SCYTHIA, Sakadwipa, also Sakatai, the coun try of the Saka3, was a term in use by the ancient Greeks and Romans, of a very indefinite character, but it WitS generally understood to mean the terri tories occupied by the nomadic tribes who roamed over the regions from the north of the Black and Caspian Seas, eastwards into the countries now known as Mongolia and Tartary. Ancient Euro pean literature further distinguishes Scythians into those of Europe and those of Asia; the former are supposed to have occupied the country front the Danube to the sources of the Dniester and the Dnieper, in the neighbourhood of the Don, and along the northern shores of the Black Sea. The portion between the Danube and the city of Car cinitis was called Old Scythia ; and the peninsula (Taurida) to the Borysthenes was called Little Scythia ; and in the time of Strabo, Little Scythia included the country as far as the Danube, previ ously occupied by the Thracians. These European Scythi seem to have been colonists from Asia.
Of the migrations into India of the Indo-Scythie Getze, Takshak, and Asi, that of Sellesnag from Sehesnagdes (Takshak from Tacharisthan), six centuries before Christ, is the first noticed by the Puranas. About the same period a grand irruption of the same races conquered Asia Minor, and eventually Scandinavia ; and subsequently the Asi and Tachari overturned the Greek kingdom of Bactria. The Romans felt the power of the Asi, the Katti, and Cimbri from the Baltic shore ; and the Scythic tribes who have entered India as conquerors, are the Gette, the Takshak, the Asi, Katti, Rajpali, Hun; and Karnari.
Colonel Tod supposes the Asi and Tachari to be the Aswa and Takshak or Toorshka races of the Puranas of Sakadwipa, and the Dalue to be the Dallya, one of the 36 royal Rajput tribes, now extinct.
The mtvtial tribes whom Alexander encountered in the Panjab, were of Scythian descent. During his two years' campaign in the Panjab and Sind, Alexander captured no province, but he made alliances, founded cities, and planted Greek guri sons. At Taxila (Deri-Shahan) and Nikaia (Mong) in the Northern Panjab, at Alexandria (Uchh) in the Southern Paujab, at Patala (Hyderabad) in Simi, and at other points along his route, he established military settlements of Greeks or allies.
During the next 700 years, Scythic tribes of the Su, the Saka, the Hun Naga, and the Getre, made continuous and several successful efforts to settle. About B.C. 126, the Tartar tribe of Su are said to have driven out the Greek rulers from Bactria. The Grmco-Bactrian settlements in the Panjab were overthrown by the Tue-Chi ; and during the rule of Kanishka, who held the fourth Buddhist council about A.D. 40, Scythic settlements were formed as far south as the districts now known as the Central Provinces.
Scythian races more than once overthrew the prior rulers, and more than once sustained great defeats ; but some of the Rajput dynasties, and also the Jat, the ancient Geta3, retained a pertha nent hold on the country east of the Indus and southwards to the mouth of that river, and one Jat prince is now ruling in Bhurtpur, another in Dholpur.
The Sah of Saurashtra (B.c. 60-70) the Gupta of Kanouj (A.D. 319-470), and the 'Valabhi of Cutch (A.D. 480-722), seem to have opposed suc cessive hordes of Scythians. But Mr. Fergusson believes that it was the White Hun who over threw the Gupta dynasty between A.D. 450 and 475, and that the Saka and the Hun were finally overthrown at the great battles of Karur, near Multan and Maushari, which that learned writer supposes to have been fought between A.D.. 526 and 544.
During these struggles for dominion Vikram aditya, a king of Ujjam, about B.c. 57, drove back one Scythic invasion, and his victory gave rise to the Samvat era still current in India. Salivahana, another king of Southern India, is supposed to have successfully checked another Scythic invasion, A.D. 78,.from which event the Saka era is reckoned ; but the victory did not secure permanent advau tames, for Cosmos Indicopleustes, who traded in thee Red Sea about A.D. 535, speaks of the Hun as a powerful nation in Northern India in his day.