Category: Issedones

The Issedones were the northernmost realistic people visited by Aristeas in the Arimaspeia, at the beginning of the ascent of the Rhipai mountains, before Aristeas encountered monsters (Arimasps and griffins) and the supernaturally sheltered nation of Hyperboreans.

The Arimaspeia’s description of the Issedones seems to have corresponded with a location somewhere on the ascent from the south of the Caucasus mountains. However, no ancient text says that anyone besides Aristeas ever met Issedones, and no ancient text equates Issedones with any identifiable people. All references to Issedones in ancient literature appear to be based exclusively on the Arimaspeia and traditions of interpreting it. Classical and later writers mostly located the Issedones in various places near the outer edges of their own known worlds.