Istvánovits Eszter: International Connections... (Jósa András Múzeum Kiadványai 47. Aszód-Nyíregyháza, 2001)
Eszter Istvánovits - Valéria Kulcsár: Sarmatians through the eyes of strangers. The Sarmatian warrior
Persians). A similar costume is depicted on a Syrian (fig. 4: 5) and a Parthian figure (fig. 4: 6). Their wide trousers were also mentioned by Tacitus (Germ. 17: "The wealthiest are distinguished by a dress which is not flowing like that of the Sarmatae and Parthi, but is tight, and exhibits each limb") and Valerius Flaccus (Argon. V. 421-423). According to O. Gamber (GAMBER 1964, 7), Dacians adopted this type of trousers from the Sarmatians, along with other things (e.g. Asian archery, equestrian warfare etc.). It is true that the Dacians on Trajan's Column are depicted in similar attire (fig. 4: 7-8). From the costumes on the Aurelian Column, it is almost impossible to differentiate Germans, Sarmatians and other peoples. Among depictions that have been determined as Sarmatian by their anthropological features, we find nude figures as well (fig. 4: 3 - a captive on Trajan's Column). Surprisingly enough, it is the anthropological type that helps us to separate Sarmatians from the mass of other barbarians (fig. 5: 3-10). As E. Petersen observed, Roman stereotypes accorded Sarmatians an especially "barbarian" look (PETERSEN 1896, 49-50). They are distinguished by a "very long head with hair sticking well out over the forehead and a very long flame-like beard' appearing for the first time on an official monument (BONANNO 1976, 141). It is remarkable that Sarmatian skulls from the burials of the Carpathian Basin show the same anthropological features as the faces on the Columns of Trajan and Marcus Aurelius. 3 Some depictions of the Scythians (fig. 5: 1-2) display a striking similarity to the facial features of the Sarmatians, which is not surprising given that they were related. But this is not at all typical for the Roxolani on Trajan's Column (fig. 6: 46). They are all shaved and have different facial types. Alföldi thought one looked slightly Mongolian (fig. 6: 11) (ALFÖLDI 1942, T. XXXII: 1). Another, much later depiction of an unarmed Sarmatian noble, possibly a king (fig. 4: 10), appears on the Roman gold multipla from Verkhivnia (Ukraine) that shows a Roman emperor tormenting a barbarian. This motif of the so-called "small (compared to the disproportionately large figure of the victorious emperor) barbarian" appears on Roman coins starting from the 2 nd c. However, the motif of the emperor pulling the barbarian by his hair could not have predated Constantine's time (LEVI 1952, 25-26). A figure - a Persian captive (fig. 4: 11) - strongly reminiscent of the barbarian of the Verkhivnia medallion appears on the Arch of Galerius in Thessaloniki, dating to 297 (Roman campaign against the Sassanian monarch Narses) (LAUBSCHNER 1975, 7, 16-17, Taf. 18). The similarity of Persian and Sarmatian figures cannot be coincidental. Returning to the depiction from Verkhivnia, we have to assume that the barbarian's head and hair closely resemble the Scythians (based on the anthropological features and hairstyle; see e.g. the cup from Gaimanova Mogila - ROLLE ET AL. 1991, 376-377) or one of the figures of the Tolstaia Mogila (ROLLE ET AL. 1991, 393) (fig. 5: 1-2, 4: 9). The costume is the same on the majority of the Scythian depictions: a characteristic short caftan with "tails", embroidered trousers and soft boots. 3 Information kindly provided by anthropologist László Szathmáry.
