Ossete

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Ossete

people

Also known as: Ossetian

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July 1, 2026

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The Ossetes are a Caucasian people who speak an eastern Iranian language, Ossetic. They primarily inhabit the Greater Caucasus mountains, with a significant population in both South Ossetia (an autonomous republic in Georgia that declared independence in 2008) and North Ossetia–Alania (a republic in Russia).12

Ossetic is the modern descendant of the language spoken by the ancient Alani people and preserves many archaic features of Old Iranian. The language has been influenced by other Caucasian languages, and its vocabulary includes many Russian loanwords. The Ossetes are known for their folk epics, particularly the tales of the Narts.3

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Caucasian peoples
…ancient Indo-European group is the Ossetes, or Ossetians, in the central Greater Caucasus; they are a remnant of the eastern Iranian nomads who roamed the south Western Steppe from the 7th century bce until the 4th century ce (when they were dispelled by the Huns) and who were successively known…
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…ancient Indo-European group is the Ossetes, or Ossetians, in the central Greater Caucasus; they are a remnant of the eastern Iranian nomads who roamed the south Western Steppe from the 7th century bce until the 4th century ce (when they were dispelled by the Huns) and who were successively known…
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North Ossetia–Alania
Ossetes are of mixed Iranian-Caucasian origin; their language belongs to the Iranian group of the Indo-European family of languages. From the 7th century bce to the 1st century ce Ossetia came under Scythian-Sarmatian influence, which was succeeded by that of the warlike Alani, who are…
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Ossetes are of mixed Iranian-Caucasian origin; their language belongs to the Iranian group of the Indo-European family of languages. From the 7th century bce to the 1st century ce Ossetia came under Scythian-Sarmatian influence, which was succeeded by that of the warlike Alani, who are…
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Alani
…be ancestors of the modern Ossetes of the Caucasus.
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…be ancestors of the modern Ossetes of the Caucasus.
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South Ossetia
…populated largely (about two-thirds) by Ossetes, a Caucasian people speaking an eastern Iranian language. (Many Ossetes also live in the neighbouring republic of North Ossetia–Alania in Russia, which occupies the northern slopes of the Greater Caucasus.) Most of the remaining inhabitants of South Ossetia are Georgians. Its capital is Tskhinvali.…
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…populated largely (about two-thirds) by Ossetes, a Caucasian people speaking an eastern Iranian language. (Many Ossetes also live in the neighbouring republic of North Ossetia–Alania in Russia, which occupies the northern slopes of the Greater Caucasus.) Most of the remaining inhabitants of South Ossetia are Georgians. Its capital is Tskhinvali.…
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