Classical and Arabic Geographers’ Images of Scythia: a Comparison

Abstract

This article shows the difference between the classical and the medieval Arabic writers' representations of Scythia. The author analyses some specific examples of this difference which is substantial in spite of the fact that medieval Arab authors were aware of the classical traditions of describing the Earth, and largely followed them. The difference in the perception of Scythia and its population depended on the traditions, specific representations, creation of the image of this land, as well as the changes which had taken place over the centuries. The concept of chronotope introduced by Mikhail Bakhtin helps to understand the essence of the changes in the image of Scythia.