The history of Ossetia is rooted in antiquity. The modern territories of North and South Ossetia are inhabited by Ossetians, who are descendants of the ancient peoples of the Alans, Scythians and Sarmatians, who came to these lands, driven by hordes of Mongols. The republics of Ossetia went through a difficult and difficult path of formation and development, preserving their language, identity, and unique culture.
Koban culture
The history of Ossetia is closely connected with the history of the peoples of the Caucasus and Europe. In the II-I centuries BC e. during the transition period from the Bronze to the Iron Age, a Koban culture developed, after which numerous monuments remained. Prominent representatives of the culture of the Eneolithic era are burial grounds, originally washed out by a river flowing near the village of Koban.
They contained bronze jewelry, household goods that had not previously been found in these places. Today they are in many famous museums in the world. Excavations presented the world a large number of bronze products, tools, pottery, as well as pet figures. In the Soviet period and at present, interesting books have been written on the history of Ossetia, where Koban culture is studied in detail.
Based on the findings, archaeologists have found that in the foothills and mountains of the North Caucasus, numerous tribes living in agriculture and cattle breeding lived. Masters made earthenware, weaved, smelted bronze from copper and tin.
Alans during the Hun invasion
The ancient history of Ossetia is full of truly great events. In the VII century BC e. Scythians came to the steppe regions between the Don and the Volga, which forced the Cimmerians out. In the IV century BC e. the Sarmatians penetrated here, from among them stood out the tribe of Alans, who were the ancestors of modern Ossetians. In the 1st century AD, representatives of this people were well known in Europe. The word "Alans", as a nation, can be found in the works of ancient Greek writers and scholars.
In the I century there was an invasion of the Huns, who, having been defeated by the Chinese, moved west, sweeping away entire nations and countries in their path. At the beginning of the II century, they approached the Volga, where the lands of the Alans began. Here they had to stay for almost two centuries, since the Alans turned out to be brave warriors. Being nomads, like the Huns, they put up fierce resistance. Part of their cavalry was heavily armed. The horses had armor, which indicates that crafts were developed in their state.
After a two-century confrontation, at the beginning of the 4th century the Alans were defeated. Some of them, who did not want to submit to the Huns, were driven out to the foothills of the North Caucasus, and the other part, driven by the conquerors, moved further west. Therefore, the descendants of the Alans can be found in many countries of Europe.
The appearance of the Alans in the North Caucasus
The history of Ossetia suggests that the Alans settled the territories of the North Caucasus after the invasion of the Huns. Initially, foothill areas up to the Kuban River were settled. Under the onslaught of the Huns, the Alans advanced higher into the mountains. After this, an important period began in the development and formation of the Alanian nationality - the transition from a nomadic way of life to a settled one. This is largely due to the peoples living in the neighborhood of the Alans.
In the VI-VII centuries, the emergence of two proto-states of the Alans. Eastern - with the center located in the upper part of the Kuban River, western - with the center in Daryal. At the beginning of the X century there was a union in a single state of Alanya. It was an early feudal union. Alanya reached its heyday in the XI century, during the reign of Durguley the Great. This ruler did a lot for the peoples of the Caucasus and the Middle East.
Mongol-Tatar invasion
The fateful role in the XIII century was played by the Mongol invasion, causing irreparable damage to the state of Alanya. This caused a large outflow of Alans to Byzantium and Hungary. The campaign of the great-grandson of Genghis Khan Mengu-Timur, who was famous for his incredible cruelty, was a heavy blow. The irreplaceable loss was the flat lands where agricultural land, pastures, cities and villages were located, in which crafts were developed. They were turned into a desert.
The Mongol-Tatars failed to conquer the mountain Alans. Although, after a long siege, the city of Dedyakov fell, whose location is not known exactly, but presumably this is the Verkhnejuladskoe settlement located on the left bank of the Terek. For many years, the Alans, who went high up into the mountains, lived in isolation. On the one hand, this influenced development, but the preservation of the language, traditions and customs of this people was a big plus. An important stage in the life of the Alans began, which became a mountain people.
The history of Ossetia from the XV-XVII centuries
The loss of the flat lands that were developed by the Circassians-Kabardins made the life of the Alans harsher. They had to adapt to unusual conditions for them. Mountain farming did not allow to collect sufficient crops, so the main emphasis was placed on cattle breeding, various crafts. Products and product surpluses were sold through visiting merchants. Of course, a small mountainous state did not play a significant role in international relations, but in regional relations with neighboring states the Alans (Ossetians) spoke on equal terms.
Mountain Ossetia
Ossetia is located in the center of the Caucasus, on both sides of the Main Caucasian Range, retaining gorges and small mountain valleys. The Transcaucasian part of the country was located in the valley of the Kura River, which carries its waters into the Caspian Sea, and Rion, which flows into the Black Sea. Mountain ranges divide the territory of Ossetia into numerous gorges in which the villages were located.
The connection between them existed in the form of paths and small roads passing through the passes. They covered all Ossetia and connected villages. In addition, two major roads of international importance passed through the country - these are Darial and Mamison. Control over strategic roads allowed Ossetia to become a more significant state, and the levied toll on them brought considerable revenues to the treasury.
Socio-political structure
The history of Ossetia, in a summary of the period of the XV-XVII centuries, is composed of fragmentary information, most of it is poorly understood. The specific features of Ossetian residence was the natural mountainous terrain, which left its mark on public relations. In gorges, small mountain valleys, surrounded by low passes, communities of people lived, separated from each other by mountains and rivers.
Roads and trails through mountain passes served as a link between the communities. There were 11 of them. The history of Ossetia and the culture of the country of this time are reflected in architectural monuments that have survived to this day.
Some communities, having more favorable natural conditions and a sufficient amount of arable land, were at a higher level of development. They differed in economic and social life. But despite this, there was a traditional Ossetian unity between the societies, which gave the neighbors the basis to perceive Ossetia as a single country. At that time, Ossetia was something reminiscent of a confederation of communities (regions) that were self-governing.
The origin of the name Ossetia
Interesting is the emergence of the name Ossetia. The history of its origin is largely related to the place of residence and pronunciation of this word by local residents. The word "Ossetians" comes from the medieval name of the Alans, who called themselves "as", in Georgian sources - "wasps" or "oats".
Where did the name “ovseti”, “Oseti” come from, which can be translated as “the country of oats / wasps”. In the Russian interpretation, “Ossetia” began to sound like “Ossetia”. In our time, the Ossetians themselves call themselves “iron.” When the Alans mixed with the local Turkic-speaking population, the Balkars and Karachays occurred.
Ossetia in the 18th century
This period is the most important in the life of the country. At this time, the formation of prerequisites was completed, which made it possible to carry out the most important political and economic transformations. In the first half of the 18th century, the changes that have taken place have made it possible to consolidate the society in which the political leader Zurab Magkaev advanced.
The historical and cultural monuments of Ossetia of this period have survived to our time and allow us to state the economic and cultural upsurge. The revival of Ossetia was fraught with certain difficulties regarding the integrity of the country. The southern regions of Ossetia were an object of constant expansion of Georgian feudal lords. The lands of the northern part of the country were subjected to raids by the Kabardins; the northeast suffered from armed attacks by the Ingush.
At this time, there was a rapprochement between Ossetia and Russia. This was facilitated by a number of political and economic reasons. Ossetians for further development needed the flat lands obtained thanks to Russia, which was interested in strategic passes for further advancement to the Caucasus.
Russia and Ossetia during the 19th century
Until 1830, Ossetia was conditionally considered the territory of Russia, in fact, continuing to develop independently. In 1842, the Tiflis province was created, which included the Ossetian district. To control the Daryal pass and the road, the military fortress of Vladikavkaz was laid down, which was located near the village of Dzuzhikhygu.
Ossetia became part of the Russian Empire. This period is associated with the rise of its economy, reaching the level of the advanced region of the Caucasus. It should be noted that the economic recovery led to a change in the social structure of society, a working class and the bourgeoisie appeared.
It was the bourgeois elite that pioneered the struggle against Russia, wishing to rule Ossetia on their own. This was influenced by the Russian democratic movement, in particular, the Narodniks, with whom the poet and the leader of the liberation movement Khetagurov was associated.
Many factors were present here, for example, the participation of Turkey, which could not reconcile with the baptism of Ossetians and their conversion to the Orthodox faith, and as a result, lost influence in this region. At this time, the cultural heyday of Ossetia fell.
As part of the USSR
It was during this period of history that North Ossetia was divided from South. The claims of the Georgian princes to southern Ossetia, rejected in 1830 by the Russian Senate, were satisfied, oddly enough, almost a hundred years later in 1922, when the southern part of Ossetia was transferred to the Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic as an autonomous region. The northern part became part of the RSFSR as an autonomous region, and in 1936 it was reorganized into an autonomous republic.
The history of North Ossetia at that moment was not much different from South Ossetia. Living in one country, the Ossetians did not feel much national discomfort, but after the collapse of the USSR, the inhabitants of South Ossetia were cut off from their counterparts living in Russia.
Georgian-Ossetian conflict
The history of South Ossetia of this period is tragic. In connection with the secession of Georgia from the USSR, the South Ossetian Autonomous Region, which is part of this country, also decided to exercise its right to self-determination and become an independent country. But in Georgia, on the wave of nationalism, Ossetian autonomy was abolished, in this regard, Ossetians are legally deprived of the right to secession. This marked the beginning of the Ossetian-Georgian conflict. The confrontation lasted three years.
As a result of the Georgian troops attack on South Ossetia and the detachments of Russian peacekeepers located on its territory, in August 2008, a military clash occurred, which ended in the defeat of Georgia. Today, the former autonomous region is the state of South Ossetia, the independence of which was recognized by three countries: Russia, Nicaragua, Venezuela, as well as partially recognized by Abkhazia, Transnistria and Nagorno-Karabakh, which are considered not recognized republics.