List Of Ancient Iranian Peoples

This list of ancient Iranian peoples includes the names of Indo-European peoples speaking Iranian languages or otherwise considered Iranian ethnically or linguistically in sources from the late 1st millennium BC to the early 2nd millennium AD.

Background

Ancient and modern Iranian peoples mostly descend from the Proto-Indo-Iranians, common ancestors respectively of the Proto-Iranians and Proto-Indo-Aryans, this people possibly was the same of the Sintashta-Petrovka culture. Proto-Iranians separated from the Proto-Indo-Aryans early in the 2nd-millennium BCE. These peoples possibly called themselves by the name "Aryans", which was the basis for several ethnonyms of Iranian and Indo-Aryan peoples or for the entire group of peoples which shares kin and similar cultures.

Iranian peoples first appear in Assyrian records in the 9th century BCE. In Classical Antiquity, they were found primarily in Scythia (in Central Asia, Eastern Europe, the Balkans and the Northern Caucasus) and Persia (in Western Asia). They divided into "Western" and "Eastern" branches from an early period, roughly corresponding to the territories of Persia and Scythia, respectively. By the 1st millennium BCE, Medes, Persians, Bactrians and Parthians populated the Iranian plateau, while others such as the Scythians, Sarmatians, Cimmerians and Alans populated the steppes north of the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, as far as the Great Hungarian Plain in the west. The Saka tribes remained mainly in the far-east, eventually spreading as far east as the Ordos Desert.

Ancient Iranian peoples spoke languages that were the ancestors of modern Iranian languages, these languages form a sub-branch of the Indo-Iranian sub-family, which is a branch of the family of the wider Indo-European languages.

Ancient Iranian peoples lived in many regions and, at about 200 BC, they had as farthest geographical points dwelt by them: to the west the Great Hungarian Plain (Alföld), east of the Danube river (where they formed an enclave of Iranian peoples), Ponto-Caspian steppe in today's southern Ukraine, Russia and far western Kazakhstan, and to the east the Altay Mountains western and northwestern foothills and slopes and also western Gansu, Ordos Desert, and western Inner Mongolia, in northwestern China(Xinjiang), to the north southern West Siberia and southern Ural Mountains (Riphean Mountains?) and to the south the northern coasts of the Persian Gulf and the Arabian Sea.: "From the first millennium b.c., we have abundant historical, archaeological and linguistic sources for the location of the territory inhabited by the Iranian peoples. In this period the territory of the northern Iranians, they being equestrian nomads, extended over the whole zone of the steppes and the wooded steppes and even the semi-deserts from the Great Hungarian Plain to the Ordos region in northern China." The geographical area dwelt by ancient Iranian peoples was therefore vast (at the end of the 1st Millennium BC they dwelt in an area of several million square kilometers or miles thus roughly corresponding to half or slightly less than half of the geographical area that all Indo-European peoples dwelt in Eurasia).

During Late Antiquity, in a process that lasted until Middle Age, the Iranian populations of Scythia and Sarmatia, in the western ( Ponto-Caspian) and central ( Kazakh) Eurasian Steppe and most of Central Asia (that once formed a large geographic area dwelt by Iranian peoples), started to be conquered by other non-Iranian peoples and began to be marginalized, assimilated or expelled mainly as result of the Turkic peoples conquests and migrations that resulted in the Turkification of the remaining Iranian ethnic groups in Central Asia and the western Eurasian steppe (by the Xiongnu, the Huns and Hunnic Empire, Göktürks and Göktürk Empire, Oghuz Turks, etc). Germanic (Goths), Slavic (like the Kievan Rus) and later Mongolian (Mongol Empire) conquests and migrations also contributed to the decline of the Iranian peoples in these regions. By the 10th century, the Eastern Iranian languages were no longer spoken in many of the territories they were once spoken, with the exception of Pashto in Central Asia, Ossetic in the Northern Caucasus and Pamiri languages in Badakhshan. Most of Central Asia and the western Eurasian steppe was almost completely Turkified. However, in most of the southern regions, corresponding to the Iranian Plateau and mountains, more densely populated, Iranian peoples continued to be most of the population and remained so until modern times.

Various Persian empires flourished throughout Antiquity, however, they fell to the Islamic conquest in the 7th century, although other Persian empires formed again later.

Ancestors

*Proto-Indo-Europeans (Proto-Indo-European speakers)
**Proto-Indo-Iranians (common ancestors of the Iranian, Nuristani and Indo-Aryan peoples) ( Proto-Indo-Iranian speakers)
*** Proto-Iranians (Proto-Iranian speakers)

Ancient Iranian Peoples

Mentioned in the

Avesta

*Airyas
*Ahiryas
*Dahis (possible ancestors of the Dahae or Dasa)
*Sainus
*Sairimas
*Tuiryas
*Turanians - an ancient Iranian ethnic group, their land was called Turan, a word that later was applied to the lands north of Iran and the Iranian Plateau and mountains, i.e. all Central Asia (including Transoxiana). (in the Avesta "Turan" had the meaning of an Iranian tribe, only later the name had the meaning of lands inhabited by Turkic tribes).
*Yashtians

East Iranians

Northeast Iranians (Northern East Iranians)

*Saka / Sacans ('' Sakā'') / Scytho-Sarmatians - Sarmatians and Scythians, Scythian cultures peoples of the Western (or Ponto-Caspian steppe), Central (or Kazakh steppe) Eurasian steppe and Central Asia that spoke several Scytho-Sarmatian Iranian languages and had a kin and similar culture. The name '' Sakā'' was an Old Persian generic word for all Iranian speaking peoples, Scythians, Sarmatians and others, that lived in the Eurasian Steppe and were nomad or semi nomadic pastoralists/herders)
**Western Saka (Western Scytho-Sarmatians) (''Scythians'' in a narrow sense - the Scythian culture peoples that lived in the Ponto-Caspian steppe, the west part of the Eurasian Steppe)
***Scythians / Scoloti ( Skolotoí / Saka) ('' Sakā para Draya'' - "Sakas Beyond the Sea" - The Sea was the Pontus Euxinus / Black Sea) (the Old Persian word "''Saka''" covered both Scythians and Sarmatians)
****Achaei ( Acae)
****Agavi Scythae
**** Core Scythians
*****Arpoxaians-Colaxaians-Lipoxaians
******Arpoxaians (descendants of Arpoxais, possible eponym)
*******Catiari / Katiaroi
*******Traspies
******Colaxaians (descendants of Colaxais, possible eponym)
*******Paralatae / Royal Scythians
******** Spalaei / Spali / Palaei / Pali
****** Lipoxaians (descendants of Lipoxais, possible eponym)
******* Auchetae / Euchatae
***** Asampatae
***** Athernei
****Hamaxobii
****Lower Danube Scythians (a small tribal group of Scythians that took refuge in the areas of today's Dobrogea)
****Crimean Scythians (a small tribal group of Scythians that took refuge in the areas of today's Crimea)
**** Tauri Scythae / Tauroscythae, Tauri Scythians or Scythianized Tauri, they lived in the plains of Northern Taurica or Tauris Peninsula (today called Crimea)
**Eastern Saka (Eastern Scytho-Sarmatians) (''Scythians'' in the broad sense of Scythian culture peoples) (in a narrow sense, Eastern Saka refers to the Iranian nomadic or seminomadic pastoralist peoples that lived in the central part of the Eurasian steppe or Kazakh steppe and Central Asia, they were called "Sarmatians" by the Greeks and "Saka" by the Persians) (the Old Persian word "''Saka''" covered both Scythians and Sarmatians)
*** Central Asian Sakas / Central Asia Scytho-Sarmatians
**** Core Central Asian Sakas / Core Central Asian Scytho-Sarmatians
*****Amyrgians ('' Sakā haumavargā'' - Soma Drinkers/Gatherers Sakas) (''Sakā para Sugudam'' - Sakas Beyond Sogdiana, may have been the same as the ''Sakā haumavargā'' i.e. the Amyrgians, the Greek name for the same people) (roughly in today's Ferghana Valley and basin, parts of Uzbekistan, Tadjikistan and Kyrghyzstan)
*****Anaraci
***** Aspisi / Aspisii
***** Cachassae
***** Chauranaci
*****Southwest Central Asian Sakas / Southwest Central Asian Scytho-Sarmatians
******Dahae- Amardi
*******Dahae / Dahas / Dasa
********Parni / Aparni (tribe where Arsaces I became chief, later he became the first king of Parthia, he was the founder of the Arsacid Dynasty, that ruled the Parthian Empire; several ancient authors said he was of Scythian or Bactrian origin)
******** Pissuri
******** Xanthii
******* Amardians / Mardians (initially they lived in Southwest Central Asia, however they migrated southwest towards central Alborz Mountains and plains of southern Caspian Sea coast and later they became assimilated into Northwestern Iranians subgroup of Western Iranians)
******Tapurians / Tapuri / Tapuraei (initially they lived in Southwest Central Asia, however they migrated southwest toward Tapuria, in the east Alborz Mountains and plains of the southeastern Caspian Sea coast, and later they became assimilated into Northwestern Iranians subgroup of Western Iranians) (origin of the name Tapuristan or Tabaristan, the land where they went living)
*****Massagetae / Orthocorybantians ('' Sakā tigraxaudā'' - Pointy Hoods / Pointed Hats Sakas or Scythians) (Massagetae and ''Sakā Tigraxaudā'' or Orthocorybantians, as they were known by the Greeks, may have been different names for the same people)
******Apasiacae
****** Iaxartae (they lived along the Iaxartes river banks (modern Syr Darya)
***** Norossi
***** Tectosaces (not to be confused with the Celtic Tectosages)
****Sakas (in a modern narrow sense the northernmost and easternmost Scytho-Sarmatians, including those who lived in the Tarim Basin, where Tocharians also dwelt)
***** Scytho-Siberians (in southern West Siberia and northern Kazakhstan, in the upper Irtysh, Ishim, Tobol and Ob' river courses regions)
******Abii / Gabii
****** Altay-Sayan Sakas / Altay-Sayan Scythians / Altay-Sayan Scytho-Sarmatians (they were part of the Scythian cultures ethnic and linguistic continuum; they lived in the Altay and western slopes of the Sayan Mountains and possibly they were the people that formed the Pazyryk culture) (possibly they conquered or expelled the older Afanasievo culture people, which were possibly descendant from the Proto-Tocharians) (there is the strong possibility that Proto-Turkics were influenced by the Altay-Sayan Sakas and vice versa and also to a possibility of an ethnic mixing in this region between larger West Eurasian and East Eurasian populations)
****** Galactophagi ( "Milk Drinkers" / "Milk Eaters") (real or legendary people)
****** Galactopotae (real or legendary people)
****** Hippemolgi (" Mare-Milkers") (real or legendary people)
****** Hippophagi ( "Horse Eaters") (real or legendary people)
******Thyssagetae
***** Sacaralae ( Eastern Central Asia Saka) (roughly in today's central and eastern Kazakhstan) - they lived in the Chu and Sarysu river basins and their desert areas, and in the Ili river and Lake Balkash basin and most part of the Tian Shan mountains northern slope (also known as Tengri Tagh or Tengir-Too mountains).
*****Tarim Basin Sakas (mainly in the western and southern regions)
******Gumo Sakas / Tumshuq Sakas (they lived in today's Tumshuq region and city) (they spoke Tumshuqese or Tumshuqese Saka, a Northeast Iranian language or dialect)
******Kashgar Sakas (they lived in Kashgar city and region)
****** Khotan Sakas (they lived in the Khotan region, known as Gaustana in Sanskrit and Prakrit texts) (they spoke Khotanese or Khotanese Saka, a Northeast Iranian language or dialect)
*****Indo-Scythians / Indo-Sakas (a group of Sakas that migrated towards East Iranian Plateau, Indus valley and India)
***Sarmatians Proper / Sauromatae
****Aorsi-Alans (two closely related Sarmatian tribes or the same tribe known by different names)
*****Aorsi (they lived northeast of the Siraces) (''Yancai'' or '' Yentsai'' was the Chinese name of a State that could be identical with an Aorsi one)
******Lower Aorsi ( Western Aorsi)
****** Upper Aorsi ( Eastern Aorsi) (from northern Caspian Sea coast to the northern Aral Sea coast) (identical with the Alans?)
*****Alans (a closely related people or tribe with the Aorsi Sarmatians or the same people known by two different names) (Aryan > *Alyan > Alan) (Ossetians / Irættæ are a modern branch) (also called " Melanchlaeni" - "Black-Cloaks", not to be confused with other two peoples called by that same name that were: the " Melanchlaeni" - "Black-Cloaks" of Pontus, and the " Melanchlaeni" - "Black-Cloaks" of the far north)
****** Iasi

( Iasi / Jassi / Jasz are descendants from a group of Alans that migrated westward, they are related but not identical to the oldest Iazyges)
******Roxolani (an offshoot and eastern branch of the Alans)
*******Banat Roxolani (a branch of the Roxolani that migrated westward)
*******Agaragantes / Arcaragantes ( Free Sarmatians)
**** Cissianti
****Iazyges / Iazyges Metanastae / Iaxamatae
**** Khorouathoi / Choruathi / Haravati (their name may have influenced the ethnonym of the Croats but are not necessarily their ancestors or of most of them)
**** Phoristae
**** Rhymnici, they dwelt along Rha river banks (today's Volga) in the steppe area (the adjective seems to derive from the name "''Rha''" or "''Rā''", the Scythian name for the Volga river) ('' Oares'' was the Greek name for this river)
**** Rimphaces
****Serboi (their name may have influenced the ethnonym of the Serbs but are not necessarily their ancestors or of most of them)
**** Siraci / Siraces
**** Spondolici
**** Urgi

Southeast Iranians (Southern East Iranians)

* Arachosians / Arachoti
** Eoritae
** Musarnaei
** Pactyans / Pakthas (possible ancestors of the Pakhtuns / Pashtuns) The Greek historian Herodotus mentioned a people called ''Pactyan'' living on the eastern frontier of the Achaemenid Arachosia Satrapy as early as the 1st millennium BCE.
** Par(g)yetae
** Rhoplutae
**Sidri
*Arians Proper / Arii
** Borgi
** Casirotae
* Ariaspae / Evergetae
*Bactrians
** Chomari
** Comi
** Drepsiani
** Oxiani
** Parsii
** Salatarae
** Trybactae
** Zariaspae
* Chorasmians / Khwarezmians
* Drangians / Drangae / Zarangians / Zarangae
*Gedrosians / Gedrosii / Gedroseni
** Aparytae
** Arabitae / Arbies
**Iranian Ichthyophagi / Iranian Ichthyophagoi (Iranian Fish-Eaters)
** Oritae
**Paricanians / Paricanii / Oreitae / Orae (from Old Persian ''Barikânu'' - Mountain people)
** Rhamnae
* Margians
** Drachamae
* Mycae
*Sogdians - the people that lived in Sogdiana, possible ancestors of the Yaghnobis (Kangju