Was Scythia an empire

[cybernut]

A few days ago a history professor at the uni I go to brought up the subject of the Scythians/Scythia which was a bit of a funny coincidence because I was talking about this with a friend of mine just before this - and well the professor insists that it was not an empire which I'm at odds with.  Considering the vast area they had command over from roughly 1000 BC to about 380 AD, surely this was an empire, right?

[McGaskil]

Would have thought so, although 'empire' means different things to different people's and cultures.  I'm no expert on Scythians though...

[blag-it Admin]

Strictly speaking an empire is a nation or power that has acquired or added other nations to itself, so as I believe (could be wrong) the Scythians hadn't conquered other nations, then it wasn't an empire, but as McGaskil points out, 'empire' probably means different things to different cultures.  Certainly an area that vast and for so long would have to be considered as one...

[cybernut]

Right, here's a map showing the vast territory they controlled circa 500 BC, which is similar to many other such maps for the same period showing more or less the same boundaries of ancient Scythia.  It stretches all the way from eastern Europe to the Aral Sea and from present day Kiev down to the Caspian Sea.  It's vast!

[ATH019]

And by 300BC they had gone even further west and were pushing on the celts big time!  They were an empire.

[blag-it Admin]

In terms of size and duration it was effectively one and they were highly skilled in metallurgy and other crafts.  In terms of not having conquered or acquired other whole nations, they were not.  Take your pick.

Admin

[A.Jenery]

Knew nothing about them till reading this thread then did some googling just now.  They were all over the place!