Togarmahite Nation
Togarmah was a northern people; See Ezekiel 27:14, 38:6. Josephus identifies these people with the Phrygians (see Gomer). Other sources have Barberia (Targum Yonathan; Targum on Chronicles 1:6), which some identify as Germania, Barbara, or Britannia. Indeed there are sources that render Togarmah as Germaniki or Germania (Yerushalmi, Megilla 1:9; Bereshith Rabbah 37; Targum on Ezekiel 38:6). There are other sources that identify Togarmah with the Armenians (Keseth HaSofer) or Turks (Abarbanel). Indeed, in a modern sense, Togarmah is used for Turkey. The name Togarmah corresponds to Tegarma, found in cuneiform inscriptions, referring to an area near Carchemish in Armenia.
Page 19 of "The Jews of Khazaria" by Kevin a. Brook (1999) says that Togarmah's children were
- Uygur,
- Tiros,
- Avar,
- Hun,
- Barsil,
- Zarna (Tarniakh),
- Kozar (Khazar),
- Sanar,
- Bulgar,
- and Sabir.
Also in his letters, King Joseph ben Aaron, the ruler of the Khazars, writes: "You ask us also in your epistle: "Of what people, of what family, and of what tribe are you?" Know that we are descended from Japhet, through his son Togarmah. I have found in the genealogical books of my ancestors that Togarmah had ten sons. These are their names:
- the eldest was Ujur (Agiôr - Uyghur),
- the second Tauris (Tirôsz - Tauri),
- the third Avar (Avôr - Avar),
- the fourth Uauz (Ugin - Oghuz),
- the fifth Bizal (Bizel - Pecheneg),
- the sixth Tarna,
- the seventh Khazar (Khazar),
- the eighth Janur (Zagur),
- the ninth Bulgar (Balgôr - Bulgar),
- the tenth Sawir (Szavvir/Szabir - Sabir)."[1]
This similarity might confirm a connection of origins between Anatolian and Caucasus peoples.
In Jewish sources too Togarmah is listed as the father of the Turkic peoples: The medieval Jewish scholar: Joseph ben Gorion lists in his Josippon the ten sons of Togarma as follows:
- Ungari (either the Hungarians or the Oghurs/Onogurs)
- Tilmac (Tilmic/Tirôsz - Tauri)."
- Kozar (the Khazars)
- Pacinak (the Pechenegs)
- Aliqanosz (the Alans)
- Bulgar (the Bulgars)
- Turqi (possibly the Kökturks)
- Buz (the Oghuz)
- Zabuk
- Ragbiga (Ragbina, Ranbona)
In the Chronicles of Jerahmeel, they are listed as:
- Ugar (either the Hungarians or the Oghurs/Onogurs)
- Tulmes (Tirôsz - Tauri)
- Cuzar (the Khazars)
- Pasinaq (the Pechenegs)
- Alan (the Alans)
- Bulgar (the Bulgars)
- Turq (possibly the Kökturks)
- Buz (the Oghuz)
- Zakhukh
- Kanbinah
Another medieval rabbinic work, the Book of Jasher, further corrupts these same names into:
- Ongal (Hungarians or Oghurs/Onogurs)
- Tilmaz (Tirôsz - Tauri).
- Buzar (the Khazars)
- Parzunac (the Pechenegs)
- Elicanum (the Alans)
- Balgar (the Bulgars)
- Tarki (the Kökturks)
- Bid (the Oghuz)
- Zebuc
- Ragbib
In Arabic records, Togorma's tribes are these:
- Andsar (Ajhar)
- Talmisz (Tirôsz - Tauri)
- Khazar (the Khazars)
- Badsanag (the Pechenegs)
- Asz-alân (the Alans)
- Bulghar (the Bulgars)
- Fitrakh (Kotrakh?) (Ko-etrakh. Etrakh means turks [possibly Gokturks])
- Adzîgher (Adzhigardak?).
- Zabub
- Nabir
The Arabic account however, also adds an 11th clan: Anszuh.