Σακαραῦκαι

Ancient Greek

Etymology

From a Scythian name *Sakā raukā, composed of *Sakā (“Sacae, Scythians”, cf. Old Persian 𐎿𐎣𐎠 (Sakā)) + *rauk, a cognate with Khotanese rūkya (“commander, lord”); ultimately from an earlier Scythian form *Sakā mravakā (“Saka lords, Saka kings”).

Both Scythian *rauk and Khotanese rūkya (“commander, lord”) are derived from an earlier Scythian *raukya, itself from an even earlier *mravaka/*mrauka, from the root *mrav-/*mru- (“to declare, to order”).

Equivalent in meaning to but not cognates with Sanskrit शकमुरुण्ड (Śakamuruṇḍa) and Chinese 塞旺 (Sāi Wàng).

Proper noun

Σακαραῦκαι • (Sakaraûkai) ? (indeclinable)

1. A Scythian people who invaded Bactria and Gandhara

Descendants

• Greek: Σακαραῦκαι (Sakaraûkai)
• → Latin: Sacaraucae

Further reading

• Σακαραῦκαι in Bailly, Anatole (1935) Le Grand Bailly: Dictionnaire grec-français, Paris: Hachette