Ossetia in the Middle Ages

A typical day

A Brief History of Ossetia in the Middle Ages

1. Early period (5th–7th centuries): the establishment of the Alans in the Caucasus *

• The Alans, descendants of the Sarmatian and Scythian-Sarmatian tribes, establish themselves in the North Caucasus.
  *Control over the strategic Darial Pass ("Alan Gate").

• Transition from a nomadic lifestyle to a settled one, interaction with the local Caucasian population.
  *Formation of two proto-state entities: western (upper reaches of the Kuban) and eastern (Daryal region).

• 2. The heyday of Alania (9th–12th centuries) *

• At the beginning of the 10th century, the Alanian lands were united into a single state.
  Establishment of monarchical power; rulers bear the title of exusiokrator *("ruler")—a sign of high status in the system of international relations.

• An active foreign policy, ties with Byzantium, Georgia, Russia, and other states.
  *Christianization (9th–10th centuries), the spread of writing and church construction.

• Economic prosperity: densely populated settlements, developed agriculture, livestock breeding, crafts, and trade. The Arab geographer Masudi wrote that roosters in Alanya respond to each other from one end of the country to the other.
  *The reign of King Durgullel the Great (11th century) was the peak of Alania's power.

• 3. Crisis and Invasions (13th–14th centuries) *

• The Mongol invasion (1230s) *: devastation of the lowland territories, fall of cities, loss of the economic base.

• Retreat of part of the population to the mountains; preservation of the independence of the mountain Alans (as attested by the traveler Guillaume de Rubruck in 1253–1255).
  *Feudal fragmentation, weakening of central authority.

• Attempts to restore statehood: for example, the actions of the Alanian ruler Os-Bagatar, who occupied the city of Gori in 1292.

• *Timur's campaigns (late 14th century) : the final destruction of the remnants of urban culture. In 1378, Timur stormed the Alanian city of Dedyakov (Magas). The Alania plain became a "land without owners."