Eastern tribes. Eastern Slavs and Their Neighbors - Knowledge Hypermarket
The Eastern Slavs are a large group of kindred peoples, which today numbers more than 300 million people. The history of the formation of these peoples, their traditions, faith, relations with other states are important moments in history, since they answer the question of how our ancestors appeared in antiquity.
Origin
The question of the origin of the Eastern Slavs is interesting. This is our history with you and our ancestors, the first mention of which dates back to the beginning of our era. If we talk about archaeological excavations, then scientists find artifacts indicating that the nationality began to form even before our era.
All Slavic languages belong to a single Indo-European group. Its representatives stood out as a nationality in about the 8th millennium BC. The ancestors of the Eastern Slavs (and many other peoples) lived near the shores of the Caspian Sea. Around the 2nd millennium BC, the Indo-European group split into 3 nationalities:
- Pro-Germans (Germans, Celts, novels). Filled in Western and Southern Europe.
- Balto Slavs. They settled between the Vistula and the Dnieper.
- Iranian and Indian peoples. They settled in Asia.
Around the 5th century BC, the Balotoslavians are divided into Balts and Slavs, already in the 5th century AD, the Slavs, in short, are divided into eastern (eastern Europe), western (central Europe) and southern (Balkan Peninsula).
Today, the Eastern Slavs include: Russians, Belarusians and Ukrainians.
The invasion of the Hunnic tribes into the Black Sea region in the 4th century destroyed the Greek and Scythian states. Many historians call this fact the root cause of the future creation of the ancient state by the Eastern Slavs.
Historical reference
Resettlement
An important question is how the development of new territories by the Slavs took place, and how their resettlement took place in general. There are 2 main theories of the appearance of the Eastern Slavs in Eastern Europe:
- Autochthonous. Assumes that the Slavic ethnos was originally formed on the East European Plain. The theory was put forward by the historian B. Rybakov. There are no significant arguments in its favor.
- Migration. Assumes that the Slavs migrated from other regions. Soloviev and Klyuchevsky argued that the migration was from the Danube territory. Lomonosov spoke about migration from the Baltic territory. There is also a theory of migration from the regions of Eastern Europe.
Approximately in the 6-7 centuries, the Eastern Slavs settled in the territory of Eastern Europe. They settled in the territory from Ladoga and Lake Ladoga in the North and to the Black Sea coast in the south, from the Carpathian Mountains in the West to the Volga regions in the East.
Thirteen tribes lived on this territory. Some sources speak about 15 tribes, but these data do not find historical confirmation. In ancient times, the Eastern Slavs consisted of 13 tribes: Vyatichi, Radimichi, Polyana, Polochans, Volynians, Ilmen, Dregovichi, Drevlyans, Ukhodi, Tivertsi, Northerners, Krivichi, Duleby.
The specificity of the settlement of the Eastern Slavs on the East European Plain:
- Geographic. There are no natural barriers that make it easier to move.
- Ethnic. A large number of people with different ethnic composition lived and migrated on the territory.
- Sociability. The Slavs settled near captivity and unions, which could have an impact on the ancient state, but on the other hand could share their culture.
Map of the settlement of the Eastern Slavs in antiquity
Tribes
The main tribes of the Eastern Slavs in antiquity are presented below.
Glade... The most numerous tribe, which was strong on the banks of the Dnieper, south of Kiev. It was the glade that became the drainage of the formation of the ancient Russian state. According to the chronicle, in 944 they stopped calling themselves glades, and began to use the name Rus.
Slovenian Ilmen... The northernmost tribe that settled around Novgorod, Ladoga and Lake Peipsi. According to Arab sources, it was the Ilmeni, together with the Krivichs, who formed the first state - Slavia.
Krivichi... They settled north of the Western Dvina and in the upper Volga. The main cities are Polotsk and Smolensk.
Polochans... They settled south of the Western Dvina. A minor tribal alliance that did not play an important role in getting the Eastern Slavs to form a state.
Dregovichi... They lived between the upper reaches of the Neman and the Dnieper. They mainly settled along the Pripyat River. All that is known about this tribe is that they had their own principality, the main city of which was Turov.
Drevlyans... They settled south of the Pripyat River. The main city of this tribe was Iskorosten.
Volynians... They settled more closely than the Drevlyans in the headwaters of the Vistula.
White Croats... The westernmost tribe, which was located between the Dniester and Vistula rivers.
Duleby... They were located east of the White Croats. One of the weakest tribes that did not last long. They voluntarily became part of the Russian state, having previously disintegrated into Buzhan and Volynian.
Tivertsy... They occupied the territory between the Prut and the Dniester.
Uglich... They settled between the Dniester and the Southern Bug.
Northerners... They mainly occupied the territory adjoining the Desna River. The center of the tribe was the city of Chernigov. In the future, several cities were formed on this territory at once, which are known today, for example, Bryansk.
Radimichi... They settled between the Dnieper and Desna. In 885 they were annexed to the Old Russian state.
Vyatichi... They were located along the sources of the Oka and Don. According to the chronicle, the ancestor of this tribe was the legendary Vyatko. At the same time, already in the 14th century, there are no mentions of the Vyatichi in the annals.
Tribal unions
The Eastern Slavs had 3 strong tribal alliances: Slavia, Kuyavia and Artania.
In relations with other tribes and countries, the Eastern Slavs attempted to capture raids (mutual) and trade. Most of the connections were with:
- Byzantine Empire (raids of the Slavs and mutual trade)
- Varangians (Varangian raids and mutual trade).
- Avars, Bulgars and Khazars (raids on the Slavs and mutual trade). These tribes are often called Türks or Türks.
- Fino-Ugrians (the Slavs tried to seize their territory).
What did you do
The Eastern Slavs were mainly engaged in agriculture. The specifics of their settlement determined the methods of cultivating the land. In the southern regions, as well as in the Dnieper region, chernozem soil prevailed. Here the land was used for up to 5 years, after which it was exhausted. Then people moved to another area, and the exhausted one recovered for 25-30 years. This farming method is called transient .
The northern and central regions of the East European Plain were characterized by a large number of forests. Therefore, the ancient Slavs first cut down the forest, burned it, fertilized the soil with ash, and only then proceeded to field work. Such a site was fertile for 2-3 years, after which it was left and moved on to the next. This method of farming is called slash-and-burn .
If we try to briefly describe the main activities of the Eastern Slavs, then the list will be as follows: agriculture, hunting, fishing, bee-keeping (collecting honey).
The main agricultural culture among the Eastern Slavs in ancient times was millet. The skins of the marten were mainly used by the Eastern Slavs as money. Much attention was paid to the development of crafts.
Beliefs
The beliefs of the ancient Slavs are called paganism, because many gods were worshiped. Mostly deities were associated with natural phenomena. Almost every phenomenon or important component of life, which the Eastern Slavs professed, had a corresponding god. For example:
- Perun - the god of lightning
- Yarilo - the sun god
- Stribog - god of the wind
- Volos (Veles) - patron saint of pastoralists
- Mokosh (Makosh) - the goddess of fertility
- Etc
The ancient Slavs did not build temples. They performed rituals in groves, glades, stone idols and other places. Attention is drawn to the fact that almost all fairy tale folklore in terms of mysticism refers specifically to the era under study. In particular, the Eastern Slavs believed in a goblin, a brownie, mermaids, a mermaid, and others.
How did the occupations of the Slavs reflect in paganism? It was paganism, which was based on admiration for the elements and elements that affect fertility, that formed the attitude of the Slavs to agriculture as to the main way of life.
Social order
§ 3. Eastern Slavs and their neighbors.
The ancient Russian chronicle "The Tale of Bygone Years" can tell a lot about the settlement of the East Slavic tribes. She tells us about the glades that lived in the Middle Dnieper region near Kiev, their neighbors - the Drevlyans, who settled in the swampy and wooded Pripyat Polesie. On the northern tip of the East Slavic world lived the Ilmen Slovenes, who settled along the shores of Lake Ilmen; Dregovichi lived between Pripyat and Western Dvina; their neighbors were the Krivichi, a huge array of which eventually split into three branches: the Krivichi of Smolensk, Polotsk and Pskov; the neighbors of the meadows on the side of the steppe were the northerners, the Radimichi lived in the basin of the Sozh River, and the Vyatichi lived in the basin of the Oka. On the southernmost tip of the East Slavic territory, almost on the Black Sea coast, Ulic and Tivertsy settled.
For a long time, historians did not trust this chronicle geographical scheme, but archeology at the beginning of the 20th century confirmed it. Helped here ... women's jewelry. It turned out that one of the most common types of women's jewelry among the Eastern Slavs - temporal rings, differs throughout the Russian Plain. It turned out that certain varieties of these ornaments correspond to a certain settlement of one or another East Slavic "tribe". Later, these observations were confirmed by the study of other elements of the material culture of the Eastern Slavs.
Settling over such a vast space, the Eastern Slavs collided, entered into one or another relationship with the peoples who inhabited Eastern Europe before them or came here at the same time. It is known that the Balts lived up to the area of modern Moscow, as evidenced by the study of toponyms (geographical names), which are very stable, persisting for centuries. The regions of the northeast were inhabited by the Finno-Ugrians, and the Iranian-speaking tribes, the descendants of the Sarmatians already known to us, have long lived in the south. Military clashes gave way to periods of peaceful relations, assimilation processes took place: the Slavs seemed to draw these peoples into themselves, but they themselves changed, acquiring new skills, new elements of material culture. Synthesis, interaction of cultures is the most important phenomenon of the time of settlement of the Slavs across the Russian Plain, perfectly illustrated by the data of archaeological excavations.
Relations with those ethnic groups that were able to create already quite strong alliances of tribes or even early state formations were more complicated. One of these formations in the middle of the 7th century. was created by the Bulgarians. As a result of internal troubles and external pressure, part of the Bulgarians, led by Khan Asparukh, migrated to the Danube, where they subdued the local South Slavic tribes. Another part of the Bulgarians, led by Khan Batbai, moved to the northeast and settled in the middle reaches of the Volga and on the lower Kama, creating the state of Bulgaria. This state has long been a real threat to the Eastern Slavs.
The Khazars were also Turkic tribes, who in the second half of the 7th century. began to crowd out the Bulgarians. Over time, they also settle on the ground, create their own early state formation, which covered vast territories of the North Caucasus, the Lower Volga region, the Northern Black Sea region and part of the Crimea. The center of the Khazar Kaganate, as this formation began to be called (the Khazar ruler was called Kagan), was located in the lower reaches of the Volga. There were not so many ethnic Khazars-Turks, the main population was representatives of the so-called Saltov-Mayatsk culture, which consisted of representatives of the multi-ethnic population of Eastern Europe, including the Slavs. Basically, the population of the Kaganate was pagan, but the Khazar elite converted to Judaism. Part of the East Slavic tribes, adjacent to the (very vague) borders of the Kaganate, had, according to the chronicle, to pay tribute to the Khazars.
A formidable danger for the Eastern Slavs also loomed from the northwest. The scanty land of the Scandinavian Peninsula pushed to Europe large detachments of "seekers of glory and prey, fools of the seas" - the Normans, who were called the Varangians in Russia. At the head of the detachments were the Vikings, who came mostly from noble families. Hardened in battles and sea voyages, armed with an effective weapon - an ax with a pointed bayonet, the Normans were a terrible danger for many European countries. The peak of the Varangian raids on the Slavic territories falls on the IX century.
In the struggle against the enemies, the military organization of the Slavic population grew stronger, which goes back to the depths of centuries. Like many other peoples, this is a centenary system, when each tribe nominated a hundred warriors led by a "sotsky", and the alliance of tribes was supposed to, most likely, exhibit a thousand, from where the position of "tysyatsky" comes from. The prince was one of the military leaders. The word "prince" is a common Slavic word, borrowed, according to linguists, from the Old German language. This word originally meant the head of the clan, the elder. From the sources we know about the tribal chiefs-princes. Over time, with the growth of the population, the tribe, subdivided into several clans, broke up into a number of related tribes, which formed a tribal union. Such tribal unions were most likely the chronicle "tribes" of the Polyans, Drevlyans, Dregovichs, etc. At the head of these unions were the leaders, towering over the leaders of the individual tribes that were part of the union.
Historical evidence of such princes is contained in the chronicle legend about Kie and his descendants. The chronicle says: "And still brothers (Kiy, Schek and Khoriv. - Auth.) Keep their reign more often in the fields, and in the Drevlyans, their own, and their Dregovichi, and their Slovenia in Novgorod, and the other in Polot, others like Polotsk residents ".
The Arab historian Masudi reports on the ancient Slavic prince Madjak, and the Gothic historian Jordan, already known to us, on Prince God. Thus, in addition to the leaders of the tribes, there were also the leaders of the tribal unions. These princes had different functions. The prince of the tribe could be elected for a time, during the period of hostilities. His power is small compared to that of the leader of the tribal union. The power of the latter is constant, the functions are more varied. Such a prince had to deal with the internal construction of the union, collect, organize and lead an army, be in charge of foreign policy as a whole. These princes also performed some religious and judicial functions. In this they were assisted by the council of elders, or, as it is often called by ancient Russian monuments, the elders of the city (the chronicles use the terms "elders" and "elders of the city" as equivalent). In the annalistic messages, the elders of the city act as the plenipotentiary leaders of the society, with whom the princes were forced to reckon. Even in the second half of the 10th century. - the turning point of the reign of Vladimir - they still participated in the management and influenced the course of events. The elders-advisers took part in the princely duma, princely feasts, which performed an important social function - communication of the population with the prince. The elders of the city were the tribal nobility who were engaged in civil affairs.
In military affairs, the prince was helped by the squad. It also originates in the depths of the primitive communal system, without in any way violating the pre-class social structure. The squad merged with the prince and, like the prince, performed certain socially useful functions. The prince among the warriors was not a lord, but the first among equals.
Another important element of the socio-political structure was the veche. Tribal vecheas - popular assemblies - arise in ancient times. The Byzantine historian-writer Procopius of Caesarea (6th century) wrote about them, narrating about the ants and sklavens. The study of the oldest documents about the veche indicates that the entire population, including the nobility, participated in it. The People's Assembly operated continuously throughout the 9th-11th centuries, but over time, as tribal ties disintegrated, it intensified. The fact is that tribal ties fetter a person, generic protection, which in ancient times was a blessing for any member of the clan, eventually becomes a brake on the development of democratic government.
This triad - the prince, the council of elders, and the popular assembly - can be found in many societies that have experienced an archaic stage of development.
When starting a conversation about the Eastern Slavs, it is very difficult to be unambiguous. There are practically no sources that tell about the Slavs in antiquity. Many historians come to the opinion that the process of the origin of the Slavs began in the second millennium BC. It is also believed that the Slavs are a separate part of the Indo-European community.
But the region where the ancestral home of the ancient Slavs was located has not yet been determined. Historians and archaeologists continue to debate where the Slavs came from. Most often it is argued, and Byzantine sources say about this, that the Eastern Slavs already in the middle of the 5th century BC lived in the territory of Central and Eastern Europe. It is also generally accepted that they were divided into three groups:
The Veneds (lived in the Vistula River basin) - Western Slavs.
The Sklavins (lived between the upper reaches of the Vistula, Danube and Dniester) are the southern Slavs.
Anty (lived between the Dnieper and Dniester) - Eastern Slavs.
All historical sources characterize the ancient Slavs as people with will and love for freedom, characterized by temperament, strong character, endurance, courage, solidarity. They were hospitable to strangers, had pagan polytheism and thoughtful rituals. Initially, there was no particular fragmentation among the Slavs, since the tribal unions had similar language, customs and laws.
Territories and tribes of the Eastern Slavs
An important question is how the development of new territories by the Slavs and their resettlement in general took place. There are two main theories of the appearance of the Eastern Slavs in Eastern Europe.
One of them was put forward by the famous Soviet historian, academician B. A. Rybakov. He believed that the Slavs originally lived on the East European Plain. But the famous historians of the XIX century S. M. Soloviev and V. O. Klyuchevsky believed that the Slavs moved from the territories near the Danube.
The final settlement of the Slavic tribes looked like this:
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Tribes |
Places of resettlement |
Cities |
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The most numerous tribe that settled on the banks of the Dnieper and south of Kiev |
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Slovenian Ilmen |
Settlement around Novgorod, Ladoga and Lake Peipsi |
Novgorod, Ladoga |
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North of the Western Dvina and the upper Volga |
Polotsk, Smolensk |
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Polochans |
South of the Western Dvina |
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Dregovichi |
Between the upper reaches of the Neman and the Dnieper, along the Pripyat river |
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Drevlyans |
South of the Pripyat River |
Iskorosten |
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Volynians |
They settled south of the Drevlyans, at the headwaters of the Vistula |
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White Croats |
The westernmost tribe, settled between the Dniester and Vistula rivers |
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Lived east of the white Croats |
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Territory between Prut and Dniester |
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Between the Dniester and the Southern Bug |
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Northerners |
Territories along the Desna river |
Chernihiv |
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Radimichi |
They settled between the Dnieper and Desna. In 885 they joined the Old Russian state |
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Along the sources of the Oka and Don |
Activities of the Eastern Slavs
Agriculture, which was associated with the characteristics of local soils, must be attributed to the main occupations of the Eastern Slavs. Arable farming was widespread in the steppe regions, and slash-and-burn agriculture was practiced in the forests. Arable land was quickly depleted, and the Slavs moved to new territories. Such farming required a lot of labor, even small plots were difficult to cultivate, and the harsh continental climate did not allow relying on high yields.
Nevertheless, even in such conditions, the Slavs sowed several varieties of wheat and barley, millet, rye, oats, buckwheat, lentils, peas, hemp, and flax. Turnips, beets, radishes, onions, garlic, and cabbage were grown in the gardens.
Bread was the staple food. The ancient Slavs called him "zhito", which was associated with the Slavic word "live".
Livestock was raised in Slavic farms: cows, horses, sheep. Trades were of great help: hunting, fishing and beekeeping (collecting wild honey). The fur trade has become widespread. The fact that the Eastern Slavs settled along the banks of rivers and lakes contributed to the emergence of shipping, trade and various crafts that provide products for exchange. Trade routes also contributed to the emergence of large cities and tribal centers.
Social structure and tribal unions
Initially, the Eastern Slavs lived in tribal communities, later they were united into tribes. The development of production, the use of draft power (horses and oxen) contributed to the fact that even a small family could cultivate their allotment. Family ties began to weaken, families began to settle separately and plow new plots of land on their own.
The community remained, but now it included not only relatives, but also neighbors. Each family had its own piece of land to cultivate, its own implements of production and the harvested crop. Private property appeared, but it did not extend to forests, meadows, rivers and lakes. The Slavs used these benefits together.
In the neighboring community, the property status of different families was no longer the same. The best lands began to be concentrated in the hands of elders and military leaders, and they also got most of the spoils from military campaigns.
At the head of the Slavic tribes, wealthy leaders-princes began to appear. They had their own armed detachments - squads, and they also collected tribute from the population under their control. The collection of tribute was called polyudye.
The 6th century is characterized by the unification of Slavic tribes into unions. The most powerful princes in military terms led them. Around these princes, the local nobility gradually strengthened.
One of such tribal unions, as historians believe, was the unification of the Slavs around the Ros (or Rus) tribe, who lived on the Ros River (a tributary of the Dnieper). Later, according to one of the theories of the origin of the Slavs, this name was transferred to all the Eastern Slavs, who received the general name "Rus", and the whole territory became the Russian land, or Rus.
Neighbors of the Eastern Slavs
In the 1st millennium BC in the Northern Black Sea region, the neighbors of the Slavs were the Cimmerians, but after a few centuries they were ousted by the Scythians, who founded their own state on these lands - the Scythian kingdom. Later, the Sarmatians came from the east to the Don and the Northern Black Sea region.
During the Great Migration of Nations, the East German tribes of the Goths passed through these lands, then the Huns. All this movement was accompanied by plunder and destruction, which contributed to the resettlement of the Slavs to the north.
Another factor in the resettlement and formation of the Slavic tribes was the Turks. It was they who formed the Türkic Kaganate on the vast territory from Mongolia to the Volga.
The movement of various neighbors in the southern lands contributed to the fact that the eastern Slavs occupied territories dominated by forest-steppe and swamps. Here communities were created that were more reliably protected from alien raids.
In the VI-IX centuries, the lands of the Eastern Slavs were located from the Oka to the Carpathians and from the Middle Dnieper to the Neva.
Nomad raids
The movement of nomads created a constant danger for the Eastern Slavs. Nomads seized bread, livestock, and burned houses. Men, women and children were taken into slavery. All this required the Slavs to be in constant readiness to repel raids. Every Slavic man was also a part-time warrior. Sometimes the land was plowed with armed forces. History shows that the Slavs successfully coped with the constant onslaught of nomadic tribes and defended their independence.
Customs and beliefs of the Eastern Slavs
The Eastern Slavs were pagans who deified the forces of nature. They worshiped the elements, believed in kinship with various animals, made sacrifices. The Slavs had a clear annual cycle of agricultural holidays in honor of the sun and the change of seasons. All ceremonies were aimed at ensuring high yields, as well as the health of people and livestock. The Eastern Slavs did not have a single idea of God.
The ancient Slavs did not have temples. All ceremonies were carried out at stone idols, in groves, in glades and in other places revered by them as sacred. We must not forget that all the heroes of fairytale Russian folklore come from that time. Goblin, brownie, mermaids, mermaids, and other characters were well known to the Eastern Slavs.
In the divine pantheon of the Eastern Slavs, the following gods occupied the leading places. Dazhbog is the god of the Sun, sunlight and fertility, Svarog is the blacksmith god (according to some sources, the supreme god of the Slavs), Stribog is the god of wind and air, Mokosh is a female goddess, Perun is the god of lightning and war. A special place was given to the god of earth and fertility Veles.
The main pagan priests of the Eastern Slavs were the Magi. They performed all the rituals in the sanctuaries, turned to the gods with various requests. The Magi made various male and female amulets with different spell symbols.
Paganism was a clear reflection of the occupations of the Slavs. It was the admiration for the elements and everything connected with it that determined the attitude of the Slavs to agriculture as the main way of life.
Over time, the myths and meanings of pagan culture began to be forgotten, but much has survived to this day in folk art, customs, and traditions.
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Great migration of the Slavs (VI-VII centuries)
1. What event that took place at the turn of ancient times and the Middle Ages unites such historical and geographical concepts: Europe, Asia, Scandinavia, Huns, Goths, Antes, Slavs, barbarians, Avars, Danube, Dniester, Dnieper, III-VII centuries? Give it a definition.
1. Slavs during the Great Nations Migration
In the III-VII centuries. n. NS. there were processes called by historians the Great Migration of Peoples. These were massive movements (migration) of Germanic, Slavic, Sarmatian and other tribes, as well as their invasion of the territory of the Roman Empire. The Great Migration of Nations marked the beginning of the formation of modern peoples on the lands where they live to this day. This period is considered the border between the history of the Ancient World and the Middle Ages.
What were the reasons for the Great Nations Migration?
There are several of them. Among them are climate changes affecting crop yields, which, in turn, entailed quantitative changes in the population. One should also take into account the successes in the development of agriculture after the introduction of iron tools of labor, which contributed to an increase in the number of people and led to overpopulation of certain territories.
Another group of reasons includes processes within the tribes: the struggle for power and the displacement of the conquered outside their lands, the formation of a military nobility eager to seize prey and new territories under its control.
The Great Migration of Peoples began with the movement to the south of the Germanic tribes of the Goths. In the first half of the 3rd century. the Goths came through the lands of the Slavs to the Northern Black Sea region. Gothic tribes settled in the lower reaches of the Dnieper. They were called Ostrogoths (Eastern Goths). Part of the Goths settled between the Dnieper and the Danube. These tribes were called the Visigoths (Western Goths).
Anty- Slavic tribes, which in the IV century. settled on the territory between the Dniester and Dnieper rivers. The last mention of antes in written sources dates back to 602.
From the ancient authors we find information that around 260 the Goths captured a number of ancient cities: Olbia, Tira and the Bosporan state. They formed their state to the north of the Black Sea. The Eastern Slavs created a union - the Union of Antes, which had certain signs of a state.
Huns- Turkic-speaking nomadic tribes, in the IV century. who came from the east to the Northern Black Sea region,
Slavs-Antes led a sedentary lifestyle, were engaged in agriculture, cattle breeding, fishing, hunting, beekeeping. They owned various crafts, in particular, they made iron products (not only weapons, but also agricultural implements), were good jewelers and potters; conducted an active trade, going on trips to distant countries for this. Ancient authors testify that the Antes were
allies of the Huns and in the fight against the Goths, and in their campaigns against Byzantium. In the IV century. the Goths, defeated by the Huns, retreated to the Lower Danube, and some of them to the Crimea.
Into the erudite's notebook
After the Goths invaded the lands of the Antes, the Antic leader of God (IV century) formed a powerful army and marched against the enemy. The war dragged on for several years. In its first period, the Antes completely defeated the Goths, but in vain they rejoiced at their victory. After all, soon (in 375) the Gothic leader Vinitarius gathered a new army and again attacked them. This time the Goths won. Their reprisal against the Antes was cruel - they killed many, took them into captivity. God, his sons and 70 elders captured, tortured and destroyed. But Vinitarius did not have time to fully enjoy the fruits of the victory: in 376 he was defeated by the Huns. And for a long time, the people sang God in songs, as evidenced by a unique monument of ancient Russian literature - "The Lay of Igor's Campaign", which you will get to know a little later.
Hun rider
What does this drawing indicate?
In the V century. the tribes of the Huns reached the highest power. For a long time, they, led by Attila (434-453), ruled over all of Eastern and Central Europe. The Roman Empire and Byzantium were forced to pay off the Huns with gold. After the death of Attila in 453, the state of the Huns began to decline and subsequently finally collapsed. The Huns scattered over different territories.
In the VI century. Slavic tribes encountered nomads - Avars. They moved to the territory of modern Ukraine from Central Asia, and in 558 they attacked the population of the Azov region. It is known that in the 550s - early 560s. the Avars devastated the lands of the Antes. On the territory of the former Roman province of Pannonia (part of today's Hungary), the Avars created in the middle of the 6th century. your state. It was called the Avar Kaganate. In the VII JX centuries. the Avar state gradually fell into decay. This was partly the result of unsuccessful wars with Byzantium, Franks and Slavs. In the VII century. the Slavs completely ousted the Avars from the Northern Black Sea region.
As you can see, in the maelstrom of the events of the Great Migration of Nations, our ancestors - the Slavs - not only did not dissolve among other tribes, but also expanded their territories.
Avars- nomads, united in a large tribal union, the main part of which were Turkic-speaking tribes.
Kaganate- a state among the Turkic peoples, headed by a kagan.
2. Resettlement of the tribal unions of the Eastern Slavs on the territory of Ukraine
The great migration of the Slavs in the middle of the 1st millennium A.D. BC) is a component of a large-scale historical process - the Great Migration of Nations. The Romans Pliny, Cornelius Tacitus (I-II centuries AD), the Greek Ptolemy wrote about the Slavs in their scientific works. They noted that the lands of the Slavic tribes are located between the rivers Laba (Elba), Vistula and Dnieper, and called them Wends. Byzantine historians of the IV century. n. NS. the Slavs are called differently: antes, sklavins (sklavens).
As a result of the settlement, tribes of the eastern, western and southern Slavs were formed, on the basis of which numerous Slavic peoples later arose.
Having mastered the left bank of the Dnieper, the Slavs are gradually settling in the northern and northeastern lands, previously occupied by the Balts and Finno-Ugric peoples. On a large territory - from the Carpathians to the upper Volga - East Slavic tribes and tribal unions are formed. These new formations, unlike the previous ones - Sklavins and Antes, already unite a dozen different tribal groups. This is evidenced by our oldest chronicle "The Tale of Bygone Years", which mentions 15 tribal unions. Dregovichi, Radimichi, Vyatichi, Polochans, Krivichi and Ilmen slovens settled on the territory of modern Belarus and Russia. The tribal associations, from which the Ukrainian people were later formed, were: glades, Drevlyans, northerners, Tivertsy, Uchiha, Volhynians, Dulebs and White Croats.
Balts- the tribes that inhabited in the 1st millennium AD. NS. the territory from the southwestern Baltic to the upper Dnieper region, as well as the basin of the river. Oka.
Finno-Ugric- the tribes that settled to the northeast of the territories in which the Eastern Slavs lived.
The main directions of settlement of the Slavs
1. Danube, Balkan Peninsula (VI VII centuries)
2. Free after the resettlement of the Germans land, within the river. Laba (Tatra Mountains, Sudetes, Baltic Sea coast)
3. The left bank of the Dnieper, between the Pripyat and the Western Dvina, the basin of the upper Oka (VIII-IX centuries)
This is how the famous Ukrainian artist G. Yakutovych portrayed the ancient Slavs, who illustrated the retelling of the "Tale of Bygone Years" by Nestor the Chronicler
Look closely at the tree map in the picture and find the names of the Slavic tribal unions.
- The names of which tribal unions did the artist not include in the drawing?
- Where would you label them?
Resettlement of East Slavic tribes within Ukraine
| Tribal union | Settlement area | Political center |
| Glade | Middle Dnieper, between the Teterev and Rosyu rivers | Kiev City |
| Drevlyans | Southern basin of the rivers Pripyat, Goryn, western bank of the Dnieper, northern basin of Teterev | Iskorosten |
| Northerners | East of the middle reaches of the Dnieper, the basin of the lower Desna, Sula, Pela and Vorskla up to the upper reaches of the Seversky Donets | Chernigov, Novgorod-Seversky |
| Tivertsy | Between the lower reaches of the Dniester and Prut up to the Black Sea | fortress Belgorod over the Dniester |
| The streets | Between the lower Dniester, the Southern Bug (God) and the Dnieper | the port city of Oleshye in the lower reaches of the Dnieper |
| Volynians, Duleby, Buzhan | River basin Western Bug | Volyn (Volen), Terebovl, Buzhesk |
| White Croats | Carpathians, Upper Dniester basin | Uzhgorod |
Historical sources
Procopius of Caesarea 1 about the life of the Slavs and Antes in the book "War with the Goths"
These tribes, Slavs and Antes, do not obey one person, but have long lived democratically; therefore, about everything that is useful or harmful for them, they reason together. And in almost everything else, both barbarian peoples live the same way. They consider the only God, the Thunderer, to be the ruler of the whole world and sacrifice bulls to him, perform other sacred rituals. Do not recognize the influence of fate at all.
They live in squalid dwellings, far from each other, and often change their place of residence. Going to war, many of them go to the enemy on foot, holding a small shield and darts; they don’t put on shells; some go to battle ... in very short pants that cover only part of the body.
Both barbarians have one language, simple and barbaric; they do not differ from each other in appearance. All these people are tall and extremely strong. Their complexion is not entirely white, their hair is not light brown and does not turn into black, but reddish ...
1. Remember the definition of democracy.
2. What is the name of the Slavic god of thunder mentioned by the author?
3. How, in your opinion, does the author feel about the Slavs and Antas? Which of his statements testify to this?
1 Procopius of Caesarea (VI century AD) - a famous Byzantine historian, author of the "History of the Wars of Justinian" (8 books); advisor to the Byzantine commander Belisarius. He called the tribes living in Volhynia Slavs, and the Dnieper tribes were called Antami.
Eastern Slavs in the 18th - mid 19th century.
3. Neighbors of the East Slavic tribes
Neighboring peoples had a significant impact on the life and social development of the East Slavic tribes.
In the southeast, the neighbors of the eastern Slavs were the Khazars - semi-nomadic tribes of Turkic origin. In the middle of the VI century. in the Caspian and Azov regions, a new state was formed - the Khazar Kaganate. Its capital was at first the city of Semender (on the territory of modern Dagestan), and from the middle of the VIII century. - Itil at the mouth of the Volga. The dominant elite in the Khazarin was predominantly Khazars and Jews. But among the common people were Bulgars, Slavs, and Turks.
The Khazars were a warlike people. They conquered many different tribes, in particular the Alans, Ugrians and Bulgars, who lived in those days on the Volga. The power of the Khazar Kaganate extended to some East Slavic tribes - northerners, Vyatichi, Radimichi. For a long time, up to the 60s. IX century, these tribes had to
pay tribute to the Khazars. The meadows also depended on them. The capital of the Khazar Kaganate was located at the crossroads of international trade routes. The most important was the Volga route, connecting Europe with the countries of Western Asia. The ruling elite of the kaganate enriched themselves by collecting a duty on goods that went in transit through Itil. Another source of enrichment for the Khazar rulers and their henchmen were predatory raids on neighboring peoples.
The Eastern Slavs waged a fierce and long struggle with the Khazars. It began even before the formation of the Kiev state, when, according to the chronicler, instead of a tribute, the glade was given swords to the Khazars.
Itil - the capital of the Khazar state (kaganate); was located on both banks of the Volga and on an island at its mouth; at present - an excavated settlement 15 km north of the city of Astrakhan (Russia); according to ancient descriptions, Itil was surrounded by a five-pointed fortified wall.
N. Roerich Overseas guests
Why did the warriors depicted by the artists put their shields on the sides of the boats?
Drag- the place of the closest approach of two navigable rivers, along which boats and cargo were pulled (dragged) from one river to another.
Starting from the 7th century, the Khazars intensify their expansion, in particular, they captured the Bosporus Strait and built
on both sides of the fortress, and later extended their power to the Crimea. In the middle of the VIII century.
the Khazars captured Sugdeya (now the city of Sudak in the Crimea). There were times when they owned
even Chersonesos. The south of Crimea belonged to Byzantium, here its interests collided with the interests of the Khazars.
In the VI-VII centuries. the Slavs appeared in the Crimea. Consequently, both Khazars and Byzantines were neighbors of the Eastern Slavs in the south.
In the northwest, the neighbors of the eastern Slavs were the Vikings, or Normans (northern people). The Slavs called them Varangians. Their homeland is the lands of modern Denmark, Sweden and Norway. Deprived of inheritance, the younger sons of the clan gathered in bands of robber warriors and went on light sailboats to the southwest - to the shores of England, France, Portugal or to the southeast - to the Slavic lands. Their trade was military robberies and the capture of prisoners, who were later sold into slavery. (You will learn more about this in the history lessons of the Middle Ages).
From the IX century. the Varangians mastered the trade route, called "From the Varangians to the Greeks." From Lake Ilmen along small rivers and dragging their boats to the upper reaches of the Dnieper, and the Dnieper - to the Black Sea and Byzantine possessions. The Varangians - warriors and merchants - played a significant role in the history of the ancient Russian state.
4. Ethnic and state-making processes during the formation of Kievan Rus
The settlement of the Slavs in the territory of modern Ukraine began at the end of the 5th century. and lasted until the 9th century. The Eastern Slavs lived in tribes, which consisted first of clan communities, and later - of neighboring ones. Power in the tribes belonged to the prince, who relied on the support of the warriors. Tribes united in tribal alliances. In the annals it is noted that the East Slavic tribal unions "lived apart and owned their clans, and each lived with his clan in his own place." They all "had their own customs, traditions, and
the laws of their fathers (ancestors), and the covenants, each has its own disposition. " The archeology confirmed the validity of the chronicler's words. Finds of East Slavic antiquities confirm the characteristic local features. They relate to the burial rite, decorations peculiar only to one tribe and not found in others, and the like.
Tribal unions sometimes merged. Such tribal associations did not exist for long, but they were a necessary stage of development on the way to the formation of a state. For example, the first East Slavic pre-state formations on the territory of Ukraine were associated with the residence of the Ants. Subsequently, in the VII century. in Volhynia and in the Carpathian region there was a strong Dulsb association.
In the VIII-IX centuries. tribal unions grew into higher level education - tribal reigns. Such reigns already had most of the signs of a state system.
Prince- the leader of the tribe, with the emergence of the state - its ruler.
Druzhina- in Ancient Russia - armed detachments, the constant military force of the prince.
Temple rings- bronze, silver or gold women's jewelry, which was woven into the hair at the temples or attached to a headdress. They were extremely popular with Eastern Slavs.
Pay attention to modern women's jewelry. Are there such ornaments on them?
Types of ornament typical for the jewelry of the Eastern Slavs
Tribal reigns laid the foundation for the East Slavic statehood.
The most powerful was the tribal reign of the Polyans, which became the center of the formation of the Kiev state.
The chronicle "The Tale of Bygone Years" contains the legend of the founding of Kiev by three brothers: Kiy, Shchek, Horiv and their sister Lybid, who came from the East Slavic tribe of Polyans. Kiy served in Byzantium and there he successfully fought against the Avars. After that, Kiy built the town of Kievets on the Lower Danube, but he did not manage to gain a foothold there. He returned to the Dnieper region and in the second half of the 6th century. on the Kiev hills (Starokievskaya, 24 Zamkovaya Gory) founded the city of Kiev.
This city was founded in the center of the settlement of the East Slavic tribes. North of Kiev, the Desna and Pripyat rivers flow into the Dnieper. Therefore, Kiev became the city-key to the lands in the upper reaches of the Dnieper, Desna and Pripyat. The lands around Kiev were fertile, wooded, which made it possible for the meadows to build dwellings and fortifications, develop agriculture, cattle breeding, and various crafts. The changes that have taken place in economic life have become an important prerequisite for the formation of the state. The Kiev principality was the center around which the ancient Russian state began to form.
The ruler of Novgorod (the center of the North Slavic tribes) - Varangian by origin, Oleg, insidiously killing the Kiev prince Askold and seizing power in Kiev, united the two centers of the East Slavic lands - south and north - Kiev and Novgorod. This is how the state was founded, which received the name Rus.
Later, historians gave it the name "Kievan Rus", and in ancient documents the state was called Rus, and its capital was called Kiev. The majority of the population of Rus were Slavs. Together with them lived the Normans, Balts, Bulgarians, Sarmatians, Ugro-Finns and representatives of other nationalities, together they made up the population of Kievan Rus.
Castle Hill. Historical area of Kiev
Why, in your opinion, in the very center of the capital, where every square meter of land is worth its weight in gold, the people of Kiev have not built up a significant area on the Castle Hill? What role do monuments play in history?
Memorial sign on Starokievskaya mountain in Kiev near the Historical Museum
Where is it from, the Russian land has gone ...
Historical sources
"The Tale of Bygone Years" about the founders of the city of Kiev
The glades lived separately in those days and were ruled by their own families; for even before that brethren there were already glades, and they all lived in their own kind in their places, and each was ruled independently. And there were three brothers: one named Kyi, the other Shchek, and the third Horeb, and their sister Lybid. Kiy sat on the mountain where Borichev is now climbing, and Shchek sat on the mountain, which is now called Schekovitsa, and Khoriv on the third mountain, which was nicknamed by his name Horivitsa. And they built a city in honor of their elder brother, and named it Kiev. There was a forest around the city and a large forest, and they caught animals there, and those men were wise and meaningful, and they were called glades, from them the glade is still in Kiev.
Some, unknowingly, say that Kiy was a carrier; There was, then, at Kiev a transfer from the other side of the Dnieper, which is why they said: "For the transfer to Kiev." If Kiy had been a carrier, he would not have gone to Constantinople; and this Kiy reigned in his family, and he went to the king ...
When he was returning, he came to the Danube, and chose a place, and cut down a small town, and wanted to sit in it with his kin, but those living around him would not give him; and to this day the inhabitants of the Danube city call that settlement - Kievets. Kiy, returning to his city of Kiev, died there; and his brothers Shchek and Horeb and their sister Lybid died.
1. What fragment of the chronicle testifies to the campaigns of Kyi to Byzantium?
2. What do the two chronicle versions of Kei's biography indicate? Could he, but in your opinion, be both a prince and a carrier?
The monument to the founders of Kiev has become the hallmark of the capital of Ukraine. Sculptor V. Boroday
Take a close look at the photo. Describe how a contemporary sculptor portrayed the legendary founders of Kiev. Which one of them, in your opinion, is Kiy? On what grounds did you determine this?
The foundation of Kiev "Kyi, Schek, Khoriv and their sister Lybid ..."
The chronicle gives you an echo of a beautiful legend. The gentle image of Lybid appears in our imagination. Each time we equip the sister of our brothers Kiya, Shchek and Khoryv either for a hunt or for a war. And then, until they returned, she worried about them - dangers awaited people in those days at every step ... But how gladly Lybid met the brothers when they returned home. And most of all, the sister was delighted when the brothers returned home from a distant campaign - from the town of Kievets, which they founded on the Danube. After the stories about the campaign, Kiy vowed to his beloved sister never to leave her for a long time, not to go to distant lands ...
The Eastern Slavs in ancient times were a united group of nationalities, which included thirteen tribes. Each of them had its own characteristics, place of settlement and number.
Tribes of the Eastern Slavs
The table below "Eastern Slavs in antiquity" will give a general idea of which peoples were included in this group and how they differed.
|
Tribe |
Place of settlement |
Features (if any) |
|
On the banks of the Dnieper, south of modern Kiev |
The most numerous of all Slavic tribes, formed the basis of the population of the ancient Russian state |
|
|
Novgorod, Ladoga, Lake Peipsi |
Arab sources indicate that it was they who formed the first Slavic state, united with the Krivichi |
|
|
In the upper Volga and north of the Western Dvina River |
||
|
Polochans |
South of the Western Dvina River |
Minor tribal alliance |
|
Dregovichi |
Between the Dnieper and the upper Neman |
|
|
Drevlyans |
South of Pripyat |
|
|
Volynians |
At the source of the Vistula, south of the Drevlyans |
|
|
White Croats |
Between Vistula and Dniester |
|
|
East of the White Croats |
The weakest Slavic tribe |
|
|
Between Dniester and Prut |
||
|
Between the Dniester and the Southern Bug |
||
|
Northerners |
The area adjacent to the Desna |
|
|
Radimichi |
Between Dnieper and Desna |
Added to the Old Russian state in 855 |
|
Along the Oka and Don |
The ancestor of this tribe is the legendary Vyatko |
Rice. 1. Map of the settlement of the Slavs.
The main occupations of the Eastern Slavs
They mainly cultivated the land. Depending on the region, this resource was used in different ways: for example, in the south, with its rich black soil, the land was sown for five years in a row, and then they moved to another area, giving it a rest. In the north and in the center, at first it was necessary to cut down and burn the forest, and only then grow useful crops on the vacated area. Fertile site was no more than three years. Mainly grain crops and root crops were grown.
The Slavs were also engaged in fishing, hunting and beekeeping. Stable cattle breeding was quite developed: they kept cows, goats, pigs, horses.
Trade played a very important role in the life of the Slavic tribes, which was conducted along the famous route “from the Varangians to the Greeks”. The main “currency” was the skins of martens.
Social system of the Eastern Slavs
The social structure did not differ in complexity: the smallest unit was the family headed by the father, the families united into communities under the leadership of the elder, and the communities already formed a tribe, the important issues of whose life were decided at a national meeting - veche.
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Rice. 2. People's veche.
Belief system of the Eastern Slavs
It was polytheism or, in other words, paganism. The ancient Slavs had a pantheon of deities whom they worshiped. The belief was based on fear or admiration for natural phenomena, which were deified and personified. For example, Perun was the god of thunder, Stribog was the god of the wind, and so on.
Rice. 3. The statue of Perun.
The Eastern Slavs performed rituals in nature, they did not build temples. Statues of deities carved out of stone were placed in meadows and groves.
Also, the Slavs believed in spirits such as mermaids, brownies, goblin, etc., which was later reflected in folklore.
What have we learned?
From the article we learned briefly about the Eastern Slavs in antiquity: tribal division and territories that each tribe occupied, their characteristics and main occupations. They learned that the main among these activities was agriculture, the types of which differed depending on the area, but others were also important, such as cattle breeding, fishing and beekeeping. Clarified that the Slavs were pagans, that is, they believed in the pantheon of gods, and their social system was based on communities.
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