Zygii

Zygii
	Historical Map of theByzantine EmpirebyGustav Droysen,showing the Zygii on the northeastern coast of theBlack Sea
	(Circassian) Circassian(including those ofancestral descent)
Regions with significant populations
	NortheasternBlack Seacoast
Languages
	Proto-Circassian,Proto-Abazgi
Religion
	Khabzeism; Christianity;
Related ethnic groups
	Agri (Maeotae); Heniochi; Arrechi; Aspurgiani; Cercetae; Dandarii; Dosci; Maeotians; Obidiaceni; Sittaceni; Tarpetes; Toreatae; Abasgoi; Apsilae; Sanigs; Misimians;

TheZygii(Greek:Ζυγοί,Zygoí) orZygianswere described byStraboas a nation to the north ofColchis.He wrote:

And on the sea lies the Asiatic side of theBosporus,or theSyndicterritory. After this latter, one comes to theAchaeiand theZygiiand the Heniochi, and also theCercetaeand the Macropogones. And above these are situated the narrow passes of the Phtheirophagi (Phthirophagi); and after the Heniochi the Colchian country, which lies at the foot of theCaucasian,orMoschian,Mountains.(Strabo,Geographica11.2)

William Smithobserves that "they were partly nomad shepherds, partly brigands and pirates, for which latter vocation they had ships specially adapted".^[1]They inhabited the region known asZyx,which is on the northern slopes of theWestern Caucasus.To the east were theAvars.To the north wasSarmatianterritory, and to the south lay the part of Colchis inhabited by theSvans(SoanesofStraboandPliny the Elder).

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 theKubanand the neighbouring region of historicalTmutarakan.^[2]This tribe also features in several ancient and medieval works, notably in Pliny (Zichoi),Constantine VII Porphyrogennetos,medievalGeorgianchroniclers (Georgian:ჯიქები,Jikebi),Marco Polo,andJohannes de Galonifontibus,who, in hisLibellus de notitia orbis,speaks of "Zikia orCircassia"and their language, perhaps the earliest reference to theNorthwest Caucasian languages.^[3]

Researchers assume that the Zygii spoke aNorthwest Caucasian language.Northwest Caucasianhydro-andtoponyms,traditional names of rulers and also the seamless transition from the Zygii and theCercetae,whose designations were subsequently replaced with the names of severalCircassian tribes,confirm this.

References[edit]

^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
^Glanville Price (1998),Encyclopedia of the Languages of Europe,p. 60. Blackwell Publishing,ISBN 0-631-22039-9.

[1] 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.

[2] Kadir I. Natho S. 59

[3] Glanville Price (1998),Encyclopedia of the Languages of Europe,p. 60. Blackwell Publishing,ISBN 0-631-22039-9.

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