Jazygia

Iazyges

Ἰάζυγες
Sculpted image of a Sarmatian (an Iazyx would look similar) from the Casa degli Omenoni.
Regions with significant populations
The steppe between the Danube and the Tisza rivers
Languages
Old Iranian
Related ethnic groups
Sarmatians

The Iazyges, singular Iazyx (IPA: [aɪə'zɪɡiːz, singular [aɪə'zɪs]]; Ancient Greek: Ἰάζυγες, singular Ἰάζυξ), were an ancient Sarmatian tribe who travelled westward from Central Asia onto the steppes of what is now Ukraine in c. 200 BC. Later on, in c. 44 BC, they moved further into Hungary and Serbia, settling near Dacia, in the steppe between the Danube and Tisza rivers. Although originally migratory, they became semi-sedentary after settling in the steppe between the Danube and the Tisza rivers.

In the Iazyges' early relationship with Rome, they were used as a buffer state, being between the Romans and the Dacians. Later on this would develop into an overlord and client-state relationship, with the Iazyges being nominally sovereign subjects of Rome. Throughout this relationship, the Iazyges still continued their raids on Roman land, which often caused punitive expeditions to be made against them.

Almost all of the major events of the Iazyges were to do with war, such as the two Dacian Wars, both of which the Iazyges fought in, assisting Rome in subjugating the Dacians in the first war, and conquering them in the second. Another such war was the Marcomannic War, from 169 AD to 175 AD, in which the Iazyges fought against Rome, but were defeated by Marcus Aurelius and had severe penalties were imposed on them.

Although originally nomads, after the Iazyges had migrated to the Tisza plain they became semi-sedentary, and lived in towns. They would migrate between their towns in order to feed their cattle. Their language was a dialect of Old Iranian, and was very different from most of the other Sarmatian dialects of Old Iranian. When an Iazyx became too old to fight in battle, they were killed by their sons.