AHC: Agricultural Scythians (or Sarmatians)

Would it be possible for the Scythians or later on Sarmatians to adopt an agricultural lifestyle in the area of modern day Ukraine?

*Edited for more clarity*

What I am concerned with is *how* the *majority* of Scythians (or Sarmatians) would develop agricultural practices. They don't necessarily have to be completely settled, semi-nomadic is also fine.
 
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krieger

Banned
Herodotus mentioned, that among Scythians there were 'ploughmen' so it is OTL.

But Scythian in the broader meaning was rather an umbrella term than an description of the ethinicity, and genetic studies shown that Scythians from area where these "ploughmen" lived were most similar to modern-day eastern Poles and western Ukrainians. So it's more probable that they were early Slavs than real, Iranic-speaking Scythians.
 
Sure. And then they'd be rolled over by the next wave of horse nomads.

I should have phrased my question more properly. I am mostly concerned with *how* such a development would arise without any regards to weather or not it would last or what the effects of said development would be. I also want a scenario where the majority if not all have abandoned their nomadic lifestyle in favoured of a more settled lifestyle. I would, however, also be content with them being semi-nomadic :)
 
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Some sort of overpopulation leading to them adopting agriculture as a way of avoiding starvation? (Would probably require a powerful sedentary state in the Balkans/Danube region to stop them doing the usual nomad thing of migrating there.)
 
If you want how, being forced into the Caucasus and having to pick up farming, as it's lousy horse country. Like the Alan's turning sedentary and becoming Ossetians.
 
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