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Scordisci were, in ancient geography, a war-like tribe inhabiting the southern part of lower Pannonia between the Savus (Sava), Dravus (Drava) and Danube rivers. Their tribal name may be connected to the name of the Scordus mountain (Šar mountain) which was located between Illyria and Paionia.

It is unclear whether they were an Illyrian, Celtic, or Thracian tribe, or a mixed group. Some Roman authorities consider them a Thracian people, because of their admixture with an older Thraco-Illyrian population. As early as 175 BC they came into collision with the Romans by assisting Perseus, king of Macedonia; and after Macedonia became a Roman province they were for many years engaged in hostilities with them.

In 279 BC, after their clash with the Greeks, Scordisci started progressing towards Pannonia, settling at the point where Moesia and Balkans end, at the confluence of two rivers, Sava and Danube, where they erected fortresses in Singidunum and Taurunum, founding today's city of Belgrade.

In 135 BC they were defeated by Cosconius in Thrace. In 118 BC, according to a memorial stone discovered near Thessalonica, Sextus Pompeius, probably the grandfather of the triumvir, was slain fighting against them near Stobi. In 114 BC they surprised and destroyed the army of Gaius Porcius Cato in the western moutains of Serbia, but were defeated by Minucius Rufus in 107 BC.

Nevertheless, they still from time to time gave trouble to the Roman governors of Macedonia, whose territory they invaded in combination with the Maedi and Dardani. They even advanced as far as Delphi and plundered the temple; but Lucius Cornelius Scipio Asiaticus finally overcame them in 88 BC and drove them across the Danube. In Strabo's time they had been expelled from the valley of the Danube by the Dacians. The Scordisci later became subject to the Dacians.

Ancient Roman enemies and allies | Ancient peoples | Celts

Skordisker | Scordisques | Skordisker

 

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the "Scordisci".

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