Sciti

Sciti is the Italian name for the Scythians, an ancient group of Iranian-speaking nomads who inhabited the Eurasian steppe from roughly the 7th to the 3rd century BCE. In Italian-language sources, Sciti is used to refer to these people, while English texts typically use Scythians.

Etymology: The term Scythians derives from Greek Skythai; the Italian Sciti derives from Latin Scythae, itself from Greek. The designation reflects the historical naming carried through classical and later sources.

Geography and period: The Scythians occupied a broad belt from the Danube in the west to the Yenisei River in the east, including the Pontic-Caspian steppe north of the Black Sea. They formed various tribes and confederations, including the Royal Scythians, and maintained ties with neighboring powers such as the Achaemenid Persian Empire and classical Greek states.

Culture and society: They were highly mobile pastoralists and mounted archers, known for sophisticated goldwork and animal-style art. Their burial practices often used kurgans—mounded graves that sometimes contained chariots, weapons, jewelry, and textiles. Social organization ranged from tribal groups to formal royal dynasties, with elites often controlling wealth and military power.

Legacy: The Scythians played a major role in steppe politics for several centuries and influenced neighboring cultures through trade and warfare. After the 1st century BCE, Sarmatian groups and other peoples gradually supplanted them in many regions. Today, Scythian artifacts are important for the study of Eurasian history and are housed in museums around the world.