Acts 26:6-7, “And now I am here to be judged because of the hope given by God's word to our fathers; For the effecting of which our twelve tribes have been working and waiting night and day with all their hearts. And in connection with this hope I am attacked by the Jews, O king!”
Herodotus records that the Scythians were very zealous in forbidding idolatry and the worship of “foreign gods.” In one instance, King Saulius of Scythia executed his own brother for participating in the rites of a Greek “mother-goddess” festival and wearing “images” associated with the mother-goddess (The History, 4.76). In another instance, a Scythian king (Scyles) participated in forbidden, pagan rituals of the Greeks in which devotees allowed “Bacchus” to possess them in frenzied rites. King Scyles tried to prevent any Scythian from learning about his “secret life.” His actions were discovered; however, and the Scythians rejected him as king, selecting his brother, Octamasades, as the new king. With an army, Octamasades pursed his paganized brother, and beheaded him in Thrace (the modern Balkan region of Europe), where Scyles had sought refuge (Ibid, 4.78-80).
