A Fragment of Scythian Epos: the «Kolaxaios' Horse» in the Alkman's Partheneion
Ivantchik Askold I.
The article considers a fragment of the Alkman's Partheneion which mentions the «Kolaxaios' Horse» (fr. 1, 59 Page = 3, 59 Calame). It is the horse of a well-known character of Scythian mythology and epos, the legendary ancestor of Scythian kings and warriors whose name is translated as «Sun-King». Affinities in the Ossetian Nart epos allow to imagine the figure of this mythic king. Alkman's fragment witnesses his deep knowledge of Scythian spiritual culture, which appears to be due to contacts between Iranian nomads and the population of Sardis, Alkman's native town. These contacts took place in Asia Minor and are to be dated around the middle of the 7th century ВС.