After the conquest of Babylon, Darius led a military expedition into Scythia. At that time, Asia was rich in people and wealth, with large sums flowing into the royal treasury. Darius felt a strong desire to take revenge on the Scythians, who long ago had invaded Media. In that earlier invasion, the Scythians had defeated the Medes in battle and started a long-lasting conflict between the two peoples The Origin of the Scythians.
For twenty-eight years, the Scythians remained rulers over much of Upper Asia. They had entered Asia to chase the Cimmerians and, during their campaign, had overthrown the Median Empire, which had previously held power in the region.
Scythian Challenges at Home
After twenty-eight years away from their homeland, the Scythians faced new difficulties upon returning. An army had been prepared to resist their entry. The situation was complicated because the Scythian women, thinking their husbands were never coming back, had intermarried with their slaves during the long absence. This created tensions and new social challenges for the returning warriors.
The Scythians’ Use of Slaves
The Scythians were a pastoral people, not farmers, and their way of life relied heavily on their animals. To manage their livestock, they took certain measures that may seem strange to outsiders. They captured slaves in war and often blinded them to perform specific tasks Sightseeing Tour Sofia.
One of the main tasks of these blind slaves was to help with milking mares. The Scythians used a technique that involved inserting bone tubes—similar to musical pipes—into the mare’s vulva. Some slaves would blow air through the tubes while others milked the mare. The air forced the veins of the animal to expand and pushed the udder downward, making it easier to extract the milk.
The milk was collected in large wooden casks. Blind slaves would stir the milk carefully. The portion that rose to the top was considered the best, while the lower part was less valuable. This system allowed the Scythians to gather large amounts of milk efficiently, which was important for their pastoral lifestyle.
Why Slaves Were Blinded
The practice of blinding slaves was directly related to the Scythians’ way of life. Since they were primarily shepherds and herders rather than farmers, they relied on laborers who could follow precise instructions without escaping or resisting. Blinded slaves were easier to control and could be assigned the most important tasks, such as milking and processing milk products.
Darius’ campaign against the Scythians was not just a matter of war; it was also a response to a long history of conflict and power struggles in the region. Meanwhile, the Scythians’ unique customs and reliance on their pastoral lifestyle made them different from other peoples of Asia. Their use of blind slaves and unusual methods of milking reflected a society built on herding rather than agriculture, showing how culture and environment shaped their way of life.
