The borders of the settlement of the Eastern Slavs. Map of the settlement of Slavic tribes

Lecture: Peoples and ancient states on the territory of Russia. East Slavic tribes and their neighbors

East Slavic tribes and their neighbors

The Slavic languages belong to the most widespread Indo-European language family in the world. Therefore, the ancient Indo-European community became the basis for the formation of the Slavs and other European peoples (Latvians, Lithuanians, Germans, Greeks, Iranians, etc.). According to one version, it was located in the north of Asia Minor (modern Türkiye). From there, at the turn of the 4th-3rd millennium BC. began the resettlement of modern Europeans, including the Slavs.

The ethnogenesis of the Slavs is the subject of scientific disputes. It used to be believed that the Slavs came from the Danube, but modern researchers argue that the ancestral home of the Slavs is the interfluve of the Vistula and Odra. Here the settlement of Slavic tribes began to the east and south (the Balkan Peninsula). The first mention of nationalities in Russia dates back to the Bronze Age. The Bible, historical documents of Ancient Greece and the writings of Herodotus mention Cimmerians- an alliance of tribes living on the Crimean peninsula and the northern parts of the Black Sea region.

In the Northern Black Sea region of the 7th-6th centuries. BC e. began a large colonization of the Greeks to the west. As a result, many city-states of Chersonese (Sevastopol), Feodosia, Panticapaeum, Phanagria, Olbia, etc. were founded. They were the center of trade in fish, bread, cattle and slaves. In 480 BC. e. Panticapaeum (current name - Kerch) becomes the capital of the Bosporus kingdom - a powerful Greek-barbarian state. At the same time, Iranian-speaking tribes came to the steppe shores of the Black Sea - Scythians. Their main occupation was cattle breeding, agriculture and crafts. Over time until the 4th century AD. they settled throughout the northern Black Sea region, from the Danube to the Don. Their way of life is also described by Herodotus. Later on these lands came Sarmatians, they conquered most of their lands from the Scythians and occupied them with their settlements.

During Great Migration in the IV-VII centuries. n. e. The northern Black Sea region becomes a kind of main route for the movement of peoples from east to west. The hegemony of the Sarmatians in the Black Sea steppes passed to those who came from the Baltic Gotham who came from Germanic tribes. Goths in the 4th century AD created the first known state in Europe - Oyum. Which was soon destroyed by the Huns. The Huns were a nomadic people who lived in the area from the Volga to the Danube. They defeated the Roman cities of the Black Sea region and undermined the prosperity of the Slavs of the Middle Dnieper region, depriving them of the opportunity to export bread. The Huns reached their maximum power during the reign of the leader Attila in the 5th century, and even managed to form a state. But after the death of Attila, due to internecine wars between the heirs and other leaders, the state quickly disintegrated, the Huns went beyond the Dnieper. And the Slavs moved in their place and massively invaded the Balkan Peninsula.

As a result of the Great Migration of Peoples, a single Slavic community broke up into three branches: Western, Southern and Eastern Slavs, which in our time are represented by such peoples:

Western Slavs (Poles, Czechs, Slovaks, Lusatian Serbs);
southern Slavs (Bulgarians, Serbs, Croats, Macedonians, Slovenes, Montenegrins, Bosnian Muslims);
Eastern Slavs (Russians, Ukrainians, Belarusians).

They settled in the territory of Central, Eastern and South-Eastern Europe.

All Slavic tribes occupied a significant part of the territory of the East European Plain. The Eastern Slavs settled in the west from the Carpathians to the northern territories of the Dnieper in the east, from Lake Ladoga in the north to the Middle Dnieper in the south. The names of the tribes are associated with their habitat (glade - field, Drevlyans - tree - forests, Dregovichi - dryagva - swamp). Polans and Slovenes were the largest in terms of population and area.

Neighbors of the East Slavic tribes

The neighbors of the Slavs were not too numerous Finno-Ugric and Baltic tribes. In the north, they coexisted with the peoples of the Finno-Ugric group: the whole, Merya, Muroma, Chud, Mordva, Mari. The East Slavic tribes were more numerous and more developed, so many neighboring tribes became part of them. But not only the Slavs taught their neighbors, the Finno-Ugric tribes instilled in the Slavs many of their beliefs, as well as the Baltic ones.

"The Tale of Bygone Years" by Nestor preserved the news of the "tormenting" of the Slavic tribes by "obrams". We are talking about Avars- nomadic people of Central Asian origin. Which in VIv. AD moved to Central Europe, creating in it their own state, the Avar Khaganate (on the territory of present-day Hungary). This state controlled the whole of Eastern Europe, including the Slavic lands. To protect against the constant raids of the Avars, the Slavs began to make weapons, the men gathered the militia. At the end of the 8th century The state of the Avars was destroyed by the Hungarian troops.

Another neighboring nomadic tribes are the Khazars. Came in the 7th century. also from Asia, settled in the south of the Volga. Where they formed the largest state in Eastern Europe - the Khazar Khaganate (which included the northern territories of the Black Sea region, the Crimean peninsula, the North Caucasus, the Lower Volga region and the Caspian region). Under oppression and constant raids, the Slavs who lived on the territory of the steppes had to pay tribute to them, mostly in furs. True, the Khazar state allowed the Slavs to trade along the Volga trade route. Destroyed in the X century by the Russian army.

The Vikings played an important role in the life of the Eastern Slavs. Through the territory of the Eastern Slavs, the most important trade route passed, which connected Scandinavia and Byzantium. Northern neighbors, in addition to economic impact, also had political influence. The Norman theory says that it was the people from Scandinavia who gave the Eastern Slavs statehood. In the life of the Slavs, the role of Byzantium was also great, which was one of the largest trade, economic, cultural and religious centers of the 9th century.

March 24th, 2014

I wanted to do without the introduction, but it hurt. So, over the past few weeks, I have heard so many new things about the history of Russia, Ukraine and neighboring states that I decided to collect classical views on this issue in one place. Classical in the sense that they are included in textbooks and reference books. No one claims that this is exactly what happened. History is a living science, discoveries are made, if not every day, then at least with enviable frequency. I’m not even talking about the fiery debates that are going on in the professional historical community on such questions that are clear to everyone who has read a school textbook or Wikipedia, such as “The Beginning of Rus'”, “The Emergence of a Centralized Moscow State”, etc. However, in any case, at this stage in the development of historical science, a certain informational “basis” was developed, with which one can argue in detail, but, nevertheless, it represents a certain scientific consensus.

By the way, the discrepancies between historians, whether they are Belarusians, Ukrainians or Russians, are much smaller than it usually seems. Firstly, it is still customary to base scientific works on facts, which, of course, can often be interpreted in different ways, but still within the framework of a certain scientific field. Secondly, it is considered inappropriate to fill these very works with ideology. Professionals, regardless of nationality, do not write about "proto-Ukrainians" or "the homeland of elephants." Yes, the author is a man, you can’t get away from this, his personal position, no, no, yes, will be “enlightened” somewhere, but it will be “enlightened”, and will not be burned out on the first page. The anti-Russian/Ukrainian/Belarusian position is usually betrayed to them by subsequent interpreters who are not familiar with the “classical version” of history.

I will give just a couple of examples: yesterday I read a “revealing” article that Ukrainian historians claim that the definition of “Russian” in the annals refers to Ukraine. What a horror, only there is one problem: Russian historians think about the same thing. The definition of "Russian" in the annals refers either to the entire Russian land, or to the southern principalities, located mainly on the territory of modern Ukraine. The texts of the annals are all on the Internet. And ideology has nothing to do with it. Or here's another: a friend from Lithuania (Russian by nationality) is indignant: they teach absolutely perverted history in their schools. Allegedly, Lithuania was big and strong and competed with Moscow for "gathering Russian lands." Outrageous. And most importantly, in the children's encyclopedia Avanta + (in Moscow, by the way, published), the same thing is written.

Why am I writing all this? In addition, it may be interesting for someone to “overlook” the classic version of the history of the territories that make up modern Ukraine, so that when someone posts on Facebook about “lands cut off from Ukraine in 1954 and annexed to the Smolensk region” (for reference : Smolensk region does not border Ukraine) or about the fact that the power of Ukraine spread over the territory of modern Russia (for reference: if you put an equal sign between Ukraine and the Hetmanate, then it really spread), to know what the author publishes: a little-known but recognized fact or his latest theory. I conclude my fiery speech and get to the heart of the matter.

Part 1. From the Settlement of the Eastern Slavs to Daniel of Galicia.

1. The resettlement of the Eastern Slavs.
The issue of the ancestral home of the Slavs remains extremely controversial, so I will not touch on it. I'll start with the fact that in the V-VII centuries. Slavs spread widely in Europe. Their numerous tribes were divided into southern, western and eastern. The Eastern Slavs, in turn, also divided into two streams. One group of tribes settled in the Dnieper basin on the territory of modern Ukraine. Then it spread north to the upper reaches of the Volga, east of modern Moscow, and west to the valleys of the northern Dniester and the Southern Bug through the territories of modern Moldavia and southern Ukraine. Another group of Eastern Slavs moved to the northeast, where they encountered the Varangians. The same group of Slavs subsequently inhabited the territories of the modern Tver region and Beloozero, reaching the habitat of the Merya people.

East Slavic tribes in the 7th-9th centuries.

2. The beginning of statehood.
In the middle of the 9th century, the "northern branch" of the East Slavic tribes, as well as the tribal unions of the Krivichi, Chud and Mary, paid tribute to the Varangians. In 862, these tribes expelled the Varangians, and after that, strife began between them themselves. To end internal conflicts, representatives of the Slavic and Finnish tribes decided to invite the prince from outside. Rurik became this prince.

The "southern branch" of the Slavic tribes, meanwhile, paid tribute to the Khazars. They were saved from this tribute by Askold and Dir, who, according to various versions, either were Rurik's combatants or were not connected with him in any way. In any case, they were Varangians. Thus, in the second half of the 9th century, two relatively independent centers of East Slavic statehood were formed: one in Kyiv, the other on Ladoga.

Ancient Rus' in 862-912.

3. Unification of the Old Russian state.
In 882, according to chronicle chronology (which is considered very conditional), Prophetic Oleg, according to various versions, either a “regent” under the young Igor (son of Rurik), or a governor under Igor as an adult, begins to expand the Novgorod state. He captures Smolensk and Lyubech, and then descends the Dniester and, having killed Askold and Dir, occupies Kyiv. There he transfers the capital of the state.

Old Russian state in 882.

4. Campaigns of Svyatoslav.
The next significant expansion of the boundaries of the Old Russian state is associated with the reign of Svyatoslav Igorevich. His first action was the subjugation of the Vyatichi (964), who were the last of all the East Slavic tribes to continue to pay tribute to the Khazars. Then Svyatoslav defeated the Volga Bulgaria. In 965 (according to other sources also in 968/969), Svyatoslav made a campaign against the Khazar Khaganate, taking by storm the main cities of the Khazars: the fortress city of Sarkel, Semender and the capital Itil. The assertion of Rus' in the Black Sea region and the North Caucasus is also connected with this campaign, where Svyatoslav defeated the Yases (Alans) and Kasogs (Circassians) and where Tmutarakan, located on the Taman Peninsula, became the center of Russian possessions.

In 968, under the influence of Byzantine diplomacy, Svyatoslav went to war against Bulgaria. In a short time, the Bulgarian troops were defeated, the Russian squads occupied up to 80 Bulgarian cities. Svyatoslav chose Pereyaslavets, a city on the lower reaches of the Danube, as his headquarters. Svyatoslav took possession of almost all of Bulgaria, occupied its capital Preslav and invaded Byzantium. However, Byzantium quickly stopped the prince's claims to world domination - in 971 his army was defeated, and a year later he died.

5. Vladimir the Red Sun and Yaroslav the Wise
After the death of Svyatoslav, civil strife broke out between his sons, ending in the reign of Vladimir the Red Sun (r. 980-1015) in Kyiv. Under him, the formation of the state territory of Ancient Rus' was completed, the Cherven cities and Carpathian Rus, which were disputed by Poland, were annexed. After the victory of Vladimir, his son Svyatopolk married the daughter of the Polish king Boleslav the Brave, and peaceful relations were established between the two states. Vladimir finally annexed the Vyatichi and Radimichi to Rus'.

Having become the prince of Kyiv, Vladimir faced the increased Pecheneg threat. To protect against nomads, he builds a line of fortresses on the border, the garrisons of which he recruited from the "best husbands" - then they will become heroes, the main characters of epics. Tribal borders began to blur, the state border became important.

After the death of Vladimir, a new civil strife took place in Rus', as a result of which Yaroslav the Wise became the prince (years of reign 1019-1054). Yaroslav strengthens the presence of Rus' in the northwest. The campaigns of the 1930s against the Estonian Chud led to the construction of Yuryev's stronghold, outlining the borders of the state in the north. The first trips to Lithuania also took place in the 1940s.

Old Russian state in the XI century.

7. Feudal fragmentation
In the second quarter of the 12th century, the Old Russian state broke up into independent principalities. Kyiv, unlike most other principalities, did not become the property of any one dynasty, but served as a constant bone of contention for all strong princes. Nominally, the Kiev prince still dominated all Russian lands, so this title became an object of struggle between various dynastic and territorial associations of the Rurikovichs.

Ancient Rus' in the XII century.

8. Tatar-Mongol invasion.
In 1237, the Tatar-Mongols appeared on the southern borders of the Ryazan principality. After fierce resistance, Ryazan was taken. It was followed by Moscow, Vladimir, Suzdal, Pereyaslavl-Zalessky, Yuryev-Polsky, Starodub-on-Klyazma, Tver, Gorodets, Kostroma, Galich-Mersky, Rostov, Yaroslavl, Uglich, Kashin, Ksnyatin, Dmitrov, as well as the Novgorod suburbs of Vologda and Volok Lamsky. For unknown reasons, the Tatar-Mongolian army did not go to Novgorod, but instead turned around and returned to the steppes.

The Tatar-Mongols returned in 1239. Then the lands were plundered, apparently not affected during the winter campaign of 1237-1238: Murom, Gorodets, Nizhny Novgorod and Gorokhovets. But the main blow was directed at the southern cities. On March 3, 1239, one of the Mongol detachments ravaged Pereyaslavl South. Chernigov was taken after the siege. After the fall of Chernigov, the Mongols engaged in robbery and ruin along the Desna and the Seim. Gomiy, Putivl, Glukhov, Vyr and Rylsk were destroyed and devastated.

The next goal of the Mongols was the Russian lands on the right bank of the Dnieper. By 1240, most of them (Galicia, Volyn, Kiev, and also, presumably, the Turov-Pinsk principalities) were united under the rule of the sons of the Volyn prince Roman Mstislavovich: Daniil and Vasilko. The Mongols began their offensive with the conquest of Porose, an area dependent on the Kyiv princes of the Black Hoods. After Porosye, the Mongol troops laid siege to Kyiv. Not considering himself able to resist the Mongols on his own, on the eve of the invasion (that is, approximately in the autumn of 1240), Daniel went to Hungary, probably trying to persuade King Bela IV to help him. The enterprise was not crowned with success. Kyiv was ruined.

The fall of Kyiv was a landmark event - among the ruling circles of Galich and Volhynia, panic began. Mikhail Vsevolodovich, who was sitting in Lutsk, fled with his son to Poland. The wife of Prince Daniel and his brother Vasilko also fled there. The rulers of the Bolokhov land expressed humility to the conquerors. Ladyzhin, Kamenets, Vladimir Volynsky were taken. Daniel and his brother returned to Rus' only after the Mongols left their lands.

Tatar-Mongolian invasion of Rus'.

9. Daniil Galitsky.
Almost all Russian princes recognized their dependence on the Golden Horde, including Alexander Nevsky, who reigned in Novgorod, which the Tatar-Mongols never took. Among them was Daniel, under whose rule in 1245 the Galicia-Volyn principality was united. However, if in relation to the Horde the princes took a roughly similar position, then their attitude towards the West was fundamentally different. The princes of Vladimir preferred to refuse cooperation with the Pope of Rome and put up with the Horde vassalage for the sake of preserving their faith, Daniel, on the contrary, turned to the West. He accepted the offer of Pope Innocent IV: the royal crown and help against the Horde in exchange for the Catholicization of Russian lands.

In January 1254 Daniel was crowned. Already in 1253, Innocent IV announced a crusade against the Horde, calling for participation in it first of the Christians of Bohemia, Moravia, Serbia and Pomerania, and then the Catholics of the Baltic states. However, both the call for a crusade and the reunification of the churches remained only a declaration. At the same time, it is from this moment that we can talk about the divergence of the historical paths of the Great Russian and Little Russian lands.

Galicia-Volyn principality in the middle of the XIII century.

Disclaimer: the overlay of maps turned out to be crooked, in addition, the control of the Black Sea territories by the Galicia-Volyn principality is rather doubtful - nomads dominated there.

To be continued...

The Slavic state traces its history from 9th century AD. But the East Slavic tribes and their neighbors settled the East European Plain even earlier. How did the formation of such a group as the Eastern Slavs, why did the separation of the Slavic peoples occur - the answers to these questions can be found in the article.

In contact with

The population of the East European Plain before the arrival of the Slavs

But even before the Slavic tribes, people settled in this territory. In the south, near the Black Sea (Euxine Pontus), in the 1st millennium BC, Greek colonies(Olvia, Korsun, Panticapaeum, Phanagoria, Tanais).

Later, the Romans and Greeks will turn these territories into a powerful state of Byzantium. In the steppes, next to the Greeks, lived Scythians and Sarmatians, Alans and Roxolans (ancestors of modern Ossetians).

Here, in the I-III centuries of our era, the Goths (a Germanic tribe) tried to establish themselves.

In the 4th century AD, the Huns came to this territory, who, in their movement to the West, carried with them and part of the Slavic population.

And in VI - the Avars, who formed the Avar Khaganate in the southern Russian lands and whom in 7th century destroyed by the Byzantines.

The Avars were replaced by the Ugrians and Khazars, who founded a powerful state in the lower reaches of the Volga - Khazar Khaganate.

The geography of the settlement of the Slavic tribes

Eastern Slavs (as well as Western and Southern) gradually settled throughout the East European Plain, focusing in its movement on the river highways (the map of the settlement of the Eastern Slavs clearly shows this):

glade lived on the Dnieper;
northerners on the Desna;
Drevlyans and Dregovichi on the Pripyat River;
Krivichi on the Volga and Dvina;
radimichi on the Sozha river;
Vyatichi on the Oka and Don;
Slovene Ilmensky in the water area of the river. Volokhov, oz. Ilmen and lake. White;
Polochane on the river Lovat;
dregovichi on the river. Sozh;
Tivertsy and Uchi on the Dniester and Prut;
street on the Southern Bug and the Dniester;
Volhynians, Buzhans and Dulebs on the Western Bug.

One of the reasons for the settlement of the Eastern Slavs and their settlement in this territory was the presence here water transport arteries- Neva-Dneprovskaya and Sheksno-Oksko-Volzhskaya. The presence of the same water transport arteries led to what happened partial isolation of the Slavic tribes from each other.

Important! The ancestors of the Slavs and some other peoples, their immediate neighbors, most likely were the Indo-Europeans who came here from Asia.

Another ancestral home of the Slavs are considered Carpathian mountains(the territory located to the east of the Germanic tribes: from the Oder River to the Carpathian Mountains), where they were still known under the name of Wends and Slavs in the times of Goths and Huns(these tribes are mentioned in the writings of Roman historians: Pliny the Elder, Tacitus, Ptolemy Claudius). The Proto-Slavic language, according to historians, began to take shape in the middle of the 1st century BC.

East Slavic tribes on the map.

Eastern Slavs and their neighbors

The Slavic tribes had many neighbors who had a strong influence on their culture and life. The peculiarity of political geography was lack of strong states(neighbors of the Eastern Slavs) from the north, northeast and northwest and their presence in the east, southeast, northeast and west.

In the northwest, north and northeast

In the north, northeast and northwest, next to the Slavs lived Finno-Ugric, Baltic-Finnish and Lithuanian tribes:

chud;
sum;
Karelian;
measuring;
Mari (Cheremis);
Lithuania;
Do you;
Samogitians;
wait.

Places of settlement of the Finno-Ugric tribes: they occupied the territory along Chudskoe, Ladoga, Onega lakes, the Svir and Neva rivers, the Western Dvina and Neman in the north and northwest, along the Onega, Sukhona, Volga and Vyatka rivers in the north and northeast.

The neighbors of the Eastern Slavs from the north had a strong influence on such tribes as the Dregovichi, Polochans, Ilmen Slovenes and Krivichi.

They influenced the formation of everyday life, household practices, religion (the Lithuanian thunder god Perkun entered the pantheon of Slavic gods under the name of Perun) and the language of these Slavs.

Gradually their territory was occupied Slavs settled further west.

Scandinavians also lived nearby: Varangians, Vikings or Normans who actively used the Baltic Sea and the future route "from the Varangians to the Greeks" (some for trade, and some for military campaigns on the territory of the Slavs).

Historians know that the strongholds of the Varangians on the lake. Ilmen was the island of Rügen, and Novgorod and Staraya Ladoga (large cities of the Ilmen Slovenes) had close trade ties with Uppsala and Hedyby. This led to cultural and economic rapprochement Slavs with the Baltic countries.

Neighbors of the Slavs in the east and southeast

In the east and southeast, the Eastern Slavs coexisted with Finno-Ugric and Turkic tribes:

Bulgars (a Turkic tribe, part of which came to the territory of the Middle Volga region in the 8th century and founded the powerful state of Volga Bulgaria, a “splinter” Great Bulgaria, the state that occupied the territory of the Northern Black Sea and Danube regions);
Muroma, Meshchera, Mordovians (Ugric-Finnish tribes, closely adjacent to the Slavs along the Oka, Volga, partly Don rivers; the Krivichi fort post, the city of Murom, was partially settled by representatives Finno-Ugric tribes);
the Burtases (possibly an Alanian, and possibly a Turkic or Finno-Ugric tribe, scientists have not fully figured out their ethnolinguistic affiliation);
Khazars (a Turkic tribe that settled along the rivers Volga, Don, Northern Donets, Kuban, Dnieper, and controlled the Sea of \u200b\u200bAzov and the Caspian territories; the Khazars founded the state of the Khazar Khaganate, the capital of Itil; it is known that Slavic tribes paid tribute to the Khazar Khaganate in the VIII - early IX centuries);
Adyghe (kasogi);
Alans (yases).

Important! It is worth mentioning the Turkic Khaganate (a neighbor of the Slavic tribes from the east), which existed somewhere in Altai in the 7th-8th centuries. After its collapse, waves of nomads “rolled out” from the Great Steppe to the South Slavic borders. First the Pechenegs, later the Polovtsians.

Mordvins, Bulgars and Khazars had a strong influence on such Slavic tribes as Krivichi, Vyatichi, Northerners, Polyans, Ulichi. The relations of the Slavs with the steppe (which they called the Great) were very strong, although not always peaceful. Slavic tribes did not always favor these neighbors, periodically fighting in the Sea of Azov and the Caspian lands.

Neighbors of the Eastern Slavs - scheme.

Neighbors of the Slavs in the south

Neighbors of the Eastern Slavs from the south - two strong states- which extended its influence to the entire Black Sea region, and the Bulgarian kingdom (existed until 1048, extended its influence to the Danube region). Slavs often visited such large cities of these states as Surozh, Korsun, Tsargrad (Constantinople), Dorostol, Preslav (the capital of the Bulgarian kingdom).

What tribes were adjacent to Byzantium? Byzantine historians, such as Procopius of Caesarea, for the first time described in detail the life and customs of the Slavs, whom they called differently: Antes, Slavs, Russ, Wends, Sklavins. They also mentioned about emerging in the Slavic territories large unions of tribes, such as the Antsky tribal union, Slavia, Kuyavia, Artania. But, most likely, the Greeks knew the glades who lived along the Dnieper better than all other Slavic tribes.

Neighbors of the Slavs in the southwest and west

In the southwest with the Slavs (Tivertsy and White Croats) neighbored with the Wallachians(a little later, in the year 1000, there appeared Kingdom of Hungary). From the west, the Volhynians, Drevlyans and Dregovichi coexisted with the Prussians, Yotwigs (a Baltic tribal group) and Poles (a little later, from 1025, the kingdom of Poland was formed), who settled along the Neman, Western Bug and Vistula rivers.

What is known about the Slavic tribes

It is known that the Slavs lived in large families, gradually transformed into tribes and a union of tribes.

The largest tribal unions were Polyansky, Drevlyansky, Slovyanoilmensky, with centers in Iskorosten, Novgorod and Kyiv.

In the IV-V centuries, the Slavs began to take shape military democracy system, which led to social stratification and the formation feudal relations.

It is to this period that the first mention of the political history of the Slavs belongs: Germanarich (the German leader) was defeated by the Slavs, and his successor, Vinitar, destroyed more than 70 Slavic elders who tried to negotiate with the Germans (there is also a mention of this in "").

Toponym "Rus"

It is also necessary to talk about the history of the toponym "Rus" and "Russians". There are several versions of the origin of this toponym.

Word happened from the name of the river Ros, which is a tributary of the Dnieper. The Greeks called the Polyana tribes Ross.
The word comes from the term "Rusyns", which means fair-haired people.
Slavs called "Rus" Varangian tribes who came to the Slavs to trade, rob or as military mercenaries.
Perhaps there was a Slavic tribe "Rus" or "Ros" (rather it was one of the Polish tribes), and later this toponym spread to all Slavs.

Eastern Slavs and their neighbors

Eastern Slavs in antiquity

Conclusion

East Slavic tribes and their neighbors were farmers. Grain and other industrial crops (for example, flax) were grown in large quantities. They were also actively engaged in beekeeping (gathering honey) and hunting. Actively traded with neighbors. Grain, honey and furs were exported.

Slavs were pagans and had a rather extensive pantheon of gods, the main of which were Svarog, Rod, Women in Childbirth, Yarilo, Dazhdbog, Lada, Makosh, Veles and others. Slavic genera worshiped the Shchurs(or ancestors), and also believed in brownies, mermaids, goblin, water.

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 conclusion 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. It is most often stated, and Byzantine sources speak about this, that the Eastern Slavs already lived in the territory of Central and Eastern Europe in the middle of the 5th century BC. It is also believed that they were divided into three groups:

Wends (lived in the Vistula River basin) - Western Slavs.

Sklavins (lived between the upper reaches of the Vistula, Danube and Dniester) - southern Slavs.

Antes (lived between the Dnieper and the Dniester) - Eastern Slavs.

All historical sources characterize the ancient Slavs as people who have the will and love for freedom, temperamentally distinguished by a strong character, endurance, courage, and solidarity. They were hospitable to strangers, had pagan polytheism and thoughtful rituals. Initially, the Slavs did not have much fragmentation, since tribal unions had similar languages, customs and laws.

Territories and tribes of the Eastern Slavs

An important issue is how the development of new territories by the Slavs and their settlement in general took place. There are two main theories about 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. Solovyov 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:

Tribes	Places of resettlement	Cities
	The most numerous tribe settled on the banks of the Dnieper and south of Kyiv
Slovenian Ilmen	Settlement around Novgorod, Ladoga and Lake Peipsi	Novgorod, Ladoga
	North of the Western Dvina and the upper reaches of the Volga	Polotsk, Smolensk
Polochane	South of the Western Dvina
Dregovichi	Between the upper reaches of the Neman and the Dnieper, along the Pripyat River
Drevlyans	South of the Pripyat River	Iskorosten
Volynians	Settled south of the Drevlyans, at the source of the Vistula
White Croats	The most western tribe, settled between the rivers Dniester and Vistula
	Lived east of the White Croats
	The territory between the Prut and the Dniester
	Between the Dniester and the Southern Bug
northerners	Territories along the Desna River	Chernihiv
Radimichi	They settled between the Dnieper and the Desna. In 885 they joined the Old Russian state
	Along the sources of the Oka and Don

Occupations of the Eastern Slavs

The main occupations of the Eastern Slavs include agriculture, which was associated with the characteristics of local soils. Arable agriculture 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, it was difficult to cope with the processing of even small plots, and the sharply continental climate did not allow counting 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 vegetable gardens.

The main food was bread. The ancient Slavs called it "zhito", which was associated with the Slavic word "to live".

Slavic farms bred livestock: cows, horses, sheep. Crafts were of great help: hunting, fishing and beekeeping (collection of wild honey). 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 order and tribal unions

Initially, the Eastern Slavs lived in tribal communities, later they 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 for cultivation, its own tools of production and the harvest. Private property appeared, but it did not extend to forests, meadows, rivers and lakes. The Slavs shared these benefits.

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 the elders and military leaders, and they also got most of the booty from military campaigns.

At the head of the Slavic tribes began to appear rich leaders-princes. They had their own armed detachments - squads, and they also collected tribute from the subject population. The collection of tribute was called polyud.

The 6th century is characterized by the unification of Slavic tribes into unions. The most powerful militarily princes led them. Around such princes, the local nobility gradually strengthened.

One of these tribal unions, as historians believe, was the union 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 passed 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, the Cimmerians were neighbors of the Slavs in the Northern Black Sea region, but after a few centuries they were supplanted 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 robbery and destruction, which contributed to the resettlement of the Slavs to the north.

Another factor in the resettlement and formation of Slavic tribes was the Turks. It was they who formed the Turkic Khaganate 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-steppes and swamps. Communities were created here 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, 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 by armed men. 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, and made sacrifices. The Slavs had a clear annual cycle of agricultural holidays in honor of the sun and the change of seasons. All rituals 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 \u200b\u200bGod.

The ancient Slavs did not have temples. All rituals were performed 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 the fabulous Russian folklore come from that time. Goblin, brownie, mermaids, water and other characters were well known to the Eastern Slavs.

In the divine pantheon of the Eastern Slavs, the leading places were occupied by the following gods. Dazhbog - the god of the Sun, sunlight and fertility, Svarog - the blacksmith god (according to some sources, the supreme god of the Slavs), Stribog - the god of wind and air, Mokosh - the female goddess, Perun - the god of lightning and war. A special place was given to the god of the 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 worship of 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 come down to our days in folk art, customs, and traditions.

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What tribes did the East Slavic peoples have?

According to information, most of which was obtained as a result of the study of ancient written sources and archaeological finds, the tribes of the Eastern Slavs separated from the Indo-European community around 150 BC, after which their numbers and influence began to increase rapidly.

How did the tribes of the Eastern Slavs originate?

The first mentions of the numerous tribes of the Wends, as well as the Sclavinians and Antes (this is how the first Slavic ethnic groups were called in those days) are present in the manuscripts of Greek, Byzantine, Roman, and also Arabic authors. Information about early times can also be gleaned from Russian chronicles.

The very fragmentation of this people into eastern, western and southern, according to the statements of some scientists, is due to their displacement by other peoples, which was not uncommon in that period (the times of the great migration of peoples).

South Slavic (Bulgarian, Slovenian, as well as Serbo-Croatian and Macedonian) tribes are those communities that chose to remain in Europe. Today they are considered the progenitors of Serbs, Montenegrins, Croats, Bulgarians, as well as Slovenes and Bosniaks.

To the tribes of the Western Slavs (Slenzhans, Polans, Pomeranians, as well as Bohemians and Polabs), scientists rank the Slavs who moved to the northern latitudes. From these communities, according to the authors of the most popular versions of the appearance of the Slavic peoples, came Czechs, Poles and Slovaks. The southern and western Slavic tribes were, in turn, captured and assimilated by representatives of other peoples.

The East Slavic tribes, to which scientists include Tivertsy, white Croats, northerners, Volhynians, Polochans, Drevlyans, as well as streets, Radimichi, Buzhans, Vyatichi and Dregovichi, consist of Slavs who moved to the territory of the so-called East European Plain. The descendants of the above tribes, today's historians and Slavophile researchers consider Ukrainians, Russians and Belarusians.

Table: East Slavic tribal unions

Scheme: Eastern Slavs in the era of the “Great Migration of Nations”

How did the Slavic tribes coexist with other peoples?

Most of the Slavic tribes were forced to move to the territory of central Europe, in particular, to the lands of the once great Roman Empire, which collapsed in 476. At the same time, the conquerors of this empire formed during this period a new statehood, which, although based on the experience of the legacy of the Roman Empire, was different from it. At the same time, the territories chosen by the East Slavic tribes were not so culturally developed.

Some tribes of the Slavs settled on the shores of Lake Ilmen, subsequently founding the city of Novgorod on this place, others decided to continue their journey and settled on the banks of the Dnieper River, founded the city of Kiev there, which later became the mother of Russian cities.

By about the sixth or eighth century, the Eastern Slavs were able to occupy the entire territory of the East European Plain. Their neighbors were Finns, Estonians, Lithuanians, Lyish, Mansi, Khanty, as well as Ugrians and Komi. It is worth noting that according to the available historical data, the settlement and development of new territories took place peacefully, without any military action. The Eastern Slavs themselves were not at enmity with the above peoples.

Opposition of the Eastern Slavs to the nomads

But in the territories located in the east and southeast, a completely different situation developed at the same time. In these regions, the plain was adjacent to the steppe and the neighbors of the Slavs there became a nomadic people called the Turks. Regular raids by steppe nomads ravaged Slavic settlements for about a thousand years. At the same time, the Turks formed their states on the southeastern and eastern borders of the Eastern Slavs. Their largest and most powerful state, the Avar Khaganate, existed in the mid-500s and fell in 625, after the collapse of Byzantium. However, in the seventh-eighth century, the Bulgar kingdom was located on the same territory. Most of the Bulgars, who settled near the middle reaches of the Volga, formed a state that went down in history as the Volga Bulgaria. The remaining Bulgars, who settled near the Danube, formed the Danube Bulgaria. A little later, as a result of the assimilation of representatives of the South Slavic tribes with the Turkic settlers, a new people appeared, calling themselves Bulgarians.

The territories liberated by the Bulgars were occupied by new Turks - the Pechenegs. These people subsequently founded the Khazar Khaganate, in the steppe territories located between the banks of the Volga and the Azov and Caspian Seas. Later, the tribes of the Eastern Slavs were enslaved by the Khazars. At the same time, the Eastern Slavs pledged to pay tribute to the Khazar Khaganate. Such relations of the Slavic eastern tribes with the Khazars continued until the ninth century.