Scythia

1693. A geographical dictionary representing the present and ancient names by Edmund Bohun.

Scythia, The vast Region anciently understood by this name, was divided into Scythia Europaea, and Asiatica. 1. Scythia Europaea was the Country of the Nomades, Basilidae, &c. lying along the Borysthenes towards the Euxine Sea, and the Palus Maeotis making on that side a part of Sarmatia Europaea; and now contained properly in the Lesser Tartary. But besides this, betwixt Moecia, Dacia, Thrace, and the Danube there lay Scythia Europaea Pontica: where we have now the East quarters of Bulgaria, and the Territories of Dobrzin, and Bessarabia. Of which the Scythians possessed themselves in the fifth Century. 2. Scythia Asiatica was subdivided into Citerior and Ʋlterior, the Hither and Further Seythia by the Mountain Imaus. And distributed accordingly betwixt the Sarmatae and Persae to the West, India to the South, the Tartarian Ocean and the Hyperborei to the North. The antient Alani, Sacae, and Jaxartae were some of its Native Barbarians. This Scythia now lies comprehended in the Desart and great Tartary. The Manners of the old Scythians and modern Tartars being much-what the same.