TaurisTaurica

A part of the Skythian (Scythian) nation but a separate and distinct tribe from the Skythians; they occupied a peninsula south of the mouth of the Ister (Danube) river.

Tauris is most famous as the sanctuary of Iphigenia after she was saved by the goddess, Artemis, and transported there from the island of Aulis.

Iphigenia’s father, Agamemnon, offended Artemis and the goddess would not let the Greeks sail from Aulis without a sacrifice; Agamemnon was advised to sacrifice his daughter, Iphigenia; when Iphigenia was placed on the altar, Artemis substituted a stag and saved Iphigenia from a cruel death.

Iphigenia became the priestess of Artemis in Tauris until she was found by her brother Orestes and returned to Greece.

The inhabitants of Tauris were depicted as rather barbaric by the historian Herodotus; they lived by plunder and decapitated enemies or shipwrecked sailors; their only worship was of Artemis.

• Histories, book 4, chapters 99, 100 and 103