Cimmerians

Quick Facts: Who was Cimmerians?

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Cimmerians

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Ancient Iranian nomadic people from the Pontic–Caspian steppe, documented primarily by later civilizations.

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Origins & Early Life

The Cimmerians were an ancient Eastern Iranic equestrian nomadic people originating in the Pontic–Caspian steppe, part of whom subsequently migrated into West Asia. Although the Cimmerians were culturally Scythian, they were ethnically distinct from the Scythians proper, to whom the Cimmerians were related and who displaced and replaced the Cimmerians. The Cimmerians themselves left no written records, and most information about them is largely derived from Neo-Assyrian records of the 8th to 7th centuries BC and from Graeco-Roman authors from the 5th century BC and later. The English name Cimmerians is derived from Latin Cimmerii, itself derived from the Ancient Greek Kimmerioi (Κιμμέριοι), of an ultimately uncertain origin for which there have been various proposals. According to János Harmatta, it was derived from Old Iranic *Gayamira, meaning "union of clans." Sergey Tokhtasyev and Igor Diakonoff derived it from an Old Iranic term *Gāmīra or *Gmīra, meaning "mobile unit." Askold Ivantchik derives the name of the Cimmerians from an original form *Gimĕr- or *Gimĭr-, of uncertain meaning.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

According to Ivantchik, the Greek form of the name Κιμμέριοι started with /k/ rather than with /g/ as in the original name due to its transmission to the Greek language through the intermediary of the Lydian language, which did not distinguish between the voiced and non-voiced velar stops. Diakonoff later abandoned his own proposed etymology to support that of Ivantchik. The name of the Cimmerians is attested in: Neo-Assyrian Akkadian as Gimirrāya (𒆳𒄀𒂆𒀀𒀀 and 𒇽𒄀𒂆𒊏𒀀𒀀); Late Babylonian Akkadian as Gimirri (𒆳𒄀𒈪𒅕 and 𒆳𒄀𒂆𒊑); and Hebrew as Gōmer (גֹּמֶר). The Late Babylonian scribes of the Achaemenid Empire used the name "Cimmerians" to designate all the nomad peoples of the steppe, including the Scythians and Saka. However, while the Cimmerians were an Iranic people sharing a common language, origins and culture with the Scythians and are archaeologically indistinguishable from the Scythians, all sources contemporary to their activities clearly distinguished the Cimmerians and the Scythians as being two separate political entities.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

In 1966, the archaeologist Maurits Nanning van Loon described the Cimmerians as Western Scythians, and referred to the Scythians proper as the Eastern Scythians. There are three main sources of information on the historical Cimmerians: Akkadian cuneiform texts from Mesopotamia; Graeco-Roman sources; archaeological data from the Pontic-Caspian Steppes, Caucasia, and West Asia. The arrival of the Cimmerians in Europe was part of the larger process of westwards movement of Central Asian Iranic nomads towards Southeast and Central Europe which lasted from the 1st millennium BC to the 1st millennium AD. Other Iranic nomads, such as the Scythians, Sauromatians, Sarmatians, and Alans, would later follow. True nomadic pastoralism emerged at the beginning of the first millennium BC due to climatic changes that made the steppe environment of Central Asia and Siberia colder and more arid than before.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1966: 1966 Milestone — In 1966, the archaeologist Maurits Nanning van Loon described the Cimmerians as Western Scythians, and referred to the Scythians proper as the Eastern Scythians.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Cimmerians

True or False: “The Cimmerians were ethnically identical to the Scythians and simply a different name for the same group of people.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): While related and archaeologically indistinguishable from the Scythians in some aspects, contemporary sources clearly distinguished them as two separate political entities.

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Frequently Asked Questions about Cimmerians