Sabir people facts for kids
The Sabirs were a group of nomadic people who lived in the northern Caucasus region. They appeared there around the late 400s to the 700s AD. Their lands were near the eastern Black Sea and the Kuban area. Some historians think they might have come from Western Siberia.
The Sabirs were very good at fighting. They used special machines to attack castles, had a large army, and even built boats. Sometimes, people called them Huns. This was a common name for many Eurasian nomadic tribes living in the Pontic-Caspian Steppe during that time.
The Sabirs often raided areas like Transcaucasia in the late 400s and early 500s. But they soon started working as soldiers for hire, called mercenaries. They fought for both sides during the Byzantine-Sasanian Wars. Their friendship with the Byzantines helped create a strong alliance later with the Khazars.
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Who Were the Sabirs?
The name "Sabir" might mean "wanderers" or "nomads." This idea comes from the Turkic language. Some old writings even said that the Khazars were called Sabirs in Turkic. This suggests they had a similar meaning or history.
Some experts believe the Sabirs' name is linked to Siberia. Others think they might have come from groups like the Xianbei or Finnic peoples. Ancient writers sometimes grouped them with the Huns, but also saw them as different. This shows they were a mix of people.
A Byzantine emperor named Constantine VII wrote about the Hungarians. He said they used to be called "sabartoi asphaloi," which means "steadfast Sabirs." This suggests some Hungarian groups might have come from the Sabirs.
Sabir History and Battles
The Sabirs first appeared in history around 463 AD. A writer named Priscus said they attacked other tribes like the Saragurs and Onogurs. This happened because the Avars had attacked the Sabirs first. Some think these nomadic movements started after China attacked the Rouran Khaganate.
Raids and Alliances
Around 504 and 515 AD, the Sabirs raided areas near the Caucasus. This was a border for the Sasanian Empire. Their raids caused problems for the Persians, who were fighting the Byzantine Empire. It is believed that 20,000 Huns, led by Zilgibis, were actually Sabirs.
The Sabirs made deals with both the Byzantine emperor Justin I and the Persian king Kavadh I. They chose to side with Justin I. This led to an agreement between Justin I and Kavadh I. Together, they attacked Zilgibis and his army.
Sabirs in Major Wars
In the 520s, a Sabir queen named Boareks became important. She was the widow of a Sabir leader named Balaq. Through the diplomacy of Emperor Justinian I, she became friends with the Byzantines. She successfully attacked two Hunnic leaders who were enemies of the Byzantines. Queen Boareks ruled over 100,000 people and could gather an army of 20,000 strong fighters.
At the Battle of Satala (530), about three thousand Sabirs fought alongside the Persians. In 531, many Sabirs were called by the Persians to raid areas like Euphratesia and Cilicia. However, the Roman army managed to get some of the stolen goods back.
Fighting in the Lazic War
During the Lazic War (541–562), the Sabirs joined forces with the Alans in 548. They helped Gubazes II of Lazica capture the city of Petra from the Persians. In 551, some Sabirs helped the Byzantines take Petra back from the Persians. At the same time, four thousand other Sabirs fought for the Persians in an unsuccessful attack on Archaeopolis.
In 556, two thousand Sabirs worked as soldiers for the Byzantine Empire. They were heavy infantry, meaning they fought on foot with strong armor. They were led by chieftains named Balmaq, Kutilzis, and Iliger. They won a battle against three thousand Dilimnites near Archaeopolis. Later that year, about five thousand Sabirs fighting for the Persians were defeated by three thousand Roman horsemen.
Later Conflicts and Decline
In 572–573, the Sabirs were part of a Persian army that lost to the Byzantines near Nisibis. In 578, about eight thousand Sabirs and their Arab allies fought for the Persians. They raided areas around Resaena and Constantia.
An old Syriac text from around 555 AD described the Sabirs. It said they "live in tents, earn their living on the meat of livestock and fish, of wild animals and by their weapons (plunder)." This is how many nomadic groups were described back then.
By the late 500s, the arrival of the Pannonian Avars in Europe broke up the Sabir groups in the North Caucasus. Some Sabirs were scared of the Avars. The Sabirs were last mentioned in connection with a Byzantine conquest in Caucasian Albania around 578–582.
Assimilation into Other Groups
Over time, the Sabirs became part of the Khazars and Bulgars confederations. A tribe called Suwāz in Volga Bulgaria is thought to be related to the Sabirs. It's not fully clear if these Sabirs moved to the North Caucasus and then to the Volga, or if they stayed near the Volga all along.
Even in the 900s, a writer named Ahmad ibn Fadlan noted that the Suwār still had their own leader. This leader had a title called Wirgh. There were also some fights between the Suwār and the Bulgars.
Sabir Legacy
The name of the Sabirs can still be found in many place names in the Caucasus. These include places like Šaberan, Samir, and Suvar. Their name also appears in the names of some groups within the Kyrgyz people.
Historians from the Chuvash people believe their nation is partly descended from the Sabirs. In the Mari language, modern Volga Tatars are called Suas. The Chuvash people are also known as Suasenmari, which means "Suar-icized Mari."
Sabir Chieftains
Here are some of the known leaders of the Sabirs:
- Balaq (This name means 'child' or 'young animal' in Turkic.)
- Boa/Boarez/Boareks - She was a Sabir queen and the widow of Balaq.
- Balmaq/Barmaq (This name means 'finger' in Turkic.)
- Iliger (This name means 'prince-man' in Turkic.)
- Kutilzis (This name means something like 'heavenly good fortune' or 'majesty' in Turkic.)
