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
On the basis of the finds, the armament of the late Sarmatians of the Carpathian Basin - along with the spear and shield - was distinguished by the long, two-bladed heavy sword. 7 Bows must have also still been in use in the Late Empire. However, on the basis of the size and type of the arrowheads (such as ones from Csongrád-Kenderföldek - ISTVÁNOVITS-KULCSÁR 1995, 9: 2. kép), we must think not of the small-sized Scythian bow, but of the larger "Hunnic" one. Last, but not least, we should note standards and other military insignia. Ammianus Marcellinus' description of the Alans mentions the custom of hanging a scalp on the horse (Ammian. XXXI. 2. 22.): "... there is nothing in which they take more pride than in killing any man whatever: as glorious, spoils of the slain they tear off their heads, then strip off their skins and hang them upon their war-horses as trappings" - a custom illustrated by the bone plate from Orlat (for this and other depictions, see: ISTVÁNOVITSKULCSÁR 1997, 159-160; ISTVÁNOVITS-KULCSÁR 1998, ris. 5, 7-9; ISTVÁNOVITS-KULCSÁR 2000, fig. 8, 10-11). A possible reflection of the custom of severing the enemy's head is depicted on a golden open-work decoration from Iran of presumably Sarmatian character (fig. 14: 9) (precise dating unknown - 7000 JAHRE 1962, Kat. 368) and on the gold cap from Kurdzhips (fig. 14: 8) (MINNS 1913, 223, fig. 126) dated recently to the end of the 4 TH c. B.C. (GALANINA 1980, 45-47, 55, ris. VII, ris. 93 at p. 93). According to Rostovtsev, similar masque-like representations of severed heads are known in Parthian decorative art (ROSTOVTZEFF 1930/32, 105-106). Another example, perhaps from Maikop, is also mentioned by Rostovtsev (ROSTOVTZEFF 1933, pl. XI: 6) (fig. 14: 5). The Sarmatian dragon standard is perhaps the geographically most widespread element of warfare. Evidence for its use extends from Central Asia (Orlat) (fig. 11: 1) to the British Isles (Chester) (fig. 14: 1). It also appears frequently in the hands of Dacians (allies of the Roxolani in the Dacian wars of Trajan), and later in depictions of the Roman military (fig. 14: 4). A Roman depiction, the closest to Sarmatian territory, comes from Ságvár, Pannónia (fig. 14: 3) (BURGER 1966, pl. XCV), but we see several of them on Roman Imperial monuments (COULSTON 1991 - with detailed reference to literary sources), one in the Notitia Dignitatum (fig. 14: 2) (ROBINSON 1975, 186, fig. 191) showing one element (besides cataphracts, archers etc.) of the influence of Sarmatian (Iranian) warfare on the Roman army (MAKKAY 1996, 737-748 - with detailed references, MAKKAY 1998, 18-21). Germans adopted dragon standards - together with several other elements - from the Sarmatians too, and their use extended into the Middle Ages (e.g. the battle of Hastings, 1066 - GAMBER 1964, 9). Of course, our present work can only shed some light on the military history of the Sarmatians in the Carpathian Basin. This is merely the first step. In the future we will need the most complete database possible on the three kinds of sources: literary, depictions, and archaeological finds. The third has already received methodical publication. A catalogue of literary data and the depictions is the task of the future. Our present article is intended as a preface to this work. 8 7 We are in the process of collection and publication of Sarmatian swords. 8 We thank to Dr. Everett L. Wheeler (Duke University, Durham, USA) for his valuable advices and corrections.
