On the allocation of social strata and military elite in the early sarmatian society of the lower volga region in the 4th - 3rd cc. Bc

Introduction. Studying the processes of genesis and development of nomadic peoples on the territory of steppe Eurasia in the early Iron Age demonstrates the complexity and multifacetedness of their political and social organization. The archaeological materials accumulated over the past decades and revealing the presence of social markers in funerary-memorial complexes, have led to an increase of interest in the study of the social structure of ancient societies, in the identification of specific historical features of the formation and functioning of social strata. Methods. The comprehensive methodology has been used for revealing social strata in ancient societies. It allowed carrying out the thorough statistical analysis of the full range of archaeological monuments on this topic and revealing the different levels of social differentiation reflected in material culture. Analysis. To examine the social structure of the Early Sarmatian society and to allocate the military nomadic elite, the materials of 143 funerals from burial mounds of the Lower Volga region have been analyzed. Results. The undertaken research allows asserting that the early Sarmatian society of the Lower Volga region in the 4th - beginning of the 3rd centuries BC had not been strictly stratified.