Akatziri

The Akatziri, Akatzirs or Acatiri (Ancient Greek: Άκατίροι, Άκατζίροι, Akatiroi, Akatziroi;[1] Latin: Acatziri) were a tribe that lived north of the Black Sea, though the Crimean city of Cherson seemed to be under their control in the sixth century.

[1][4] However, according to E. A. Thompson, any conjectured connection between the Agathyrsi and the Akatziri should be rejected outright.

[5] Roman emperor Theodosius II (r. 402–450) sent an envoy to the Akatziri trying to detach them from their alliance with the Hunnic ruler Attila (435–453),[6] an effort made to stir up fighting which also ensued.

[9] As the Akatziri tribes and clans were ruled by different leaders, emperor Theodosius II tried with gifts to spread animosity among them, but the gifts were not delivered according to rank, Karadach (Kouridachos), warned and called Attila against fellow leaders.

[17] Omeljan Pritsak links Ak-Katzirs (< Άκατζίροι) to the name Khazar, though he explains that the polity was named Khazar simply because the Ashina-ruled Western Turks, after losing their territories to Tang Chinese, took over the territory formerly occupied by the Akatziri.