Greek Names with Scytho-Sarmatian Roots

Ursula Georges

The Scythians and Sarmatians were nomads who spoke languages in the Iranian language family. This article collects names with possible Scythian or Sarmatian roots found in classical Greek inscriptions from towns near the Black Sea. My source is Ladislav Zgusta, Die Personennamen griechischer Städte der nördlichen Schwarzmeerküste (Prague: Československá Akademie Věd, 1955).

Most of the men in the inscriptions were identified as their father's sons, using the father's name in the genitive case. The genitive case is a form of a word indicating possession. Masculine names ending in -os have genitives ending in -ou. For instance, the name of Mardauos son of Zarandos was recorded as Mardauos Zarandou. Women were identified as either their father's daughters or their husband's wives, using the words thugatêr 'daughter' or gunê 'wife'. For example, the name of Aritê daughter of Hêrôn is recorded as Aritê thugatêr Hêrônos, and Mada wife of Doritios appears in the inscriptions as Mada gunê Doritiou.

The lists of names are in Greek alphabetical order. Square brackets indicate editorial extrapolations.

Feminine

Aritê
Leimeiê
Mada
Maiôsara
Sarukê
Storanê
Tamura

Masculine

Abaziôn
Abdarakos
Abragos
Aboagos
Abrozeos
Adoês
Azariôn
Azos, Aziagos
Akasas, Akkas
Aldis
Alexarthos
Amaiakos, Amaeiakos
Amôspados
Andra[n]akos
Araouê[g]os
Argamênos
Argouanagos
Ardagdakos
Ardaros, Ardarakos, Ardariskos
Arttham[ma]nos, Arthiemmanos
Aroasios
Arsaliôn
Arsêouachos, Arsêoachos, Arsêochos
Asanos
Asaros
Aspakos
Aspamitharês
Aspourgos
Asphôrougos
Auasis
Aubadag[-?]
Aunamos
Aurazakos
Aphtheimakos, Aphthaimakos
Apsachos
Bagdosauos
Bagdochos
Bagês, Bagios
Badagos, Badakês, Padagos
Badas
Baioraspos
Baiormaios
Banas
Baxagos
Bastakas
Bida[k]ês
Bistês
Boraspos
Bradakos
Bôrakos
Bôrnôn
Bôropsazos
Gadas
Gadikios, Gadikeios
Gaos
Gasteis, Gastein
Godosauos
Gosôn
Gôdigasos
Gôsakos
Dadagos, Dadakos
Danarasmakos
Dandaxarthos
Didumoxarthos
Dosumoxarthos
Eisgoudios
Eubarnakos
Zabagios
Zabargos
Zabandos
Êlmanos
Êrakas
Thirthagos
Thuloganos
Iazad[agos], Iezdagos, Iezdrados
Iauakos
Iaphagos
Insazagos
Iramboustos
Irauadis
Irbis
Irganos
Iôdas
Iôdesmagos
Kainaxarthos, Kênexarthos
Kamorsazês, Kamarsazês
Karaxstos, Karaxtos, Karastos
Karzoazos, Karzouazos
Karsas
Kasagos, Kasakos
Kasais
Katokas, Kattas, Katiôn
Kossas, Kosous, Kossous, Kousous, Kos[sô]n
Kouzaios
[K]ouridatês (-os)
Kopharnos
Madakos, Madôis
Mazis, Mazous
Maiakos
Maisês
Maipharnos
Maniagos
Mardauos
Masas
Mastas, Mastous, Mastounos, Mastarous
Megis
Meuakos
Mêthakos, Mêsakos
Mordos
Mourdagos
Nabazos
Namgênos
Namouchos
Nauakos, Nauagos
Xaiorsazês
Xartamos, Xarthanos
Xêgodis
Xiamphôkanos
Xobas
Oaroz[b]alakos
Olgasus
Omrasmakos
Oxardôzis
Orsiomichos
Ouag[a]sis
Ouaras
Ouarazakos
Ouarzbalos
Ouastobalos
Ouzia[g]os
Ourbazos
Ourgios
Ousigasos, Ousigos
Ossi[gas?]os
Oustanos
Ocho[a]rzanês
Ouachôza[k]os, Ochôdiakos, Ochôziakos
Pagos
Parspanakos
Pateis, Patias
Pateiros
Pêrakos
Pitopharnakês, Pitpharnakês, Phitopar[nakês?]
Pourthaios, Pourthais, Pourthakês
Radamasis
[R]adameistos
Radamophourtos
Radamsadios, Radamps[adios]
Radampsôn, Radanpsôn
Radamphôn
Rathagôsos
Raodmêos
Rapakês
Rass[o]gos
Sadimanos
Saitapharnês
Sanagos
Sarakos
Saraxazos
Saratos
Sasas, Sasôn
Sattiôn
Sauagaskos, Sauagas
Sauaiôsos
Sauanôn
Seimeikos
Sênêkas
Siauakos
Siauask[is]
Seauagos
Siauos
Siranos
Siômachos
Sozirsauos
Sorchakos
Spadakos
Sp[a]kos
Sparophotos
Spithamês
Stormais
Stosarakos
Sturanos
Spharobais
Suarobais
Sôchoubazos
Tibês
Tillês
Tiranês, Teiranês, Tiranios
Toumbagos, Toumibagos
Phadious, Phazious
Phadinamos, Phazinamos
Phaldaranos
Phandarazos
Pharnagos, Pharnakês, Pharnakiôn
Pharnarnos
Pharnês
Pharnoxarthos
Phidas, Phidanous, Phêdanakos, Pidos, Pideis, Pidanos
Phleimnagos, Phlimanakos, Leimanos, Limnakos
Phlianos
Phodakos
Phorgabakos
Phorêranos
Phoriauos
Phoros
Phosakos
Phourtas
Chanakês
Chardeis
Chodainos
Chodekios
Chodios
Chodiakios, Chozi[a]kos
Choroathos, Choroua[thos]
Chouarsazos
Chounaros
Chopharnos
Chophrasmos, Chophrazmos
Chôdarzos
Chôdonakos