The history of ancient peoples is full of secrets and mysteries. Historical sources did not show a vast picture of the ancient world. There was scanty information about the life, religion and culture of nomadic peoples. The Alanian tribes are especially interesting, since they lived not only in the territory of the South Russian steppes and in the mountains of the Caucasus, but also in 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, while others remained on the territories in the foothills of the Caucasus. It was on them that the Alanian tribes formed the state of Alanya, which existed before the Mongol invasion in the 1230s.
In the epic of other nations
Numerous studies on peoples during the Great Migration era either ignore or do not notice the role of Scythian and Alanian tribes in the conquest of Europe. But they had a great influence on the military art of the European peoples. The history of the Alans in Germany dates back to those times. The people had a huge influence on the Gothic tribes, as they did not own military equipment.
Alanian military culture lies at the heart of medieval legends and the knighthood code. 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 took on the service of 8,000 Alan warriors. Warriors worshiped the god of war - a sword stuck in the ground.
Historiography
Why were researchers interested in the kinship of the Alan and Ossetian tribes? Everything is 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 that Formerly Dwelt in Russia,” made an assumption about the kinship of Ossetians with the Alanian tribes.
In the XIX century, the German orientalist Klaprot in his works spoke about the genetic kinship of Ossetian tribes with the Alanian. Further research has confirmed this theory.
The concept of Klaproth was also adhered to by the Swiss archaeologist Dubois de Montpere, who considered the Alanian and Ossetian tribes as related, who settled at different times in the Caucasus. German Gaksthausen, who visited Russia in the 19th century, was a supporter of the German theory of the origin of Ossetians. Ossetian tribes descended from Gothic tribes and, driven by the Huns, settled in the mountains of the Caucasus. The French scientist St. Martin paid special attention to the Ossetian language, since it came from the languages ​​of Europe.
Russian researcher D. L. Lavrov in his work “Historical information about Ossetia and Ossetians” provides many details about the kinship of the Alans and this nation.
The largest Russian researcher of the late 19th century V.F. Miller published the book “Ossetian Studies”, in which he proves the genetic relationship between the two peoples. The proof was that the names of the Caucasian Alans extended to the ancestors of the Ossetians. He regarded the ethnonyms of Alans, wasps and yasas 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 - the Alans.
To date, scientists adhere to the concept of the genetic relationship of Ossetians with Alan tribes.
Etymology of the word
The meaning of the term "Alan" is "guest" or "host." In modern science adhere to the version of V. I. Abaev: the concept of “Alan” comes from the names of the ancient Aryans and Iranian Agua tribes. Another scholar, Miller, suggested that the name comes from the Greek verb "wander" or "wander."
As the Alans called neighboring nations
In ancient Russian chronicles, Alans are jars. So, in 1029 it was reported that Yaroslav defeated the tribe of Yasov. 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 from the II century BC. e. in the territory of Central Asia. They are later mentioned in antique records from the middle of the first century. Their appearance in Eastern Europe is associated with the strengthening of the Sarmatian tribes.
After the defeat by the Huns, during the Great Migration, part of the tribe ended up in Gaul and North Africa, where, together with the vandals, it formed a state that lasted until the VI century. Another part of the Alans went to the foothills of the Caucasus. Partial assimilation of the Alanian tribes gradually took place. 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 was associated. From this period, their influence in the Crimea increased.
After the merger of the Alans with the Caucasian tribes, they switched to farming and a settled way of life. This was the main factor in the formation of the early feudal state of Alanya. In the upper 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 Alans' ties with the Eastern Roman Empire.
By the 10th century, Alanya was becoming 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 turned into a powerful and prosperous state, but after the Tatar-Mongols captured the plain of Ciscaucasia, it fell, and the population went into 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: the history of resettlement
A few written sources tell of the resettlement through the Kerch Strait to the territory of the Crimean Peninsula. The found burial grounds were unknown for the Crimea structure. Similar crypts were found in the Caucasus, where the Alans lived. The burial method was also specific. In the crypt lay 9 buried, and a sword was laid on the warrior's head or shoulder. The same tradition was with the tribes of the North Caucasus. In addition to weapons, gold and silver jewelry were found in some burial grounds. These archaeological finds suggest that in the 3rd century BC. e. part of the Alan tribes migrated to Crimea.
Crimean Alans are practically not 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 Crimea. This may be due to the Tatar-Mongol invasion.
Archaeological evidence
The materials found in the Zmeisky 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.
Frequent avalanches in the 13th-14th centuries also became an important factor in the fall of the state. Many settlements were destroyed, and the Alans settled lower down the slopes. The final fall of Alanya was a consequence of the attack of Tamerlane. 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
At the heart of the Alanian religion was the Scythian-Sarmatian religious tradition. Like other tribes, in the center of Alan beliefs was 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 (Huitsau), and the rest of the deities turned into the creature "Avdiu". Their functions and traits eventually passed to the holy saints surrounding one God. The Alans believed that the universe consists of three worlds. Therefore, the ternary division was present in the life of society: in the religious, economic and military sphere.
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 the warrior-knights. In such a society, it was required to abandon the pagan pantheon and have one God. The royal authority needed a heavenly patron - an unattainable ideal that would unite different people. Therefore, the Alanian king chose Christianity as the state religion.
Religion spread
According to the traditions of the church, the Alans became acquainted with Christianity in the first century. The disciple of Christ, the Apostle Andrew the First-Called, preached in the Alanian city of Fust. Also in written sources it is reported 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 throughout 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 partially accepted Christianity, but were faithful to their gods.
After the approval of the Golden Horde rule in the Caucasus, the construction of Muslim mosques on the site of Christian churches began. Islam began to supplant the Christian religion.
Life
Alanya was located on the part of the Great Silk Road, so trade and exchange were developed in it. Most traders traveled to Byzantium and the Arab countries, but archaeological finds suggest that they traded with countries in 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 Ossetians. Nevertheless, there is not enough information. A few essays on the history of the Alans do not allow 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 nomadic settlements of Eurasia. Gradually they moved from a semi-nomadic to a settled-agricultural way of life.
Culture
The development of material culture is indicated by the presence of burial grounds and ancient settlements found in the North Donets and the North Caucasus. Ground tombs and crypts, dolmens, catacombs speaks of the high development of the Alans culture.
The settlements were fenced with slabs on which a geometric pattern or animal images were applied.
Alans were masters of jewelry. This is confirmed by pendants of gold and silver with semiprecious stones, figures of warriors, various brooches that adorned the clothes of the Alans.
Numerous amulets, toiletries, sabers, clothes found in the Serpent burial ground speak of the heyday of the Alanian state.
In the X century, Alanya has its own written language and a heroic epic.
Legends
The Nart epic is the pinnacle of Alan medieval art. It reflected a large period of the life of this people - from the early communal system to the fall of Alanya in the XIV century. Sledges are the pseudonym of the creators of the epic who preserved the religious beliefs, life and social relations of the people in the legends. The Nart or Nart epics formed among the Alans, and eventually developed among the Georgian peoples. It is based on the adventures of warrior heroes. In legends, reality is intertwined 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 soldiers take place. Motives 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 Uryzmag, - it was customary for the Alans and Scythians to kill the old for religious purposes.
Based on the legends, the Narts divided society into three genera, which are endowed with special features: Borat - wealth, Alagata - wisdom, Ahsartaggata - courage. This corresponds to the social division of the Alans: economic (Borat owned the wealth of the earth), priestly (Alagata) and military (Ahsartaggata).
The plots of Nart legends are based on the exploits of the main characters during a campaign or hunt, matchmaking and revenge for the murder of his father. Also, the legends describe a debate 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. It is safe to say that the Alans influenced the formation of the Ossetian people. That is why the Ossetian language is different from other Caucasian languages. Nevertheless, a few essays on the history of the Alans do not allow to draw conclusions about the origin of the people.