Cossaeiler

The Cossaei (Cossaei) are a warlike tribe living in mountainous regions, often mentioned together with the Mardi in ancient sources. Ancient writers locate this tribe near the Med geography and know them for their resistance against Alexander the Great and the Macedonian army.

Testimony of Ancient Writers

Diodorus mentions the Cossaei along with the Mardi in the region of Hyrcania. While narrating the Persian-Macedonian conflicts in Bibliotheke Historike, he states that the Mardi and Cossaei, who stood out for their courage and warlike nature compared to other local elements, were hostile towards the Macedonians/Alexander the Great's army. Diodorus also states that these two tribes gained superiority in a battle against the Macedonians (Vol. 1, p. 29).

Arrianus describes the Cossaei as a warlike tribe and writes that they lived in fortified villages on the borders of Uxi. It is recounted that when Alexander the Great launched a campaign against them, they managed to surprise the enemy by taking refuge en masse in the mountains when a war danger exceeding their own strength arose. Arrianus, like Diodorus, states that the Mardi lived near the Persians, the Uxi near the Susianians, and the Cossaei near the Medes; and notes that after the enemy threat disappeared, this tribe returned to its normal life and subsisted by brigandage (Vol. 1, p. 34).

Curtius, while describing the organization of the Persian army, mentions that "the inhabitants of the Cossea mountains" were also part of the army of the Persian king Darius III. In the same passage, it is stated that a group called Gortuae from the Euboean people, who came here with the Medes and were assimilated by his time, was also in this army (Vol. 1, p. 46).

General Assessment

These testimonies in ancient sources present the Cossaei as a tribe with a mountainous habitat, retreating to natural shelters in times of war, and considered to be in close relation with the Med geography.