For a long time, the first reliably known Crimean king of Scythia was considered to have ruled in the third quarter of the II century. BC NS. Skilur, about which there is a lot of evidence. All that was known about his predecessors was that he received power by inheritance from his father. However, recently, during excavations in Naples, the remains of the erected by Skilur around 130 BC were discovered. NS. mausoleum in honor of Argot. The mausoleum is located in the palace complex. Skilur, in a lofty epitaph that praises more than the builder himself, proclaims the deceased ("close relative") a role model. All this, with a high probability, indicates to us that Argoth was the predecessor of Skilur and his father, the same from whom he inherited power. The events of the reign of Argot can be recreated according to separate inscriptions and information from ancient writers.
Having ascended the throne after the death of his father at the hands of Amagi, Argot found himself in an extremely difficult situation. On the one hand, the Scythians driven into the Crimean mountains needed living space. On the other hand, the Scythian kingdom found itself in almost complete international isolation, sandwiched between the hostile Chersonesos and the Sarmatians. Argot could not afford to fulfill the demands of the latter and leave Chersonesos alone. And this complicated the situation even more. By the beginning of the 170s. the Scythians again disturbed Chersonesos. In 179 BC. NS. the danger from the "barbarians" was specially stipulated in the peace and alliance agreement between the Chersonites and the king of the Hellenistic kingdom of Pontus in the north of Asia Minor, Pharnac. As a guarantor of peace from the north, the Khersonites turned to the new Sarmatian king Gatal.
Argot took vigorous measures to ensure his safety. The most important among them was the renewal of the alliance with the Bosporus. Around 170-160 BC NS. Argot married Kamasaria - the widow of the Bosporan king Perisad III and the mother of the young Perisad IV. Argot himself moved to the Bosporus and spent some time there. In fact, he became a co-ruler of the queen mother. This event undoubtedly contributed to the strengthening and change of the general position of the Scythian kingdom. Close trade ties were established with Panticapaeum. The considerable military strength of the Bosporus - itself strengthening at the expense of the Scythian nobility moving there - turned into a reliable reserve in case of any external conflict.
In the east, where the Scythian kingdom still owned the lands in the lower reaches of the Dnieper, Argot renewed or strengthened the old alliance with Olbia. During his reign, the vector of development of the Scythian kingdom as a Hellenistic state - at least a "barbaric imitation" of Hellenism, was finally determined. Hellenophilia, which cost the lives of Anacharsis and Skil, becomes a state ideology under Argot. Skilur urged to honor his memory not only "in respectful fear of the gods", but also "for the sake of the Hellenes of love and friendliness."
A large number of Greek craftsmen and merchants are attracted to Naples. Intensive construction, which began in the city under Argot, is carried out in a completely Hellenic spirit. Public buildings, palaces, tombstones are erected and decorated according to Greek patterns. The city Scythians appreciated Hellenic art, and the royal house and the top of the nobility mastered Greek writing. The official language of the Scythian kingdom, depicted on memorials and coins, was Greek. Since that time, the Scythian kings have borne the Greek title "Basileus".
Argot died around 150 BC. NS. or a little later. Skilur replaced him - as already mentioned, most likely, his son. Skilur, in any case, was a faithful successor to Argot's policy. His name is associated with the highest, albeit very brief, flowering of the Third Scythian kingdom. Skilur bore the poetic title of not just a king, but "the ruler of Scythia, rich in horse pastures."
Skilur, following Argot, did a lot "for the sake of the Hellenes of love and friendliness." During his reign, from concentration, gathering forces, the Scythians again move to active actions. Skilur fought - and successfully - against the Meots in the east, defending the borders of the Bosporus kingdom, and against the "Thracians" in the west. The latter, most likely, means the Getae and Bastars, who threatened both Olbia and the Scythian possessions on the Lower Dnieper. However, it is possible that Skilur made more distant campaigns, providing support against the same Getae and Bastarns to a related kingdom in Dobrudja.
If the activity of Skilur in the east simply cemented the alliance with the Bosporus and raised the status, then the wars with the "Thracians" contributed to the real expansion of the borders of the kingdom. Olbia under Skylure again officially recognizes dependence on the Scythians, becoming the most important mediator between them and the Hellenic world. In Olbia, by order of Skilur, a coin was minted on his behalf.
In Naples during the time of Skilur, intensive construction is underway - still quite in the tradition of Hellenic architecture and fortification. Among the notable monuments of this period is the royal palace, erected for Skilur at the very time of his accession to the throne. The king was dedicated - most likely during his lifetime - an equestrian statue with a Greek inscription on a pedestal.
Greek merchants gathered in the city, who were provided with considerable privileges. The inscriptions left by them were found in Naples by archaeologists. We know by their names two Hellenic merchants who lived for a long time in Naples - Eumenes and Posideus. A particularly interesting figure was the latter - a native of the Greek island of Rhodes and a citizen of Olbia, Posedeus, son of Poseideus. This wealthy merchant and ship owner left four dedicatory inscriptions to various deities in Naples. This indicates a long stay in the capital of the Scythians and considerable social weight. Moreover, Possideus seems to have held an official position at the royal court. For some time he headed the Scythian military fleet (one must think, in fact, a hired Greek).
The main military-political task facing Skilur was the expansion of possessions in the Crimea. It was for this that he needed a fleet led by Poseide. Posidey managed to defeat, in particular, the pirate tribe of the Satarkhs, who lived in the north of the Crimea. Under Skilur, the subjugation of the Taurians by the Scythians was completed and the mixing of the two peoples, which had gone far, soon began.
However, Chersonesos remained the main enemy of the Scythians. Already in the first years of his reign, having accumulated strength and provided a solid rear, Skilur launched an offensive on the lands of the Khersonites. The struggle went on with varying success - Naples itself about 135-130 years. BC NS. was attacked by the enemy and partially burned out. However, in general, during the 140-130s. BC NS. success accompanied the Scythians. By 110 BC. NS. in Chersonesos they were already considered invincible. On the northwestern coast of Crimea, fertile for agriculture, the Scythians seized the lands of Chersonesos, destroying its numerous settlements. In their place, Scythian settlements were built - both fortified and unfortified agricultural settlements. The most significant success of the Scythians was the capture of Kerkenitis - the main stronghold of the Chersonites in this area and an important trading harbor. In place of the dilapidated Greek city, the Scythians erected their own large fortification.
Skilur was generally actively involved in urban planning. He rebuilt and expanded Naples, and built or rebuilt other cities in its neighborhood. The Greek geographer Strabo calls three cities founded (according to him) by Skilur and his sons: Palaky, Hub, Naples. Where Khab (Khabei) and Palakiy were located, which Scythian settlements correspond to them is not known with certainty. Of these, Palaky is named after Palak, the son and heir of Skilur.
Skilur was distinguished by an extreme large number of children - obviously, he had a large harem. In total, the king left several dozen sons. One Greek author wrote about 50, another about 80 sons. Skilur himself, in his epitaph to Argotu, speaks of 60 sons and as many daughters whom he raised, imitating his deceased predecessor. However, in the time elapsed from the construction of the mausoleum (c. 130 BC) to the death of Skilur (c. 115-110 BC), new children could appear.
Of the many sons of Skilur, only Palak is known by name. In the same way, of the many daughters, only one is known - Dedmotis (in another reading of Senamotis), who left a dedicatory inscription to Ditagoye in Panticapaeum. Dedmotis was married to a certain Heraclides - apparently, a close relative of King Perisad V.
All the successes of Skilur, private victories over Chersonesos and the small Crimean tribes, even the submission of Olbia - all this, of course, was negligible compared to the times of "Great Scythia". But for "Little Scythia" in the Crimea, even that was very, very much. Too many - when measured against the actual international situation and diminished opportunities. Ultimately, already during Skilur's life, the Scythians faced a worthy and irresistible enemy for them.
In 121 BC. e., with the accession to the throne of Mithridates VI Eupator, the time of the highest prosperity of the Pontic kingdom begins. It was a Hellenistic power, headed by a branch of the Persian dynasty of the Achaemenids, and the centers were Greek cities in the north of Asia Minor. Now, in the confusion caused by the redistribution of borders under the onslaught of Roman power rising from the west, Pontus was becoming the strongest state on the Black Sea coast. Having established himself in power finally in 115-113. BC e., Mithridates embarked on external conquests. He conquered Colchis, expanded the boundaries of the kingdom in Asia Minor. In the same first years, his attention was already drawn to the north of the Black Sea region.
Chersonesos from 179 BC NS. was associated with Pontus by an alliance treaty directly directed against the "neighboring barbarians" - the Scythians. In a desperate situation under the onslaught of Skilur, the Chersonites turned to the growing Pontic ruler for help. Mithridates responded readily. The Pontians began military action against Skilur. The exact date is unknown, but it happened before 110 BC. NS. The course of the war is not entirely clear to us. Our sources, firstly, are several Chersonesus inscriptions, the most meaningful of which is a decree in honor of the Pontic commander Diophantus. Further, fragmentary information is reported by Strabo.
Mithridates VI Eupator
At the beginning of the war, the Scythians laid siege to Chersonesos. The Chersonites barely managed to restore the city walls at the expense of one of the wealthy citizens. To better defend the city, the generals of Mithridates took a garrison and walled off Cape Ktenunt, where an important port was located. In addition, they made an artificial isthmus, blocking the gulf separating Ktenunt from Chersonesos. Thus, the Scythians did not manage to cut off Chersonesos from the outside world. All attempts of the Scythians to take Chersonesos ended in failure.
In the early years of the war, Skilur died. It is sometimes believed that he died in battle. However, Plutarch claimed that Skilur died a natural death. The Greek writer connects the following story with the death of Skilur: “Skilur, who had 80 sons, offered them, dying, a bunch of arrows, so that everyone would try to break it; but they all refused. Then, taking out the arrows one at a time, he broke them all without difficulty and said in a lesson that they would all be strong as long as they stood together, and would become powerless as soon as they were scattered and quarreled. ” This parable, of course, is much older than Skilur and is known at least throughout Eurasia - however, we cannot doubt that Skilur knew it and could repeat it to his sons.
Inherited the power of Skilur and the war with Pont Palak. In 110 (according to another opinion, however, in 113) BC. NS. a large Pontic army under the command of Diophantus, the son of Asklepiodorus, crossed over to Chersonesos. He was a Greek from Sinop, a gifted commander and diplomat, a confidant of Mithridates. Palak, intending to throw the Pontians into the sea, suddenly attacked the landing army before it had time to prepare for the campaign. The Scythians approached Ktenunt's fortifications and besieged them for several days. In the daytime, the Scythians filled up the moat with reeds, but the Pontians burned the reeds at night, thus not allowing the Scythians to overcome the moat. Meanwhile, Diophantus, "reluctantly accepting the battle", put the "large horde" of the Scythian king to flight. In honor of the victory, a memorial sign was erected - a "trophy" on behalf of Mithridates. The battle took place somewhere northeast of Chersonesos, in the lands inhabited by the Taurus. Diophantus subdued the latter and founded a city on the site of the victory, named in honor of Tsar Evpatoria.
From there he invaded the Bosporus kingdom, allied to the Scythians. “Having accomplished many important deeds in a short time,” Diophantus then returned to Chersonesos. The outcome of the Bosporan campaign is unclear - however, the Bosporan people from that time did not support the Scythians. Returning to Chersonesos, Diophantus mobilized all combat-ready men and with them invaded the central regions of the Scythian kingdom. Frightened by his successes, the Scythians preferred to surrender Naples and the Hub. Diophantus was satisfied that the Scythians recognized themselves as "subject" to Mithridates and pledged not to disturb Chersonesos. The townspeople honored their deliverer in every possible way when he returned to them.
In late summer or autumn, Diophantus went to Pontus. But the Pontic army did not have time to leave Chersonesos, as the Scythians “set aside”. They again began to disturb the borders of Chersonesos, preparing for a big war. Mithridates, learning about what was happening, sent Diophantus back with an army, despite the coming winter. Arriving at the very end of the year or the beginning of the next, Diophantus added to his army the "strongest" of the citizens of Chersonesos and moved into the mountains. However, his soldiers did not have enough courage and endurance - the bad weather turned out to be stronger. Diophantus did not give up. Turning to the more accessible coast, he knocked the Scythians out of Kerkenitis and other fortifications erected by them on the former Chersonesus lands. Then the army laid siege to the coastal city of Kalos Limen lying to the north - also a Greek colony captured by the Scythians. At the same time, the same Chersonite, who had previously restored the walls of the city, equipped a detachment of fellow citizens at his own expense and made a trip to the Scythian fortress of Napit.
Kalos Limen. Modern look
Palak, however, did not sit idly by either. Hoping for the coldness unusual for the Pontians and a numerical superiority, he moved towards the coast with a huge army. Gathering all the forces at the disposal of him and his brothers, he, in addition, made an alliance with the Sarmatian tribe of Roksolan. This is the first case of an alliance between the Scythians and the Sarmatians. At that time, after the final departure of the tsarist Sarmatians in the vicinity of Olbia, the Roksolans began to control the steppe interfluve of the Don and the Dnieper. It is unclear what prompted the Roksolani king Tasius to conclude an alliance with former blood enemies. It is possible that he was worried about the invasion of the Pontic conquerors into the Northern Black Sea region.
Thanks to the help of the Roxolans, Palak's army outnumbered the Pontic army at times. Almost 50,000 soldiers came with Tasius alone, while all the soldiers of Diophantus numbered 6,000. However, Diophantus had at his disposal "a well-formed and well-armed phalanx", and he "made a reasonable disposition." The Roksolans were lightly armed and attacked in a "crowd". In addition, before the battle of the Chersonites and the Pontians, they were inspired by some signs sent allegedly by the Virgin - the patron goddess of the city. As a result, Diophantus inflicted a crushing defeat on the enemy. Most of Tassius's warriors were killed. According to the decree in honor of Diophantus, among the entire Scythian-Sarmatian army "almost no one escaped from the infantry, and few escaped from the horsemen."
With the beginning of spring, leaving the Chersonites to besiege Kalos Limen, Diophantus moved to the Scythian fortresses in the mountains. Palakia managed to resist, but Khabei and Naples fell. The Pontians plundered and burned Skilur's palace. The Chersonites, meanwhile, took Kalos Limen and returned it to their rule. King Palak fled and hid from the victorious enemy. After some deliberation, his brothers were forced to surrender to Diophantus. Accepting from them expressions of obedience, Diophantus moved to the Bosporus. Here, however, the matter was immediately settled peacefully, "beautifully and useful for the king Mithridates Eupator." King Perisad not only recognized the supremacy of the Pontic king, but also bequeathed his kingdom to him.
What happened, however, provoked the indignation of numerous Bosporan Scythians. Savmak, a pupil of Perisad and, apparently, his relative, who counted on the throne for himself, led their uprising. The rebels killed Perisades and wanted to deal with Diophantus, who was in Panticapaeum. However, he fled on a ship hastily sent by the Khersonites. After spending the winter in Chersonesos, Diophantus mobilized the city's forces and called for reinforcements from Pontus. The latter was probably headed by the commander Neoptolem, who then acted on the territory of the Bosporus. In early spring, Diophantus invaded the Bosporus from land and sea. The "selected" Khersonites on three ships also took part in the sea voyage. By this time Savmak had already established himself in Panticapaeum and proclaimed himself king of the Bosporus, relying on the support of a large "barbarian" population. Military operations unfolded, again successful for the Pontians. In the Kerch Strait, Neoptolem "defeated the barbarians in a naval battle in the summer, and in a horse skirmish in the winter." Diophantus took Theodosia by storm, and then Panticapaeum itself. Savmak was captured and sent to Pontus. Bosporus recognized Mithridates as his king. Grateful for many blessings, the Chersonites solemnly crowned Diophantus with a golden wreath and erected his statue in the city.
Initially, Mithridates was going to rule Scythia directly, but was forced to reckon with the numerous sons of Skilur. Ultimately, Palak submitted to him. Soon a majestic mausoleum was erected for him and his relatives under the walls of Naples, where burials were performed for about two centuries. Palak's tomb (presumably) is the richest of the 39 in the mausoleum. It contains 825 of the 1327 gold objects found in it. If the rich grave really belongs to Palak, then he died at the age of about 40 at the end of the 2nd or the beginning of the 1st century. BC NS. Many researchers attribute the tomb to Skilur. True, then it is not clear how the striking monumental burial escaped the devastation of Naples by Diophantus. The Mausoleum of Argot, for example, was then ravaged and destroyed.
The Scythians were by no means expelled from the fortifications they founded in the northwestern Crimea. Now, however, they served the needs of the Pontic king. Mithridates established peace between Chersonesos and the Scythians - with which the Chersonites were hardly dissatisfied. By the beginning of the 1st century. BC NS. a lively trade was established between Chersonesos and Naples, which over time became more profitable than the traditional ties with Panticapaeum. Chersonesos served as an intermediary for the Scythians in relations with the main territory of the Pontic kingdom.
In an effort to establish control over the entire Black Sea region and Asia Minor, Mithridates expanded his possessions to the west and south - as a result, invading the sphere of influence of Rome. In 90 BC. NS. The Romans, among other things, in accordance with the principle of their policy - "divide and rule" - demanded "that he return their ancestral possessions to the Scythian kings." Mithridates agreed to fulfill this requirement without much pleasure. Thus, he lulls the enemy's vigilance on the eve of open war - but also gains new allies. He favored the Scythian kings and won them over to his side. Whether Palak was still alive then is unknown. Mithridates divided a small territory of the Scythian kingdom between independent "kings", "dynasts" - almost all tens of the sons of Skilur. The co-rule of many Basileians continued in Scythia even later. The unified state actually ceased to exist - and the fragmented one, of course, was more open to external influences. On the other hand, Mithridates took “Scythian wives” into his harem - most likely from the number of Skilur's daughters. Thus, the new union was sealed.
What exactly Mithridates most of all attracted the Scythians to himself becomes clear from archaeological materials. At the turn of the II-I centuries. BC NS. Scythians begin to populate the border lands in the south-west of Crimea abandoned by the Khersonites during the war. A new group of Scythian fortresses arose here - Ust-Alminskoe, Alma-Kermen and Krasnozorinskoe settlements. The Ust-Alma settlement at the confluence of the Alma River into the Black Sea became the second largest after Naples. Only Mithridates could ensure this bloodless seizure of the lands recently conquered by the Khersonites. Such a peculiar fulfillment of Roman requirements allowed him in the future to rely on the help of the Scythians and the Taurians allied to them. In 89 BC. NS. Mithridates' ambassador Pelopidas, threatening Rome, already listed the Scythians and Taurus among the "friends who are ready for anything he orders." True, in the first two wars with Rome, which went with varying success from 89 to 81 years. BC e., Mithridates did not need the help of the Scythians.
However, with the outbreak of the Third Mithridates War, in 74 BC. NS. The Scythians and Taurus, together with other Black Sea tribes, sent auxiliary detachments to Mithridates who had arrived in the Bosporus. The Scythians did not prove themselves too loyal allies. After serious defeats, Mithridates, who was thrown from the western regions of Asia Minor to Pontus, had to send the Scythian kings "gold and many gifts." Unfortunately, Diocles, who was sent with these gifts, fled to the Romans. In 70 BC. NS. the Scythian regions were generally set aside from Mithridates, since the son of Mahar, who had been planted by him as a ruler on the Bosporus, recognized the power of the Romans. In 65 BC. NS. expelled by the Romans from Pontus, Mithridates came with an army to the Bosporus and restored his power. Mahar fled from his father's wrath and then committed suicide. But Mithridates did not manage to gain a foothold here either. Chersonesos and other Greek cities rebelled against his rule. Mithridates for the last time tried to resort to the help of the Scythians, sending his daughters to the Scythian kings as wives. However, the soldiers assigned to the embassy killed the eunuchs from the escort and in full force fled to the Roman commander Pompey, giving him the royal daughters. After that, Mithridates did not count on Scythian help.
In 63 BC. NS. Mithridates was overthrown from the Bosporan throne by his son Pharnacs and committed suicide. Pharnaces gave Pompey the body of his father and many hostages. Then, among others, the Scythian wives of Mithridates also ended up in the hands of Pompey. Later, he led them through Rome in his triumph, along with other noble captives.
The indifference of Skilur's offspring to Mithridates, who was related to them, during the agony of his power was explained not only by the former enmity. While the Mithridates wars, which riveted the attention of the ancient world, raged, the Scythians had a new enemy that seriously threatened their possessions. In 70 BC. NS. the tribes of the Getae and Dacians on the territory of modern Romania were united under the rule of the Getae king Burebista. Burebista did not participate in the Mithridates wars, but used the confusion they sowed in the Black Sea region to expand his possessions. He tried to conquer Thrace. The Getae made distant raids across the Danube, devastating the Roman provinces.
Moreover, the Scythian kingdom in Dobrudja, which recognized the supreme power of Rome in the last years of its existence, could not resist the Getae. In the 60s and 50s. BC NS. the local Little Scythia was devastated and temporarily conquered by the Getae. The memory of the Scythians lived here for a long time, and some of the local residents considered themselves Scythians even at the turn of our era. The very same name "Scythia" in this area quite officially survived to the Middle Ages. This is how the authorities called it, first of the Roman, and then of the Byzantine Empire. However, in fact, after the Getae, and then the final Roman conquest, the Scythians quickly and irrevocably dissolved among the local residents.
It is unclear whether the Crimean-Dnieper Scythians tried to help their western relatives. However, there is no doubt that the activity of the Getae attracted their attention - distracting them from fulfilling their allied obligations to Mithridates. And about 50 BC. NS. Getae invaded directly into the Scythian sphere of influence. Hordes of Burebista captured Olbia and several other Greek cities of the North-Western Black Sea region by storm. Olbia was ruined and for some time lay desolate. However, the Geto invasion did not go further than Olbia. Perhaps Burebista, absorbed in the confrontation with the Greeks and Romans south of the Danube, did not want to get involved in a war with the Scythians.
The devastation of Olbia temporarily cut off the Dnieper Scythians from trade with Hellas. As a century and a half later, the orator Dio Chrysostomus said in a speech dedicated to Olbia, the Greeks "after the destruction of the city stopped coming there, because they did not find fellow tribesmen who could accept them, and the Scythians themselves did not want and did not know how to arrange a trading place for them according to the Hellenic model" ... Indeed, the Scythians of the Lower Dnieper were Hellenized much less than the Crimean tribesmen. However, the economic decline was prevented by energetic actions - most likely by the Scythian kings themselves. They called on the fleeing residents of Olbia to repopulate the devastated city and rebuild it, providing all possible support in this matter. From that time on, Olbia, whose ties with the Scythians weakened after the Pontic conquest of the Crimea, again fell into dependence on them.
Having avoided the war with the Getae, the Scythian rulers again turned to Crimean affairs. The strengthening of the influence of the Romans on the Bosporus and in Chersonesos after the defeat of Mithridates could not but worry them. Therefore, they entered into an alliance with the Bosporan king Pharnacs, when he, in 48 BC. NS. tried to get the hereditary throne of Pontic, challenging Rome. After being defeated by Gaius Julius Caesar (who reported this victory to the Senate with the famous “I came - I saw - I won”), Pharnacs fled to the Bosporus. And he found here a rebellion against his power. The uprising was led by his own governor Asander. Here the Scythians came to the aid of Pharnaces. Together with the Sarmatians, they made up the main forces of the new army hastily assembled by him. At first, Pharnace was successful. He took Phanagoria and Panticapaeum with his allies. However, Asander enjoyed much more support from the Bosporanians themselves. As soon as Pharnacs dismissed the allied troops, remaining with one squad of bodyguards, Asander attacked him and inflicted a final defeat. Farnak himself died in battle. This happened in 47 BC. NS.
Guy Julius Caesar
Asander legitimized his power by marrying the daughter of the deceased king Dynamia. After long troubles, he managed to stabilize the situation in the Bosporus. However, the alliance with the Scythians was again broken. To protect against the Scythians and Roksolans, who had not resigned themselves to his accession, Asander erected a fortified line - Asandrov Val - which fenced off the Kerch Peninsula. Asander and his closest successors managed to significantly press out the Scythians and Taurus, turning their state into the strongest in the Crimea. But the Scythian kingdom retained its independence. The doomed struggle for it continued for about two and a half centuries.
The scolopendra is an armored arthropod that belongs to the genus Labiopods, also called Chilopoda or arthropod millipedes. It lives in a variety of climates, but prefers a tropical climate. Various individuals can inhabit the desert, mountains, forests, limestone caves and many other places. In those regions where it is not too warm, the centipede grows in size from a centimeter to ten, but in the tropics, an individual can reach 28 centimeters in length!
These insects live alone. The insect's legs end in poisonous spines. That is why a centipede running through a person's body can cause irritation. The head includes a cephalic plate with ocelli, a pair of antennae, and venomous legs. They are located under the head, but at the same time they are part of the body. The forelimbs of the insect are transformed into fangs, with their help, the centipede captures the victim. Each segment of the trunk has a pair of legs. The last legs are used for breeding or as an anchor when capturing large prey.
The color of scolopendra can be different, depending on the species, it is gray, brown, with a yellowish tinge. In part, the insect can be greenish, orange and blue. With age, the individual can change color, pigmentation depends on the habitat.
The scolopendra is soft and hard in the back. The plate body is connected with a flexible membrane. The exoskeleton is composed of chitin. This layer is lifeless and does not grow. The centipede must molt to continue growing.
Is Scolopendra an insect or not?
Scientifically: no, centipede is not an insect. She belongs to the animal kingdom, a genus of labipod centipedes from the order of scolopendra.
- Kingdom: Animals;
- Type: Arthropods;
- Class: Lipopods;
- Order: Scolopendra.
Scientific classification of scolopendra - Wikipedia Varieties of scolopendra and their habitat
There are a lot of scolopendra varieties, almost all of them are similar in body structure and a large number of legs. Consider the most famous species of centipedes and their habitat.
Common Flycatcher (Scooter)
Scolopendra Scotiger is a centipede from the Scutigeromorpha order of the Labipod class. The adult is 35 to 60 mm long, yellow-gray in color with long striped legs.
It feeds on small insects. It is found in Southern Europe, North Africa and the Middle East. They are also found on the territory of Ukraine, the Caucasus, Moldova, Kazakhstan, in the south of Russia.
The natural habitat of the common flycatcher is dry fallen leaves. With the onset of a cold snap, it begins to seek refuge, thus it may end up in an apartment, especially in wet rooms - a bathroom, toilet, basement.
Scolopendra scootiger - common flycatcher eats a fly on a man's hand It is practically safe for humans, since it cannot bite through the skin of humans and pets. The maximum harm that a scolopendra scooter can bring to a person is redness and swelling of the skin, its bite is comparable to the sting of one wasp.
It also does not harm open food and furniture, and in some regions it is generally considered a rare useful arthropod species that cannot be killed. Therefore, do not be afraid, if you meet her at home, gently pick up with a net or other tool and send her "for a walk" outside the window.
Giant centipede - the largest centipede
The giant centipede lives most often in the west and north of South America, on the islands of Trinidad and Jamaica. They feed on insects in the same way as other species of centipedes, but there are cases when giant centipedes attacked lizards, toads, mice and even birds.
The sturdily folded body consists of 21-23 brown or rufous segments with a pair of bright yellow legs. Poisonous jaws can harm a person in the form of swelling, redness and severe pain, occasionally fever, weakness and fever. For an adult, the poison of a giant centipede is not fatal. The poison consists of the following substances: contains acetylcholine, serotonin, histamine, lecithin, thermolysins, hyaluronidases.
Ringed scolopendra (Crimean)
Ringed centipedes are the most common millipede species in southern Europe and the Mediterranean basin, including Italy, Spain, France, Turkey, Greece, Crimea. He also lives in Northern Harp: in Egypt, Tunisia, Libya, Morocco.
It is inferior in size to the giant scolopendra, reaching an average of 10-15 cm. The venom of the ringed scolopendra is also not as toxic as that of the “older brother”. A very fast and agile predator, it hunts almost all living creatures that are smaller than her in size - insects, lizards.
Chinese red centipede
The Chinese red-headed centipede lives in eastern Asia and Australia. Unlike many other species of scolopendra, it is less aggressive and more social, can live in peace with congeners in communities (most species of centipedes are loners).
In Chinese medicine, this type of scolopendra is used to accelerate the healing of skin diseases and injuries.
California centipede
The California scolopendra is found in the arid regions of the United States and Mexico, although the rest of the scolopendra species prefer more humid habitats.
A bite of a Californian centipede or touching its legs when disturbed can cause a person minor harm in the form of inflammation. There have even been cases of rhabdomyolysis and acute renal failure following the bite of this millipede.
Scolopendra Lucas
Scolopendra Lucas, like the ringed one, lives in the southern part of Europe. Distinctive features - heart-shaped head and rusty color. The harm from contact with it is identical to most other centipedes.
Scolopendra lifestyle: nutrition, reproduction
Like many other centipedes, centipedes lead a real predatory lifestyle. In the wild, they feed on small invertebrates, and in some cases, large individuals can eat mice, snakes, lizards, frogs and even bats!
Reproduction of scolopendra begins from the second year of life. In males, a cocoon with seminal fluid - a spermatophore - forms in the last ring of the body. At the time of mating, the female draws liquid into her genitals, and after a few months she lays eggs. Up to 120 larvae can be present in one clutch, not all of which survive. After a few months, larvae hatch from the eggs.
How long does the quick-fly live?
The lifespan of scolopendra is about 7 years, which is a lot for a representative of arthropods, so they can be considered long-livers.
Scolopendra bite: what does it look like, is it dangerous to humans?
The bright color of the scolopendra indicates the toxicity of the insect. An insect bite can be compared to a wasp or bee sting. In terms of pain intensity, one scolopendra bite can be equated to 20 bee stings. The poison does not lead to the death of a person, but the danger of death still exists if a person is allergic to scolopendra venom.
In the photo - a trace of a scolopendra bite There are many opinions in the literature about the real sizes of scolopendra. According to known facts, the largest centipede is located in Brazil. Its body length is equal to 33 cm. Many argue that the bite of a giant centipede is fatal, but this is only known from words.
In Russia, scolopendra can be found only in the regions - the Caucasus, Rostov Region, Krasnodar Territory, Crimea. There are small individuals - up to 14 cm, mainly ringed centipede, which goes hunting at night and is not particularly aggressive towards humans. You can meet her quite by accident, for example, in a tent, in a sleeping bag or when collecting firewood for a fire, in such cases, the scolopendra can begin to defend itself and bite you, her plans did not include a targeted attack on a person.
What to do if bitten by a centipede?
A scolopendra bite is comparable to stinging 20 bees at the same time, it is quite painful. Scolopendra venom acts immediately, leaving skin redness and soreness.
The best thing is to prevent the centipede from biting and touching the human skin with the legs, but if this happens, follow these rules:
- wash the place of contact or damage with soap and water, disinfect with alcohol;
- apply a sterile dressing for 12 hours, then change to a fresh one;
- give the victim to drink plenty of clean water;
- provide peace;
- do not take alcoholic beverages, they accelerate the metabolism and the effect of poison;
- seek help from a doctor.
Pregnant women, children, the elderly, allergy sufferers, heart patients should urgently go to the hospital, otherwise the outcome can be tragic, even fatal.
Remember, centipede does not attack a person by itself. If she sees you, she will rather try to carry all her legs. But if she accidentally crawls under your clothes or into a tent, and you scare her, then in self-defense she will bite you.
Home content scolopendra
For breeding scolopendra in captivity, terrariums are used. This is a very mobile insect and at the same time aggressive. They live in captivity for up to seven years. If there is no experience in breeding scolopendra, then it is best to study the literature and research all safety techniques for keeping and breeding them.
Scolopendra has a flexible pleural area. Thanks to this fact, it can squeeze into the smallest cracks in any rocks and soil in order to hide safely. This centipede is the greatest escaping specialist. When choosing a terrarium, pay attention to length, width and height. Read the breeding guides for the most complete information on things you need to know like buying a scolopendra terrarium. The soil must be moist and suitable for burrowing. Humidity should be sufficient, but should not be too wet.
Scolopendra are aggressive, but if you add crustaceans wood lice, they will not touch them, since they do not perceive them as food.
Basically, for all types of scolopendra, a temperature of 27 degrees is suitable. If you get a special species, consult a specialist well about the temperature and conditions of detention.
At home, it is advisable to feed the scolopendra with grasshoppers or mealworms, it is not recommended to overfeed. Usually they are fed 1-2 times a week. Scolopendra up to 15 cm in size will be saturated with 5 crickets. Lack of appetite may mean that the insect is not hungry or is preparing for the next moult.
Young apprentice, escaping from the mischievous owner of the Amusement Shop to the Misty Islands, finally healed for pleasure. A cozy cave where you can live and create has been found. There is plenty of food on the islands. Even from the fierce predators that live in these parts, the goblin learned to hide deftly and remembered the places that must be avoided so as not to fall into the clutches of monsters. And everything would have been fine if one morning the journeyman had not discovered that a real hunt has begun on him!
Wherever the young goblin went, everywhere in his path appeared angry centipedes... The angry predators pounced on him with such a wild hiss, as if the Mad Dog had bitten them. Fleeing, the journeyman sought refuge in his cave. Scolopendra had tried to enter the goblin dwelling before, but they quickly got away, after vain attempts to crawl into a crevice that was narrow for them. Now the hunters not ready were so just back off.
Scared Kendrick and Jigori very much hope that the brave warriors of Ogriy and Khair will appear in the near future on the Misty Islands and help them get rid of furious centipede... Or maybe they will be able to find out the reason for the unrestrained aggression of predators.
Minos the Great is the name of the famous king of Crete by archaeologists, ethnographers, and the Greeks themselves. His legendary reign was incredible for the era of gods and heroes, and his personality - in mythological, psychological, and ethnographic terms - is still worthy of all respect.
Crete to Minos
Archaeologists are unanimous: more or less intelligible evidence of the existence of a centralized state in Crete dates back to about the middle of the 18th century. BC. In other words, the kings of Crete began to rule the island almost 4 thousand years ago. And the first of them was a certain Karmanor, one of the mythical consorts of the goddess of agriculture, Demeter, who purified Python after killing the serpent. As a reward, Apollo allowed the Cretan priests to interpret the prophecies on his behalf, as at Delphi.
The next king was Tektam, who, according to scientists, personified the migration from the mainland to the island of the Dorians and Achaeans, or the Aeolians and Pelasgians. And from about this moment, some discrepancies in Cretan history begin, which are directly related to Minos.
Europe, kidnapped by Zeus, who took the form of a white bull, gave birth to the supreme god Radamant and Sarpedon
According to archaeological evidence, the resettlement took place around 1200 BC. That is, much later than the eruption of the volcano and the fire in 1450 BC, which practically finished off the Minoan (named after the legendary king) civilization. So Minos could have remained one of a number of unknown rulers, if his legendary history had not been the basis for a good part of the ancient Greek myths, grouped around the Achaean campaign against Troy and the subsequent rise of Athens.
The next king was Tektam's son Asterius. He is known for the fact that it was his wife who was Europe, abducted by Zeus, who took the form of a white bull, and gave birth to Minos, Radamant and Sarpedon from the supreme god.
King and man
Minos, as the eldest son in the family, had, of course, all rights to the Cretan throne. But this order of inheritance was not yet fully fixed, and everything was decided by force or cunning. To avoid any encroachment on the throne from the younger brothers, Minos, according to one version, turned to Zeus and he handed him a scepter. According to the other, the future king Minos decided to act through Poseidon, revered by the Cretans-seafarers no less. Poseidon bestowed upon him a beautiful white bull for sacrifice.
The white bull, presented to Minos by Poseidon, is associated with the emergence of perhaps the most scandalous ancient Greek myth.
It is with this bull that the emergence of perhaps the most scandalous ancient Greek myth is connected, like the appearance of the palace-labyrinth in Knossos. Minos's wife, Pasiphae, begged him not to kill such a beautiful animal, in the earthly sense of the word, inflamed with love for the failed sacrifice. The fruit of criminal passion was the Minotaur, for whom the Cretan king Minos (or rather, the legendary engineer Daedalus) built an impressive labyrinth. And Minos can really be understood here even from modern positions.
The fact that he did not kill the Minotaur at the time of his birth is also understandable: the era of paricide and filicide has passed (Zeus, as you know, did not stand on ceremony with Kronos), the emphasis from the will of the gods began to shift to the will of the family. Even if only indirectly, since the construction of the labyrinth was commanded to Minos either by Zeus, with whom the king of Crete consulted once every 8 years, or by Apollo through the Cretan oracle.
The Minotaur became the fruit of Pasiphai's criminal passion for the white bull.
One more “fact” in favor of Minos as a consistent executor of not only the will of his kind, but also a person who loathes any violation of generic laws, can be found in the legend of the capture of Megar. Wanting to take revenge on the Athenians and king Aegeus, who insidiously killed his son Androgeus, the king of Crete Minos set out on a campaign. On the way, he decided to take the city of Megara. The king of Megara was Nis, brother of Aegeus, and he could only be defeated by cutting off the purple lock from his head. This is what the daughter of Nisa Skilla did, who was inflamed with passion for Minos. Megara was taken, Nis was killed. Minos, of course, received his from Skilla, and then ordered to drown her as a betrayer of her family. Is it cruel? Cruel, but fair.
Of course, like every ruler and man, the Cretan king had his sins. So, severely punished by Pasiphae for treason (his seed began to turn into poisonous reptiles and insects that killed his mistresses), Minos healed "like like", ascending to the bed with Prokrida, taught by the sorceress Circe, how to heal the king with the help of a goat bladder (a kind of the legend of the ancient methods of protection).
In this world and in that
Minos ordered the scepter received from Zeus in the best possible way. According to legend, he founded on the island Knossos, Festus, and Kydonia, and even more than fifty policies, after which he consolidated power by issuing many expedient laws. It was during his reign that Crete became the leading maritime power.
As a sign of the justice of the deeds and decisions of the Cretan king during his lifetime, the gods granted him certain powers after his death. Minos became the supreme judge in the kingdom of the gloomy Hades, resolving all the most controversial cases in the next world.
As a sign of the justice of the deeds and decisions of the Cretan king during his lifetime, after his death, the gods made Minos the supreme judge in the kingdom of Hades
But the death of Minos was terrible, which is not uncommon for myths. Daedalus, imprisoned in the labyrinth after Theseus killed the Minotaur, managed to escape to Sicily. Good engineers are always worth their weight in gold, and the king of Crete Minos went in search of the fugitive. Having offered a reward to the one who can stretch the thread through the spiral shell of the newt, Minos hoped that only Daedalus could cope with such a task, and thus found him in Sicily with the king Cocalus. Daedalus was not going to return to Crete, and persuaded the daughters of Kokal to splash boiling water through one of the pipes of the bath. And so the legendary Minos died, at an inopportune hour who decided to wash off the dirt of a long march.
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After the death of Tantalus, his son Pelops, so miraculously saved by the gods, began to rule in the city of Sipila. He did not rule for long in his native Sipil. The king of Troy Il went to war against Pelops ...
The immortal gods living on the bright Olympus created the first human race to be happy; it was a golden age. God Cronus then ruled in heaven. As blessed gods, people lived in those days, knowing no care, no work, no sorrow ...
Many crimes were committed by the people of the copper age. Arrogant and ungodly, they disobeyed the Olympian gods. Thunderer Zeus was angry with them ...
Prometheus is the son of the titan Iapetus, a cousin of Zeus. The mother of Prometheus is the oceanid Klymene (according to other versions: the goddess of justice Themis or the oceanis Asia). Brothers of the titan - Menetius (thrown by Zeus into tartarus after titanomachy), Atlas (supports the heavenly vault as punishment), Epimetheus (husband of Pandora) ...
The ores laid a wreath of fragrant spring flowers on her lush curls. Hermes put false and flattering speeches into her mouth. The gods called her Pandora, since she received gifts from all of them. Pandora was supposed to bring misfortune to people ...
Zeus the Thunderer, having kidnapped the beautiful daughter of the river god Asop, took her to the island of Oinopia, which has since been named after Asop's daughter, Aegina. The son of Aegina and Zeus, Eak, was born on this island. When Eak grew up, matured and became king of the island of Aegina ...
The son of Zeus and Io, Epaph, had a son Bel, and he had two sons - Egypt and Danai. The whole country irrigated by the blessed Nile was ruled by Egypt, from which this country received its name ...
Perseus is the hero of Argos legends. According to the prediction of the oracle, the daughter of the Argos king Akrisius Danae should have a boy who will overthrow and kill his grandfather ...
Sisyphus, the son of the god of all winds, Aeolus, was the founder of the city of Corinth, which in ancient times was called Ether. No one in all of Greece could equal Sisyphus in cunning, cunning and resourcefulness of mind ...
Sisyphus had a son, the hero Glaucus, who ruled in Corinth after his father's death. Glaucus also had a son, Bellerophon, one of the great heroes of Greece. Bellerophon was as beautiful as a god and equal to the immortal gods in courage ...
In Lydia, near Mount Sipila, there was a rich city named after Mount Sipilom. This city was ruled by the favorite of the gods, the son of Zeus, Tantalus. All were rewarded in abundance by the gods ...
The king of the wealthy Phoenician city of Sidon, Agenor, had three sons and a daughter, beautiful as an immortal goddess. The name of this young beauty was Europa. One day I had a dream of Agenor's daughter.
Cadmus in Greek mythology is the son of the Phoenician king Agenor, the founder of Thebes (in Boeotia). Sent by his father along with other brothers in search of Europe, Cadmus, after long failures in Thrace, turned to the Delphic oracle of Apollo ...
In Greek mythology, Hercules is the greatest hero, the son of Zeus and the mortal woman Alcmene, wife of Amphitryon. In the absence of her husband, who was at that time at war against the tribes of the TV-fighters, Zeus, attracted by the beauty of Alcmene, came to her, assuming the image of Amphitryon. Their wedding night lasted three nights in a row ...
The founder of the great Athens and their Acropolis was the land-born Cecrop. The earth gave birth to him as a half-man-half-snake. His body ended in a huge serpentine tail. Cecrop founded Athens in Attica at a time when the earth shaker, the sea god Poseidon, and the warrior goddess Athena, the beloved daughter of Zeus, were arguing for power over the whole country ...
Mullet was the son of the god Hermes and the daughter of Cecrop, Hersa. Far across all Greece, Kefalus was famous for its marvelous beauty, he was also famous as a tireless hunter. Early, even before sunrise, he left his palace and his young wife Prokrida and went hunting in the mountains of Gimet. Once the rose-footed goddess of the dawn Eos saw the beautiful Mullet ...
The king of Athens, Pandion, a descendant of Erichthonius, waged war with the barbarians who besieged his city. It would have been difficult for him to protect Athens from the numerous barbarian army if the king of Thrace, Tereus, had not come to his aid. He defeated the barbarians and drove them out of Attica. As a reward for this, Pandion gave Tereya his daughter Prokna as his wife ...
Grozen Borey, god of the indomitable, stormy north wind. Furious, he rushes over lands and seas, causing all-destructive storms with his flight. Once I saw Boreas, sweeping over Attica, the daughter of Erechtheus, Orifia, and fell in love with her. Boreas begged Orifia to become his wife and allow him to take her with him to his kingdom to the far north. Orifia did not agree ...
The greatest painter, sculptor and architect of Athens was Daedalus, a descendant of Erechtheus. It was said about him that he carved such marvelous statues from snow-white marble that they seemed alive; the statues of Daedalus seemed to be watching and moving. Daedalus invented many tools for his work; he invented the ax and the drill. The glory of Daedalus went far ...
National Hero of Athens; son of Ephra, Princess Trezen, and Aegeus or / and Poseidon. It was believed that Theseus is a contemporary of Hercules and some of their exploits are similar. Theseus was raised in Trezen; when he grew up, Efra ordered him to move the rock under which he found the sword and sandals ...
Meleager is the son of the Calydonian king Oineus and Alfea, a participant in the campaign of the Argonauts and the Calydonian hunt. When Meleager was seven days old, a prophetess appeared to Alfea, threw a log into the fire and predicted to her that her son would die as soon as the log burned out. Alfea snatched a log from the flame, extinguished it and hid it ...
The deer took shelter in the shade from the midday heat and lay down in the bushes. By chance, where the deer lay, Cypress was hunting. He did not recognize his favorite deer, as foliage covered him, threw him with a sharp spear and struck him to death. Cypress was horrified when he saw that he had killed his pet ...
The great singer Orpheus, the son of the river god Eagra and the muse Calliope, lived in distant Thrace. Orpheus's wife was the beautiful nymph Eurydice. The singer Orpheus loved her dearly. But Orpheus did not enjoy a happy life with his wife for long ...
Beautiful, equal to the Olympian gods themselves in his beauty, the young son of the king of Sparta, Hyacinth, was a friend of the arrow god Apollo. Apollo often came to the shores of the Eurotas in Sparta to his friend and there he spent time with him, hunting along the slopes of the mountains in densely overgrown forests or having fun with gymnastics, in which the Spartans were so skillful ...
The beautiful Nereid Galatea loved the son of Simefis, the young Akid, and Akid loved the Nereid. Not only Akid was captivated by Galatea. The huge Cyclops Polyphemus once saw the beautiful Galatea, when she swam out of the waves of the azure sea, shining with her beauty, and he kindled with fierce love for her ...
The wife of the king of Sparta Tyndareus was the beautiful Leda, daughter of the king of Aetolia, Festia. Throughout Greece, Leda was famous for its marvelous beauty. She became the wife of Zeus Leda, and she had two children from him: beautiful as a goddess, daughter Elena and son, the great hero Polydeuces. From Tyndareus, Leda also had two children: the daughter of Clytemnestra and the son of Castor ...
The sons of the great hero Pelops were Atreus and Fiestes. The charioteer of King Enomai Myrtil, who was treacherously killed by Pelops, once cursed Pelops, and condemned the whole family of Pelops with his curse to great atrocities and death. The curse of Myrtilus also weighed over Atreus and Fiestos. They committed a number of atrocities ...
Esak was the son of the king of Troy, Priam, brother of the great hero Hector. He was born on the slopes of the wooded Ida, by the beautiful nymph Alexiroia, the daughter of the river god Granicus. Growing up in the mountains, Esak did not like the city and avoided living in the luxurious palace of his father Priam. He loved the solitude of mountains and shady forests, loved the vastness of the fields ...
This amazing story happened to the Phrygian king Midas. Midas was very rich. Wonderful gardens surrounded his magnificent palace, and thousands of the most beautiful roses - white, red, pink, purple - grew in the gardens. Once, Midas was very fond of his gardens and even grew roses in them himself. This was his favorite pastime. But people change over the years - King Midas has also changed ...
Pyramus, the fairest of youth, and Tisba, the fairest of the virgins of the eastern lands, lived in the Babylonian city of Semiramis, in two neighboring houses. From early youth they knew and loved each other, and their love grew from year to year. They already wanted to marry, but the fathers forbade them - they could not, however, forbid them to love each other ...
In one deep valley of Lycia is a light-water lake. In the middle of the lake there is an island, and on the island there is an altar, all covered with the ashes of the victims burnt on it and overgrown with reeds. The altar is dedicated not to the naiads of the waters of the lake and not to the nymphs of neighboring fields, but to Latona. The goddess, favorite of Zeus, just gave birth to her twins, Apollo and Artemis ...
The father of the gods Zeus and his son Hermes once arrived at this place. Both of them took on a human form - with the intention of experiencing the hospitality of the inhabitants. They went around a thousand houses, knocking on doors and asking for shelter, but were rejected everywhere. In the house alone, the doors were not closed for the aliens ...
