Template:Did you know nominations/Scythian Archers


 * The following is an archived discussion of the DYK nomination of the article below. Please do not modify this page. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page (such as |this nomination's talk page, the article's talk page or Wikipedia talk:Did you know), unless there is consensus to re-open the discussion at this page. No further edits should be made to this page.

The result was: promoted by Cwmhiraeth (talk) 07:25, 16 March 2019 (UTC)

Scythian Archers

 * ... that the so-called Scythian archers may have functioned as police force in ancient Athens? Source: "In late 5th and early 4th cent. BC Athens used a body of Scythian archers as public slaves (Demosioi) who were to keep order")

Created by ZxxZxxZ (talk). Self-nominated at 16:50, 13 January 2019 (UTC).


 * Symbol possible vote.svg Hi ZxxZxxZ, this article is currently too short for DYK - it needs more than 1500 characters of prose. I guess you may be working on expanding it?  Happy to continue the review when you do so (sourcing etc. is looking good), just ping me to let me know - Dumelow (talk) 09:18, 14 January 2019 (UTC)
 * 1749 chars now per DYKcheck. Johnbod (talk) 16:21, 15 January 2019 (UTC)
 * Symbol possible vote.svg Hi ZxxZxxZ: The article has now been expanded above 1500 characters; I 've checked it through and rewritten a few bits to improve the grammar; article is cited inline throughout to reliable sources; no copyright violation noted from (the few) accessible sources, happy to AGF on the remainder; hook is interesting and mentioned in article, not all sources are accessible but the Braund one backs up the hook; image is free and used in article; I note you have five DYK notices on your talk page so you will now need to provide a QPQ review of another hook before this one can be accepted (see item 5 of the DYK rules - Dumelow (talk) 16:23, 15 January 2019 (UTC)
 * Thanks, does Template:Did you know nominations/Lulu Grace Graves count? It's not closed yet. --Z 17:21, 15 January 2019 (UTC)
 * Symbol confirmed.svg Hi ZxxZxxZ, that's fine as long as you intend to finish it! All good here - Dumelow (talk) 18:40, 15 January 2019 (UTC)


 * Symbol question.svg I came to promote this, but the approved hook doesn't make it clear that the group's existence is hypothetical; suggesting that either a new hook be proposed, or the current one be re-worded. Narutolovehinata5 tccsdnew 04:16, 13 February 2019 (UTC)
 * Hi Narutolovehinata5, I thought that "so-called" and "may have" made this clear myself. Can't think of a punchier way to put it at the moment, happy to review any alternate hooks from the nominator - Dumelow (talk) 07:41, 13 February 2019 (UTC)
 * Hi guys. There is no dispute in the existence of such group called the Scythian archers. The hypothetical aspects are their role and whether they were exactly Scythians and/or archers, which is reflected in the hook as Dumelow pointed out. Regards --Z 09:49, 13 February 2019 (UTC)


 * Narutolovehinata5, have your issues been addressed? Or is there more to be done here? Thanks. BlueMoonset (talk) 01:17, 9 March 2019 (UTC)
 * Sorry for not immediately replying, I've been busy with other things. I still think that the hook could be rephrased: perhaps the "so-called" wording should be changed to reflect Dumelow's comments? Narutolovehinata5 tccsdnew 10:12, 10 March 2019 (UTC)
 * But the "so-called" actually reflects Dumelow's comments. Would you please clarify your point if I'm wrong? --Z 12:17, 14 March 2019 (UTC)
 * I meant that right now the use of the words "so-called" seems ambiguous: it would seem to imply that the group never existed, when in fact it refers to the debates on what they actually were. Narutolovehinata5 tccsdnew 13:20, 14 March 2019 (UTC)
 * What about using quotation marks for "scythian archers" instead? --Z 13:40, 14 March 2019 (UTC)
 * Not sure to be honest. Do you have any suggestions? Narutolovehinata5 tccsdnew 01:46, 15 March 2019 (UTC)
 * Another suggestion: "that the armed group Scythian archers may have functioned as police force in ancient Athens?" --Z 08:51, 15 March 2019 (UTC)
 * Symbol confirmed.svg I don't think the "so-called" is essential - the "may have" covers the ambiguity sufficiently. The hook proposed immediately above is fine.  I would even suggest that "armed group" is omitted as I think it is clear that "archers" are armed - Dumelow (talk) 09:58, 15 March 2019 (UTC)