Sigynnae
Encyclopedia
The Sigynnae were an obscure people of antiquity. They are variously located by ancient authors.
According to Herodotus
(v. 9), they dwelt beyond the Danube
, and their frontiers extended almost as far as the Eneti
on the Adriatic. Their horses (or rather, ponies) were small and flat-nosed with shaggy long hair, five fingers in length. They were not strong enough to bear men on their backs, but when yoked to chariot
s, they were among the swiftest known, which is the reason why the people of that country preferred that mode of transportation. The people themselves wore a Medic costume, and, according to their own account, were colonists from Media
, a claim regarded as doubtful by Herodotus.
In Apollonius Rhodius (iv. 320) they inhabit the shores of the Euxine, not far from the mouth of the Danube, while Strabo
(xi. p. 520), also speaking of their ponies, and attributing to them Persian customs, places them near the Caspian
. They could indeed have been a part of the Iranian expansion, together with the Scythians and Sarmatians
migrating west into the Ukraine in the early Iron Age
context of the "Thraco-Cimmerian
" migrations.
RW Macan
(on Herod. v. 9) suggested that the "Medic" connection may be due to a confusion with the Thracian
Maedi
. In this case the Sigynnae would be a Thracian rather than an Iranian tribe.
According to Herodotus, the Ligyes
who lived above Massilia called traders "Sigynnae". According to J. L. Myres, the Sigynnae of Herodotus were "a people widely spread in the Danubic basin in the 5th century BC," and connected with the iron-working culture of Hallstatt
, which produced a narrow-bladed throwing spear, the sigynna spear (see notice of "Anthropological Essays" in Classical Review, November 1908).
Rawlinson
speculates that "the Sigynnae retained a better recollection than other European tribes of their migrations westward and Aryan origin", apparently using the term "Aryan
" with a meaning somewhere between Indo-Iranian
and Indo-European
.
According to Herodotus
Herodotus
Herodotus was an ancient Greek historian who was born in Halicarnassus, Caria and lived in the 5th century BC . He has been called the "Father of History", and was the first historian known to collect his materials systematically, test their accuracy to a certain extent and arrange them in a...
(v. 9), they dwelt beyond the Danube
Danube
The Danube is a river in the Central Europe and the Europe's second longest river after the Volga. It is classified as an international waterway....
, and their frontiers extended almost as far as the Eneti
Adriatic Veneti
The Veneti were an ancient people who inhabited north-eastern Italy, in an area corresponding to the modern-day region of the Veneto....
on the Adriatic. Their horses (or rather, ponies) were small and flat-nosed with shaggy long hair, five fingers in length. They were not strong enough to bear men on their backs, but when yoked to chariot
Chariot
The chariot is a type of horse carriage used in both peace and war as the chief vehicle of many ancient peoples. Ox carts, proto-chariots, were built by the Proto-Indo-Europeans and also built in Mesopotamia as early as 3000 BC. The original horse chariot was a fast, light, open, two wheeled...
s, they were among the swiftest known, which is the reason why the people of that country preferred that mode of transportation. The people themselves wore a Medic costume, and, according to their own account, were colonists from Media
Medes
The MedesThe Medes...
, a claim regarded as doubtful by Herodotus.
In Apollonius Rhodius (iv. 320) they inhabit the shores of the Euxine, not far from the mouth of the Danube, while Strabo
Strabo
Strabo, also written Strabon was a Greek historian, geographer and philosopher.-Life:Strabo was born to an affluent family from Amaseia in Pontus , a city which he said was situated the approximate equivalent of 75 km from the Black Sea...
(xi. p. 520), also speaking of their ponies, and attributing to them Persian customs, places them near the Caspian
Caspian Sea
The Caspian Sea is the largest enclosed body of water on Earth by area, variously classed as the world's largest lake or a full-fledged sea. The sea has a surface area of and a volume of...
. They could indeed have been a part of the Iranian expansion, together with the Scythians and Sarmatians
Sarmatians
The Iron Age Sarmatians were an Iranian people in Classical Antiquity, flourishing from about the 5th century BC to the 4th century AD....
migrating west into the Ukraine in the early Iron Age
Iron Age
The Iron Age is the archaeological period generally occurring after the Bronze Age, marked by the prevalent use of iron. The early period of the age is characterized by the widespread use of iron or steel. The adoption of such material coincided with other changes in society, including differing...
context of the "Thraco-Cimmerian
Thraco-Cimmerian
Thraco-Cimmerian is a historiographical and archaeological term, composed of the names of the Thracians and the Cimmerians. It refers to 8th to 7th century BC cultures that are linked in Eastern Central Europe and in the area north of the Black Sea....
" migrations.
RW Macan
Reginald Walter Macan
Reginald Walter Macan D.Litt. was a classical scholar. He was a Fellow and then, from March 1906, Master of University College, Oxford. He was only the second layman Master of the College after Anthony Gate, Master from 1584–1597....
(on Herod. v. 9) suggested that the "Medic" connection may be due to a confusion with the Thracian
Thrace
Thrace is a historical and geographic area in southeast Europe. As a geographical concept, Thrace designates a region bounded by the Balkan Mountains on the north, Rhodope Mountains and the Aegean Sea on the south, and by the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara on the east...
Maedi
Maedi
The Maedi , were a Thracian or Illyrian tribe, which in historic times, occupied the area between Paionia and Thrace, on the southwestern fringes of Thrace, along the middle course of the Strymon, between the Kresna Gorge and the Rupel Pass...
. In this case the Sigynnae would be a Thracian rather than an Iranian tribe.
According to Herodotus, the Ligyes
Ligures
The Ligures were an ancient people who gave their name to Liguria, a region of north-western Italy.-Classical sources:...
who lived above Massilia called traders "Sigynnae". According to J. L. Myres, the Sigynnae of Herodotus were "a people widely spread in the Danubic basin in the 5th century BC," and connected with the iron-working culture of Hallstatt
Hallstatt
Hallstatt, Upper Austria is a village in the Salzkammergut, a region in Austria. It is located near the Hallstätter See . At the 2001 census it had 946 inhabitants...
, which produced a narrow-bladed throwing spear, the sigynna spear (see notice of "Anthropological Essays" in Classical Review, November 1908).
Rawlinson
George Rawlinson
Canon George Rawlinson was a 19th century English scholar, historian, and Christian theologian. He was born at Chadlington, Oxfordshire, and was the younger brother of Sir Henry Rawlinson....
speculates that "the Sigynnae retained a better recollection than other European tribes of their migrations westward and Aryan origin", apparently using the term "Aryan
Aryan
Aryan is an English language loanword derived from Sanskrit ārya and denoting variously*In scholarly usage:**Indo-Iranian languages *in dated usage:**the Indo-European languages more generally and their speakers...
" with a meaning somewhere between Indo-Iranian
Indo-Iranians
Indo-Iranian peoples are a linguistic group consisting of the Indo-Aryan, Iranian, Dardic and Nuristani peoples; that is, speakers of Indo-Iranian languages, a major branch of the Indo-European language family....
and Indo-European
Proto-Indo-Europeans
The Proto-Indo-Europeans were the speakers of the Proto-Indo-European language , a reconstructed prehistoric language of Eurasia.Knowledge of them comes chiefly from the linguistic reconstruction, along with material evidence from archaeology and archaeogenetics...
.