Jul 21, 2017 · 1 min read
When Denisov says to Prince Andrei, “Yes, it’s Scythian warfare”, I immediately thought of King Lear. In that play, Shakespeare alludes to the legend that the Scythians ate their children.
The Scythians were nomads who lived in what is now Southern Siberia, and who flourished from around 900 BC to around 200 BC. They were feared and admired for their ability to wage war on horseback and for their guerrilla-like tactics. In addition, they’ve also been referred to as the epitome of savagery.