Isēpos) Isepos: A Scythian people. Hekataios mentions it in his work on Europe.

(F189 = Stephanos, at Matyketai) Matyketians: A Scythian people. Hekataios mentions them in his work on Europe.

(F190 = Stephanos, at Myrgetai) Myrgetians: A Scythian people. Hekataios mentions them in his work on Europe. In some of the works of Herodian it is wrongly written as “Getians” (getōn).

(F191 = Stephanos, at Dandarioi) Dandarians: A people near the Kaukasos mountain range [i.e. east of the Black Sea], as Hekataios says in his work on Europe.

(F192 = Stephanos, at Tipanissai) Tipanissians: A people beside the Kaukasos mountain range. Hekataios mentions them in his work on Europe.

(F193 = Stephanos, at Issedoniai) Issedonians: A Scythian people. Hekataios in his work on Asia. Only Alkman calls them Essedonians [with an “E”]. The second syllable is found in other authorities with an epsilon [rather than ēta, or a long “e”]. They also say “Issedans” (Issedoi) with three syllables. There is also a city called Issedon.

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Source of translations: Translations by Harland.