32. Attrition as a Steppe Warfare Tactic
Darius challenged the Scythians to stand up and fight, or admit their weakness and submit. The Scythian leader’s response, as recorded by Herodutus, highlights the difficulty the forces of civilization had in forcing Steppe nomads to fight if they did not want to: “This is my way, O Persian. I have never fled in fear from any man and I do not flee from you now … We have neither cities nor cultivated land for which we might be willing to fight with you, fearing that they might be taken or ravaged … As for lords, I recognize only my ancestors Zeus and Hestia … As to you calling yourself my lord, I tell thee to ‘Go weep’“. Darius was forced to give up and retreat, while the Scythians continued raiding for centuries.