Introduction

This is a reprint of the "Masguts" article posted in Wikipedia and later deleted to remove any material contradicting the Scytho-Iranian concept. Because the vigilant editorial censorship by the proponents of the Scytho-Iranian concept makes the subject totally devoid of the substance, the full uncensored text as of 7 September 2006 is posted here for a record. Wikipedia materials are not copyrighted and can freely be used for educational purposes. In this posting, the Wikipedia formatting was not preserved.

This posting may retain some deletions of the factual material introduced by especially militant proponents of the Scytho-Iranian hypothesis, but retains the substance and logics of the matter, and most importantly, the bibliography, which constitutes a most disturbing aspect for the ardent proponents.

Masguts were a pastoral nation living around the Caspian Sea.  Masguts are known in the classical sources under the Armenian names Masakha, Mazkowtk and Maskut, Arabic names Badjkurt and Maskurt,  Greek Massagets,  Georgian Meskheti Türks, Chinese Shen-shen and Ta Yue-she. Greek classical authors Herodotus and Strabo extensively described Massagets and their role in ancient history of the Caspian Sea basin.

Identification of Masguts with classical Greek Massagets is based not only on similarity of their names,  the identical geographical location, and the same period described by the ancient historians, but also on identification of the king Sanesan, a king of Masguts and Huns of the Armenian historians, with the Massagetan king Sanesan of the Greek chroniclers <ref>A.Alemany, "Sources on the Alans: A Critical Compilation", Brill Academic Pub., 2000, ISBN 9004114424</ref>  In various chronicles Sanesan is also named Sanatruces, Sanatrowk, Sanesarakan and Sanatruk. This king of Masguts and Huns also managed to be mentioned as a king of the Caucasian Albania, and as an inter-regnum king of Armenia. He was also the king who unsuccessfully attempted to introduce Christianity to Masguts and Huns for the first time.

The Greek classical sources report that Masguts/Massagets are a Scythian nation in respect to their nomadic way of life, while noting a number of ethnological differences between the Masguts and Scythians. Politically, the ancient Masguts stayed separately from the Scythian confederation, while the Sauromatians were one of the Scythian tribes. In the Late Antique times Masguts were affiliated with Aluan/Caucasian Albania state, and then with the Caucasian Hun statelet and Bulgarian Hun state. In the Middle Ages, Masguts were affiliated with the Khazarian Kaganate, and Volga Bulgaria. Caucasian Alans are reported to be a branch of Masguts, but politically the ancient Masguts were independent. Strabo in 7.8 reports that the Chorasmii  also belong to the tribe of the Massagetae and the Sacae. Ammianus Marcellinus (Ammianus, 31, 2, 12) identifies "the Massagetae, whom we now call Alans..." Procopius abundantly uses the ethnic name 'Άλανοί for the Alans, and in several passages he identifies Massagetae and Huns "by birth of the Massagetae, whom they now call Huns"... Taken literally, the antique sources identify Masguts, Alans and Huns as branches of Chorasmians, and the Chorasmians are identified with Ases as Choar+As (Khu+ar-As) "Waterman As", a dialectal form of Suaras.

Archeology

Archeologically, nomadic Masguts were not distinguished from other W. Asian nomadic tribes. Sedentary and semi-sedentary Masguts left settlements that were archeologically investigated (Tolstov, Vainberg, Yablonsky). Craniological analysis shows features typical for antique Central Asian population, basically brachicephalic Caucasoids with various degree of Mongoloid admixture (Yablonsky, Ismaigulov). The craniological findings are consistent with the classical testimony of Ammianus Marcellinus about characteristically Mongoloid slant of the Alanian eyes: "Alans are tall and handsome, with rather fair hair, frightening because of their somewhat slanting eyes, rapid due to the lightness of their arms and similar in everything to the Huns, but less savage in their lifestyle and habits (Ammianus. 31, 2, 21)."  To date, no genetical studies of the ancient Masgut population were performed.

Classical sources

At about 450 BC, Herodotus was the first to introduce Masguts. Herodotus located  Massagetae as living in the vast plain that stretch out interminably east from the Caspian Sea [Herodotus 1.204]. He reports that  in Asia Massagetae warred with nomadic Scythians, forcing them to abandon  their homes, cross Araxes and impinge on the land of Cimmeria [Herodotus 4.11]. Among ethnological traits, Herodotus notes that "In their dress and mode of living the Massagetae resemble the Scythians" [Herodotus 1.215-216], and were polygamous [Herodotus 4.172]. This is consistent with the notable Hunnish levirate custom of marrying the widow of the parent or older brother, to ensure an obligation of material support. Herodotus [1.201-214 ] tells a story of Persian-Masgut war: After conquest of the Babylonians, Cyrus (550-529 BC) conceived to bring Massagetae under his dominion. Now the Massagetae are said to be a great and warlike nation, dwelling eastward, toward the rising of the sun, beyond the river Araxes (Oxus, Amudarya), and opposite the Issedonians (Usun/Wusun Huns). By many they are regarded as a Scythian race [1.201]. At that time Massagetae were ruled by a queen Tomyris. Cyrus sent ambassadors to her, pretending that he wished to marry her. Tomyris, however, saw his deception through [1.205]. Tomyris sent a herald to Cyrus to offer him to mind his business, or else meet Massagetae on the battlefield [1.206]. Cyrus set up an alcohol trap for Massagetae, slaughtered one third of their army, and captured Tomyris' son [1.207-211] . Tomyris sent an ultimatum to Cyrus, to return her son and retreat, or "I will give thee thy fill of blood." [1.206]. Tomyris battled the Persians, when dead Cyrus was found, "she took a skin, and, filling it full of human blood, she dipped the head of Cyrus in the gore, saying, as she thus insulted the corpse, "I live and have conquered thee in fight, and yet by thee am I ruined, for thou tookest my son with guile; but thus I make good my threat, and give thee thy fill of blood [1.214]. Herodotus commented "Of the many different accounts which are given of the death of Cyrus, this which I have followed appears to me most worthy of credit" [1.214]. Ethnologically, the Masguts' customs afforded equality to females.

Writing before 24 AD, Strabo in 6.1, 6.2, and 7.2-7.8 described the location and relationship of the Masguts. Strabo in 7.7 describes different adoptations of the Masguts to their environment: "The Massagetae disclosed their valor in their war with Cyrus, to which many writers refer again and again; and it is from these that we must get our information. Statements to the following effect are made concerning the Massagetae: that some of them inhabit mountains, some plains, others marshes which are formed by the rivers, and others the islands in the marshes. But the country is inundated most of all, they say, by the Araxes (Oxus, Amudarya) river, which splits into numerous branches and empties by its other mouths into the other sea (Aral) on the north, though by one single mouth (Uzboi) it reaches the Hyrcanian Gulf (Mangyshlak). They regard Helius (Sun) alone as god, and to him they sacrifice horses. Each man marries only one wife, but they use also the wives of others; not in secret, however...[Strabo 7.6]. Now those (Massagetae) ... live in the islands, they have no grain to sow and no cattle either. Those who live in the marshes eat fish, and clothe themselves in the skins of the seals from the sea. The mountaineers have sheep, though only a few, and they do not butcher them, sparing them for their wool and milk. The inhabitants of the plains, although they possess land, do not till it, but in the nomadic or Scythian fashion live on sheep and fish. Indeed, there not only is a certain mode of life common to all such peoples, of which I often speak, but their burials, customs, and their way of living as a whole, are alike, that is, they are self-assertive, uncouth, wild, and warlike, but, in their business dealings, straightforward and not given to deceit... [Strabo 7.7]

Before 79 AD, C. Plinius Secundus in 6.19.50 lists Massagets among the Scythian tribes.

Next, the Caucasian branch of Masguts is reported in the works of the 5th century Armenian authors Agafangel, Favstos, Buzand, Egishe, who  provide history going back a couple of centuries about Huns tight contacts with Maskut and Alan tribes.

Favstos Buzand (aka Pawstos Bowzandaci,470es) informs that in the 330es  the Huns, together with Maskuts, Alans and various other nomadic tribes led by king Sanesan (Sanesarakan, i.e. Sanesar-Khan, Arsakuni dynasty)  raided Armenia (Favstos Buzand, p. 19-16). Favstos Buzand , describing the joint military campaign of Maskuts, Huns and other tribes of Northeast Caucasus against Armenia, names Sanesan a head of the campaign, "king of Maskuts and ruler of the Huns army". At least in the S.Caucasus, the Masguts at that time were the leaders of the Masgut-Hun coalition. King Sanesan is also recorded in a Parthian fragment coming from Dura (2nd-3rd c. Benveniste 1966, 106).

Favstos Buzand, describing events in the 330es connected to unsuccessful attempt of a Christianization of Maskut and Hun tribes, emphasized the barbarous way of life of these peoples, and noted, that they do not imagine other work, except for robbery and capture of others' property. In reply to the Aluania Catholicos Grigoris sermon of Christian virtues the barbarous tribes were objecting: "How can we feed such numerous army? How can we live, other than by mounting the horses in accordance with our ancient custom?" (Favstos Buzand, p. 14).

465 Altynoba's Bel-Kermek (455-465) dies, his older son Djurash Masgut becomes Baltavar (465-505).

Ammianus Marcellinus (ca. 330-95) p.238 tells that the Huns discuss important affairs together. Favstos Buzand emphasized that Maskut king Sanesan, heading the Hun army, after initially having made a decision to carry out Christianization, had to cancel it, "the king changed his mind and heeded the words of the army (Favstos Buzand, p. 14). Sanesan could not overcome the resistance of a significant part of the tribes constituting the tribal federation.

Ammianus Marcellinus (Ammianus. 23, 6) reports that "during his campaign against Shapur II, the Emperor Julian in a speech to his soldiers  recalled the previous Roman expeditions against Parthians and Persians: "leaving Lucullus and Pompey aside, who, marching through the Albanians and then bursting in on the Massagetae, whom we now call Alans..." Ammianus Marcellinus again states: "This race of resolute and indomitable men (= the Huns), inflamed by a fierce desire to sack others' property, sowing violence by looting and killing among the neighboring peoples, reached the Alans, the ancient Massagetae. (Ammianus. 31, 2, 12 Halanos ... veteres Massagetas)

John Cinnamus (ca. 1180, cod. Vatic. 163) mentions Alan mercenaries on the Greek side: "the Emperor sent to Italy a fleet full of Massagete and German horsemen, and of course Romans. The Massagetae were led by Joannacius, whom they called Critoples,..."

The chronology of the military campaign by the king of Maskuts-Huns Sanesan, in the opinion of Gadlo A.V., 1979. p. 37, belongs to the end of the 4th - beginning of the 5th century AD.

A.V.Gadlo  opinion that equating by the ancient authors of the Maskuts and Huns testifies about certain integration of the Massaget descendants with the Huns (Gadlo A.V., 1979, p. 36).

Agafangel's message  about the land of  Masakha-Huns can be dated to 460es, because till 458, by the records of Egishe, Maskuts lived north of the Derbent fortifications. After 458 Maskuts moved south of Derbent pass.

481 First written agreement of Byzantium emperor Zeno (474-475,476-491) with Bolgars Djurash Masgut (465-505), allying them in war against Ostrogoths.

498 Altynoba's Djurash Masgut in winter 498-499 annihilate Byzantium Illyrium army and extends to left bank of Danube. Altynoba subordinates to Avar overlordship.

505 Altynoba's Djurash Masgut (465-505) dies, Tatra becomes Baltazar subordinated to Avar overlordship.

Movses Kalankatuatsi, Armenian geography of the 7th century mentioned Huns' tight contacts with Maskut and Alan tribes, Maskuts living in the Huns' neighborhood.

In the first book Movses Kalankatuatsi mentions Maskuts among the tribes living at different times in the Caspian: (Movses Kalankatuatsi, p. 28, 37, 38, 45, 48), in eight cases he also talks about Caspian Huns (Movses Kalankatuatsi, p. 28, 33, 38, 45, 62, 64).

Gevond of the 8th century mentioned Maskuts living in the Huns' neighborhood

 M.Kashgari lists the Togars (Tochars) as Türks. In the Central Asia in antiquity Sako-Massagets were closely connected with the Tochars, who in the 5th-7th cc. AD are known as Türkic nations among the Türkic Ephtalites and other Türks.

950 Al Mas'udi (died in 956) describes 4 Turkic peoples: Ydjni, Badjkurt (Maskurts, Masguts, Herodotus (5-th c. BC), Strabo (c.64 BC - A.D. 20), and C. Plinius Secundus (62-113 AD) Massagetae Scythians), Badjanak (Besenyos, Russ. Pecheneg), Nukardi)

1004 Timar (981-1004) died, Masgut becomes Khan of Itil Bulgaria (1004-1006).

1006 Masgut (1004-1006) died, Ibragim becomes Khan of Itil Bulgaria (1006-1025).

Alans identified with Massagetss

450BC Herodotus World Map (ca. 450 B.C.) shows Agathirsi, Scythians and Massagets, Malanchleni, Budini and Geloni, Thissagets and Jurcae

450 In Issyk fifth-century B.C. Sak's kurgan in Kazakhstan found a silver jar with Türkic Issyk Inscription (Pl. 24) in Turkic alphabet, attesting that Sak-Massagetan tribes spoke Turkic.\

20 Strabo (c.64 BC - A.D. 20): Massagetae, [meaning hero-tribe] who also live in Balk are Kush. According to Armenians Baktria is land of Kush and Balkh is its capital city, where great Arsac set up his throne.

124 Dionysius Periegetes (the guide) Orbis terrae descriptio map showing Huns (Unni), Caspii, Massagets, Sacii, Alani, Scyths, Hyrcanii, Sarmats, Taurii

336 Massagetae together with Sakas raided Armenia under king of Massagetae Sanesan (Sen-esen=you+storming (man))

375 Ammianus Marcellinus bk. 31.12 considers Alans to be descendents of Massagets

700BC The Scythians in the west, Sauromats in Itil region and S. Ural, Massageto-Saka world of Central Asia, Dinlins, Tagar and Mayemir tribes of Sayano-Altai, population of Mongolia, Baikal and Ordos used identical weaponry and horse harness, used the same images and fantasy in art. Local distinctions did not weaken affinity of their cultures.

700BC The Scythians in the west, Sauromats in Itil region and S. Ural, Massageto-Saka world of Central Asia, Dinlins, Tagar and Mayemir tribes of Sayano-Altai, population of Mongolia, Baikal and Ordos used identical weaponry and horse harness, used the same images and fantasy in art. Local distinctions did not weaken affinity of their cultures.

450 BC [Herodotus 4.11] The nomadic Scythians once dwelt in Asia, and there warred with the Massagetae, but with ill success; they therefore quitted their homes, crossed the Araxes, and entered the land of Cimmeria.

450 BC [Herodotus 4.172] Tells that Massagetae were polygamous

450 BC [Herodotus 1.201] After conquest of the Babylonians, Cyrus (550-529 BC) conceived to bring Massagetae under his dominion. Now the Massagetae are said to be a great and warlike nation, dwelling eastward, toward the rising of the sun, beyond the river Araxes (Oxus, Amudarya), and opposite the Issedonians (Usun/Wusun Huns). By many they are regarded as a Scythian race

450 BC Herodotus [1.204] Massagetae live in vast plain, stretching out interminably, on the east from the Caspian Sea

450 BC Herodotus [1.205] At that time Massagetae were ruled by a queen Tomyris. Cyrus sent ambassadors to her, pretending that he wished marry her. Tomyris, however, saw his deception.

450 BC Herodotus [1.206] Tomyris sent a herald to Cyrus to pffer him mind his business, or meet Massagetae on the battlefield

450 BC Herodotus [1.207-211] Cyrus set up an alcohol trap for Massagetae, slaugtered one third of their army, and captured Tomyris son.

450 BC Herodotus [1.212-213] Tomyris sent an ultimatum to Cyrus, to return her son and retreat, or "I will give thee thy fill of blood."

[450 BC Herodotus 1.214] Tomyris battles the Persians, when dead Cyrus was found, "she took a skin, and, filling it full of human blood, she dipped the head of Cyrus in the gore, saying, as she thus insulted the corpse, "I live and have conquered thee in fight, and yet by thee am I ruined, for thou tookest my son with guile; but thus I make good my threat, and give thee thy fill of blood." Of the many different accounts which are given of the death of Cyrus, this which I have followed appears to me most worthy of credit.

[450 BC Herodotus 1.215-216] Etnological description: "In their dress and mode of living the Massagetae resemble the Scythians".

PlinySegundoEn.htm C. PLINII NATVRALIS HISTORIAE Liber VI

Masguts/Massagetae =Shen-shen/Ta Yue-she
 

ca. 24 AD [Strabo 6.1] TheCaspian Sea is also called Hyrcanian.

[Strabo 6.2] Now all the peoples towards the north were by the ancient Greek historians given a general name " Scythians" or "Celtoscythians"; but the writers of still earlier times... called those who lived across the Caspian Sea in part "Sacians" and in part "Massagetans," but they were unable to give any accurate account of them, although they reported a war between Cyrus and the Massagetans.

[Strabo 7.2] ...Now the greater part of the Scythians, beginning at the (east of) Caspian Sea, are called Dae (aka Dahae), but those who are situated more to the east than these are named Massagetae and Sacae, whereas all the rest are given the general name of Scythians, though each people has a separate name of its own.

[Strabo 7.6] The Massagetae disclosed their valor in their war with Cyrus, to which many writers refer again and again; and it is from these that we must get our information. Statements to the following effect are made concerning the Massagetae: that some of them inhabit mountains, some plains, others marshes which are formed by the rivers, and others the islands in the marshes. But the country is inundated most of all, they say, by the Araxes (Oxus, Amudarya) river, which splits into numerous branches and empties by its other mouths into the other sea (Aral) on the north, though by one single mouth (Uzboi) it reaches the Hyrcanian Gulf (Mangyshlak). They regard Helius (Sun) alone as god, and to him they sacrifice horses. Each man marries only one wife, but they use also the wives of others; not in secret, however,...

[Strabo 7.7] Now those (Massagetae) ... live in the islands, they have no grain to sow and no cattle either. Those who live in the marshes eat fish, and clothe themselves in the skins of the seals from the sea. The mountaineers have sheep, though only a few, and they do not butcher them, sparing them for their wool and milk. The inhabitants of the plains, although they possess land, do not till it, but in the nomadic or Scythian fashion live on sheep and fish. Indeed, there not only is a certain mode of life common to all such peoples, of which I often speak, but their burials, customs, and their way of living as a whole, are alike, that is, they are self-assertive, uncouth, wild, and warlike, but, in their business dealings, straightforward and not given to deceit...

[Strabo 7.8] Belonging to the tribe of the Massagetae and the Sacae are also the Attasii and the Chorasmii, to whom Spitamenes fled from the country of the Bactriani and the Sogdiani. Eratosthenes says that the Arachoti and Massagetae are situated alongside the Bactrians towards the west along the Oxus River, and that the Sacae and the Sogdiani, with the whole of their lands, are situated opposite India, but the Bactriani only for a slight distance; for, he says, they are situated for the most part alongside the Paropamisus, and the Sacae and the Sogdiani are separated from one another by the Iaxartes river, and the Sogdiani and the Bactriani by the Oxus river; and the Tapyri live between the Hyrcanians and the Arians; and in a circuit round the sea after the Hyrcanians one comes to the Amardi, Anariacae, Cadusii, Albani, Caspii, Vitii, and perhaps also other peoples, until one reaches the Scythians; and on the other side of the Hyrcarians are Derbices; and the Cadusii border on the Medi and Matiani below the Parachoathras.

The works of the 5th century Armenian authors Agafangel, Favstos, Buzand, Egishe provide information about Huns' tight contacts with Maskut and Alan tribes, Huns' contacts with Maskuts.

310 "Beg. 4 century Invasion of Hun-Maskuts led by king Sanesan (Sanesarakan, i.e. Sanesar-Khan, Arsakuni dynasty) to Armenia. Favstos Buzand, describing the joint military campaign Maskuts, Huns and other tribes of Northeast Caucasus against Armenia, names Sanesan a head of the campaign, "king of Maskuts and ruler of the Huns army

Favstos Buzand (470es) informs that in the 330es  Huns, together with Maskuts, Alans and various other nomadic tribes raided Armenia (Favstos Buzand, p. 19-16)

Favstos Buzand, describing events in the 330es connected to unsuccessful attempt of a Christianization of Maskut and Hun tribes, emphasized these peoples' barbarous way of life, and noted, that they do not imagine other work, except for robbery and capture of others property. In reply to the Aluania Catholicos Grigoris sermon of Christian virtues the barbarous tribes were objecting: "How can we feed with such size of the army? How can we live, other than by mounting the horses in accordance with our ancient custom?" (Favstos Buzand, p. 14).

465 Altynoba's Bel-Kermek (455-465) dies, his older son Djurash Masgut becomes Baltavar (465-505).

Ammianus Marcellinus p.238 tells that the Huns discuss important affairs together. Favstos Buzand emphasized that Maskut king Sanesan, heading the Hun army, after having made a decision to carry out Christianization, had to cancel it, "the king changed his mind and heeded the words of the army (Favstos Buzand, p. 14). Sanesan could not overcome the resistance of a significant part of the tribes constituting the tribal federation.

Ammianus Marcellinus (Amm. 31, 2, 12) reports that "during his campaign against Shapur II, the Emperor Julian, in a speech to his soldiers, recalls previous Roman expeditions against Parthians and Persians: "leaving Lucullus and Pompey aside, who, marching through the Albanians and then bursting in on the Massagetae, whom we now call Alans..."

Ammianus Marcellinus (Amm. 31, 2, 12) This race of resolute and indomitable men [= the Huns], inflamed by a fierce desire to sack others' property, sowing violence by looting and killing among the neighboring peoples, reached the Alans, the ancient Massagetae. (Amm. 31, 2, 12 Halanos ... veteres Massagetas)

Procopius abundantly uses the ethnic name 'Άλανοί for the Alans, and in several passages he identifies Massagetae and Huns "by birth of the Massagetae, whom they now call Huns"..

John Cinnamus (ca. 1180, cod. Vatic. 163) mentions Alan mercenaries on the Greek side: "the Emperor sent to Italy a fleet full of Massagete and German horsemen, and of course Romans. The Massagetae were led by Joannacius, whom they called Critoples,..."

The chronology of the military campaign by the king of Maskuts-Huns Sanesan, in the opinion of Gadlo A.V., 1979. p. 37, belongs to the end of the 4th - beginning of the 5th century AD.

A.V.Gadlo  opinion that equating by the ancient authors of the Maskuts and Huns testifies about certain integration of the Massaget descendants with the Huns (Gadlo A.V., 1979, p. 36).

Agafangel's message  about the land of  Masakha-Huns can be dated to 460es, because till 458, by the records of Egishe, Maskuts lived north of the Derbent fortifications. After 458 Maskuts moved south of Derbent pass.

481 First written agreement of Byzantium emperor Zeno (474-475,476-491) with Bolgars Djurash Masgut (465-505), allying them in war against Ostrogoths.

498 Altynoba's Djurash Masgut in winter 498-499 annihilate Byzantium Illyrium army and extends to left bank of Danube. Altynoba subordinates to Avar overlordship.

505 Altynoba's Djurash Masgut (465-505) dies, Tatra becomes Baltazar subordinated to Avar overlordship.

Movses Kalankatuatsi, Armenian geography of the 7th century mentioned Huns' tight contacts with Maskut and Alan tribes, Maskuts living in the Huns' neighborhood.

In the first book Movses Kalankatuatsi mentions Maskuts among the tribes living at different times in the Caspian: (Movses Kalankatuatsi, p. 28, 37, 38, 45, 48), in eight cases he also talks about Caspian Huns (Movses Kalankatuatsi, p. 28, 33, 38, 45, 62, 64).

Gevond of the 8th century mentioned Maskuts living in the Huns' neighborhood

 M.Kashgari lists the Togars (Tochars) as Türks. In the Central Asia in antiquity Sako-Massagets were closely connected with the Tochars, who in the 5th-7th cc. AD are known as Türkic nations among the Türkic Ephtalites and other Türks.

950 Al Mas'udi (died in 956) describes 4 Turkic peoples: Ydjni, Badjkurt (Maskurts, Masguts, Herodotus (5-th c. BC), Strabo (c.64 BC - A.D. 20), and C. Plinius Secundus (62-113 AD) Massagetae Scythians), Badjanak (Besenyos, Russ. Pecheneg), Nukardi)

1004 Timar (981-1004) died, Masgut becomes Khan of Itil Bulgaria (1004-1006).

1006 Masgut (1004-1006) died, Ibragim becomes Khan of Itil Bulgaria (1006-1025).

Alans identified with Massagetss

450BC Herodotus World Map (ca. 450 B.C.) shows Agathirsi, Scythians and Massagets, Malanchleni, Budini and Geloni, Thissagets and Jurcae

450 In Issyk fifth-century B.C. Sak's kurgan in Kazakhstan found a silver jar with Türkic Issyk Inscription (Pl. 24) in Turkic alphabet, attesting that Sak-Massagetan tribes spoke Turkic.\

20 Strabo (c.64 BC - A.D. 20): Massagetae, [meaning hero-tribe] who also live in Balk are Kush. According to Armenians Baktria is land of Kush and Balkh is its capital city, where great Arsac set up his throne.

124 Dionysius Periegetes (the guide) Orbis terrae descriptio map showing Huns (Unni), Caspii, Massagets, Sacii, Alani, Scyths, Hyrcanii, Sarmats, Taurii

336 Massagetae together with Sakas raided Armenia under king of Massagetae Sanesan (Sen-esen=you+storming (man))

375 Ammianus Marcellinus bk. 31.12 considers Alans to be descendents of Massagets