"Jews had been settled in eastern Europe..., from a very early date. Archaeological evidence shows that they were to be found as early as the first century of the Christian era in the Cimmerian Bosporus.... [Conan was a Cimmerian.] As the years passed, the area of Jewish settlement began to extend,... By slow degrees, the influence of Judaism impressed itself onsome of the semi-barbaric tribes [Conan was a barbarian] and kingdoms of the region, The most important of these were the Khazars.... Early in the eight century, ... the ruling prince ... recognised the merits of Judaism and formally adopted it as his religion. His example was followed by many of the aristocracy.... The governing classes became thoroughly Judaised, their example being followed by many of the ordinary people." (Cecil Roth, Short History of the Jewish People, 3rd edition, 1948, page  287.)