The Scythians
The Cimmerians dominated the southern Russian plains util about 800 B.C. Then another nomadic tribe called the Scythians entered the area. Although the Cimmerians had horses for more than a thousand years there are no records to indicate that anyone rode them. They were used to pull carts or were herded like cattle. From every indication the Scythians were the first people in the area to ride horses.
Horsemen
The Scythians practically lived on horseback. Young boys four and five years old had their own ponies to ride. Scythians learned to shoot a double-curved bow from horseback for hunting and warfare This made them almost unbeatable in battle. The Cimmerians and other people in the area were either driven out or brought under Scythian control.
Houses
The Scythians were nomads making it necessary for them to find types of homes different from the mud huts of the farming people. Theirs had to be movable dwellings. So they developed history's fist mobile home called the yurt. The yurt was a tent like home of animal skins. It was built on a large wagon bed mounted with huge wooden wheels. Some yurts were so large that twelve oxen were needed to pull them. They were sometime pulled by women when there were no oxen available.
A belief in an afterlife
Historians know that the Scythians people believed in a life after death. Tombs of their leaders have been found containing everything they would need or want in an afterlife. The bodies of a leader's wife favorite servants and as many as 25 to 50 horses have been found in some leaders' tombs. The clothes weapons that have been discovered give Historians an idea of how the Scythians lived and dressed.
Diet
The Scythians ate fresh fruit when they could find it and they hunted and fished. Their diet consisted of dried grains, horse meat, and milk.
Trade
By 400 B.C. Greeks living in cities along the Black Sea began to trade with the Scythians. The only written records about the Scythians are description lefty by the Greeks who came in contact with them. The Greeks traded precious metals in exchange for grains and other food products.
The Sarmatian Ivasion
The Russian plains were occupied by many tribes. What happened in one part of the country affected everyone in the country. About 300 B.C. a fierce warlike people called the Huns were defeated by the Chinese. They began moving west to find new lands and invaded Russia. Soon the entire Russian plains area was in motion as groups of people were driven out of their lands by invaders. The territory controlled by the Scythians was invaded by a people called Sarmatians wearing armor and carrying heavy lances. The Sarmatians also used metal stirrups which helped them stay on their horses. For the first time in history the Scythians began losing battle after battle at the hands of the Sarmatians. It became obvious to some Scythian leaders that they were going to have to change their nomadic way of life. Many Scythian warriors however did not like the idea of living a different way. The fist Scythian to make a change was Scyles their ruler. He tried living in a house but was unable to keep it a secret He was murdered by his bodyguard who though he was influenced to heavily by Greek culture and might greatly change the Scythian life style. As the Sarmatians conquered more and more territory the Scythians were forced to move. They migrated into the area around the Crimea a Russian peninsula they extends into the Black Sea. There they built a new city and began a totally new way of life.