Zygii
 Historical Map of the Byzantine Empire by Gustav Droysen, showing the Zygii on the northeastern coast of the Black Sea | |
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The Zygii (Greek: Ζυγοί, Zygoí) or Zygians were described by Strabo as a nation to the north of Colchis. He wrote:
And on the sea lies the Asiatic side of the
Geographica11.2)
Initially, Zyx (Italian: Sychia, Georgian: ჯიქეთი, Jiqeti) in Greek literature referred to a people inhabiting the area between Gagra and Tuapse, who later expanded up to the estuary of the Kuban and the neighbouring region of historical Tmutarakan.[2] This tribe also features in several ancient and medieval works, notably in Pliny (Zichoi), Constantine VII Porphyrogennetos, medieval Georgian chroniclers (Georgian: ჯიქები, Jikebi), Marco Polo, and Johannes de Galonifontibus, who, in his Libellus de notitia orbis, speaks of "Zikia or Circassia" and their language, perhaps the earliest reference to the Northwest Caucasian languages.[3]
Researchers assume that the Zygii spoke a
See also
References
- ^ William Smith, LLD. Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography. London. Walton and Maberly, Upper Gower Street and Ivy Lane, Paternoster Row; John Murray, Albemarle Street. 1854.
- ^ Kadir I. Natho S. 59
- ISBN 0-631-22039-9.