The semi-nomadic Kyrgyz are spread throughout western and southern Xinjiang, but there is a significant concentration in the Kizilsu Kyrgyz Autonomous Prefecture, set in the foothills of the Tianshan range which separates them from their kin in the former Soviet republic of Kyrgyzstan. Most Kyrgyz are herdsmen, tending flocks of sheep and camels and, like the Kazakhs, they moved their animals across the mountains according to the season until the Sino-Soviet dispute closed the border. Their language and customs are closely related to those of their Kazakh neighbours.
Although fetal dystocias are sometimes relieved by manipulation and instrumentation, cesarean sections are often the only practical methods of treatment.
It was natural for the Roman slaveowners to employ these captives in activities that would benefit from their knowledge and skills. These activities were harder to monitor than simple physical labor, and carrots worked better than sticks.
