Scythia

Scythia was a kingdom created by the Scythians during the 6th to 3rd centuries BC in the Pontic–Caspian steppe.

Quotes

• Now the Scythians say that their nation is the youngest of all nations, and that this came to pass as follows:—The first man who ever existed in this region, which then was desert, was one named Targitaos: and of this Targitaos they say, though I do not believe it for my part, however they say the parents were Zeus and the daughter of the river Borysthenes. Targitaos, they report, was produced from some such origin as this, and of him were begotten three sons, Lipoxaïs and Arpoxaïs and the youngest Colaxaïs. In the reign of these there came down from heaven certain things wrought of gold, a plough, a yoke, a battle-axe, and a cup, and fell in the Scythian land: and first the eldest saw and came near them, desiring to take them, but the gold blazed with fire when he approached it: then when he had gone away from it, the second approached, and again it did the same thing. These then the gold repelled by blazing with fire; but when the third and youngest came up to it, the flame was quenched, and he carried them to his own house. The elder brothers then, acknowledging the significance of this thing, delivered the whole of the kingly power to the youngest.
  • Herodotus, Histories 4.5.

• Oh! I could toil for thee o’er burning plains;
    Could smile at poverty’s disastrous blow;
    With thee, could wander ’midst a world of snow,
  Where one long night o’er frozen Scythia reigns.
  • Mary Robinson, "XX. To Phaon", Sappho and Phaon (1796)
• Come they from Scythian wilds afar,
      Our blood to spill?
  • Ebenezer Elliott, "Battle Song", The Splendid Village (1812)