Editing Scythians (section)

===Initial Greek interactions===
The [[ancient Greeks]] had first been making expeditions in the [[Black Sea]] in the 8th century BC, and encounters with friendly native populations led to the formation of trading settlements.{{sfn|Jacobson|1995|p=38-39}}{{sfn|Cunliffe|2019|p=29-30}} Around {{c.|625 BC}}, the Scythians in the Pontic Steppe came into contact with Greek settlers{{sfn|Ivantchik|2018}} from [[Miletus]]{{sfn|Olbrycht|2000a|p=86}} who were starting to found their first colonies in the areas under Scythian rule on the northern coast of the Black Sea.{{sfn|Olbrycht|2000a|p=86}}{{sfn|Ivantchik|2018}} The first wave of Greek colonisation of the north coast of the Black Sea consisted of attempts to develop trade with its native populations,{{sfn|Cunliffe|2019|p=124}} and therefore involved the formation of [[Emporium (antiquity)|trading enclaves]] ({{langx|grc|εμπορια|translit=emporia}}; {{langx|la|emporia}}){{sfn|Cunliffe|2019|p=38}} this mutually beneficial process was largely peaceful.{{sfn|Jacobson|1995|p=40}} The earliest {{translit|grc|emporia}} of the north Black Sea were built at [[Histria (ancient city)|Histria]], [[Tyras]],{{sfn|Cunliffe|2019|p=124}} and especially on the [[Berezan Island|island of Borysthenēs]].<ref>{{Unbulleted list citebundle|{{harvnb|Jacobson|1995|p=41}}|{{harvnb|Melyukova|1995|p=34}}|{{harvnb|Cunliffe|2019|p=38}}|{{harvnb|Cunliffe|2019|p=124}}}}</ref>

From the Greek settlements on the Black Sea coast, the Scythian aristocracy bought luxury goods which they used as status markers: wine and the various Greek vessels used to mix and drink it were especially imported in large quantities and were even used as [[grave goods]], while craftsmen in the Greek colonies manufactured items made of gold or [[electrum]] for Scythian patrons.{{sfn|Cunliffe|2019|p=128-129}} Once Scythian activities begun to decline in West Asia in the {{Circa|620s BC}} and ties between the Scythians and the Greek colonies started developing, the Scythians started buying Greek pottery imported from the Aegean islands.{{sfn|Sulimirski|1985|p=157}} Greek influences on the Scythians replaced West Asian ones from the beginning of the 6th century BC.{{sfn|Melyukova|1990|p=109}}