Life of the Slavs in the 6th and 7th centuries. “Eastern Slavs: settlement, neighbors, occupations, social system

Frontier 5-6 centuries - the time of the beginning of contact with the Roman Empire of the Slavs, which is divided into two periods and continues until 10 century. The entire 6th century passed under the sign of Slavic pressure on Byzantium. During this period, the Slavic invasion of the Roman Empire was equivalent in its consequences to the invasion of Germanic tribes. During this period, defensive structures were built on the borders of the Byzantine Empire and around Constantinople, separating it from the lands inhabited by the Slavs, but this did not stop their onslaught. In this century, the Slavs made a breakthrough on the Danube and penetrated the Balkan Peninsula into Macedonia, Istria, Dalmatia, and occupied part of Greece.

IN 6-8 centuries, the Eastern Slavs penetrated into the southern Russian steppes, reached the Don, and colonized the area between the Volga and Oka rivers, …
approach Lake Ladoga, Neva, Narva. The indigenous population of these areas: Turkic, Finno-Ugric, Baltic tribes are assimilated by the Eastern Slavs and bring their spiritual and cultural contribution to their way of life.

Until the first centuries of our era, the Slavs were a single whole. TO 6 century they were divided into three parts: Venedov( living northeast of the Carpathians in the upper reaches of the river . Vistula), Sklavins(living to the West of the Dniester River and in the Carpathian region) and ants(living between the Dniester and Dnieper north of the Sea of ​​Azov).

Later based on these tribal groups O formed western and eastern Slavs. Core of Western Slavs made up Sklavins and Wends, eastern – antes. Antes disappear from the historical arena towards the end 6 century. There are no mentions of the Eastern Slavs in the sources until 9 no century. However, the development of the Eastern Slavs was not interrupted; the Antes were only part of the Eastern Slavic tribes.

By the end of the 6th century, the leadership role of the Eastern Slavs passed into rosam (Russians ). The first mention of them dates back to the 6th century. They lived in Transnistria in the river basin. Roshi. IN 6-7 centuries, the name “Rus” displaces other tribal names and spreads to the entire territory of the forest-steppe zone of Eastern Europe, inhabited by Slavic tribes.

IN 6-8 centuries, the Eastern Slavs penetrated into the southern Russian steppes and Narva.

IN "Tales of Bygone Years" are mentioned 13 East Slavic tribes:

1. Polyane (Rus) — district of Kyiv;

2. Northerners – to the east of the glades in the basins of the Desna, Seim, Sura, and St. Donets rivers;

3.Ulichi – south of the clearings in the area between the Dnieper and Bug rivers;

4. D Revlyans– west of the glades in Pripyat Polesie;

5. Duleby(Volynians) – even further west in Volyn and Galician land;

6. Croats – extreme in the West, Transcarpathia;

7. Tvertsy – from the Dniester to the lower reaches of the Danube;

8. Dregovichi - in the north of the Drevlyans and glades along the river. Soju;

9. Rodimichi – east of Dregovichi;

10. Vyatichi - east of Dregovichi in dense forests along the river. Oke and beyond; eleven. Krivichi – in the northern regions of the East Slavic territory in the upper reaches of the Dnieper, Volga, West. Dvina;

12. Polotsk residents - along the river Dvina;

13. Slovenians – river basin Dvina, Volkhov, Ilmen lakes.

Description of the ethnic appearance of the Rus preserved in texts in Byzantine and Arabic texts 6-10 centuries.

Christianization of the Eastern Slavs begins after their penetration into Balkan Peninsula and the seizure of Greek territories and the establishment of fairly close contacts with Byzantium. They were carried out through constant trade relations with Byzantium and the East, as well as through the service of Slavic warriors in the Byzantine troops, where they were distinguished by a high level of military art, bravery, courage and cruelty. It becomes active in 9 century under the Byzantine Patriarch Photius. By this time, the constant conflicts between Byzantium and the Slavic tribes were replaced by the desire of the Byzantine emperors to establish a relationship of mutually beneficial cooperation and even attract the Slavs to colonize the uninhabited territories of the Greek world. During this period, the Slavs penetrated not only into northern, but also into central and southern Greece, Crete and southern Italy. In the mid-8th century, texts from medieval Europe referred to Macedonia as “Sclavinia” and the south of the Peloponnese as “Slavic land” (slavinia terra).

In the 9th century – begins simultaneously for Western and Eastern Slavs Christianization of the Slavic world. In 863, under the patronage of Photius, the mission of the “first teachers” of the Slavs, the Byzantine monks Cyril (Constantine) and Methodius, to Great Moravia was carried out. They created a Slavic charter and translated a number of sacred books into the Slavic language. IN 865 was implemented baptism of Bulgaria.

IN 864-866 – The first baptism of Rus' .

IN 869 – baptism of Serbs

In the 7th-8th centuries . The main occupation of the Slavs was primitive (slash-and-burn) agriculture. Crafts are developed everywhere (production of agricultural implements, weapons, carpentry). In the 9th century Cities with a permanent population, consisting mainly of merchants, artisans, and warriors of the prince (Kyiv, Novgorod, Beloozero, Rostov, Izborsk, Ladoga, Lyubech, Murom, Smolensk) appeared in the territories inhabited by Slavic tribes. IN 9-12 centuries, two of the oldest state centers of the Eastern Slavs took shape: Kievan Rus Kujava) Slavic tribes of middle Transnistria - Polyans, Northerners, Vyatichi) with a center in Kyiv and Novgorod Rus'(its core was the political union ( Slavia), it included the tribes Chud, Slovene, Merya, Krivichi) with their center in Novgorod.

When starting a conversation about the Eastern Slavs, it is very difficult to be unambiguous. There are practically no surviving sources telling about the Slavs in ancient times. 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 an isolated 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 this is evidenced by Byzantine sources, 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 generally accepted that they were divided into three groups:

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

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

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

All historical sources characterize the ancient Slavs as people with the will and love of freedom, temperamentally distinguished by strong character, endurance, courage, and unity. They were hospitable to strangers, had pagan polytheism and elaborate rituals. Initially there was no particular fragmentation among the Slavs, since the tribal unions had similar languages, customs and laws.

Territories and tribes of the Eastern Slavs

An important question is how the Slavs developed new territories and their settlement in general. 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 19th 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:

Activities of the Eastern Slavs

The main occupation of the Eastern Slavs must include agriculture, which was associated with the characteristics of local soils. Arable farming was common in the steppe regions, and slash-and-burn farming was practiced in forests. The 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 cultivation of even small plots, and the sharply continental climate did not allow one to count 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.

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

Slavic farms raised livestock: cows, horses, sheep. The following trades were of great help: hunting, fishing and beekeeping (collecting wild honey). Fur trading became 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 provided products for exchange. Trade routes also contributed to the emergence of large cities and tribal centers.

Social order and tribal alliances

Initially, the Eastern Slavs lived in tribal communities, later they united into tribes. The development of production and the use of draft power (horses and oxen) contributed to the fact that even a small family could cultivate its own plot. 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 plot of land for cultivation, its own production tools and harvested crops. Private property appeared, but it did not extend to forests, meadows, rivers and lakes. The Slavs enjoyed 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 received most of the spoils from military campaigns.

Rich leaders-princes began to appear at the head of the Slavic tribes. They had their own armed units - squads, and they also collected tribute from the subject population. The collection of tribute was called polyudye.

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

One of these 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 passed on to all Eastern Slavs, who received the common name “Rus”, and the entire territory became Russian land, or Russia.

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 supplanted by the Scythians, who founded their own state on these lands - the Scythian kingdom. Subsequently, the Sarmatians came from the east to the Don and the Northern Black Sea region.

During the Great Migration of Peoples, 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 were the Turks. It was they who formed the Turkic Kaganate on a 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 attacks.

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. The nomads seized grain and 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 they plowed the land armed. 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 uniform ideas about God.

The ancient Slavs did not have temples. All rituals were carried out at stone idols, in groves, meadows and other places revered by them as sacred. We must not forget that all the heroes of fabulous Russian folklore come from that time. The goblin, the brownie, mermaids, mermen 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 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 the 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 and 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 activities 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.

Settlement, occupations, religion and social structure of the Eastern Slavs.

In the middle of the 1st millennium AD. On the vast territory of Eastern Europe, from Lake Ilmen to the Black Sea steppes and from the Eastern Carpathians to the Volga, East Slavic tribes formed. Historians count about 15 such tribes. Each tribe was a collection of clans and then occupied a relatively small isolated area. According to the Tale of Bygone Years, a map of the settlement of the Eastern Slavs in the 8th-9th centuries. looked like this: Slovenes (Ilmen Slavs) lived on the shores of Lake Ilmen and Volkhov; Krivichi with Polotsk residents - in the upper reaches of the Western Dvina, Volga and Dnieper; Dregovichi - between Pripyat and Berezina; Vyatichi - on the Oka and Moscow Rivers; Radimichi - on the Sozh and Desna; northerners on the Desna, Seim, Sula and Seversky Donets; Drevlyans - in Pripyat and in the Middle Dnieper region; glade - along the middle reaches of the Dnieper; Buzhans, Volynians, Dulebs - in Volyn, along the Bug; Tivertsy, Ulich - in the very south, near the Black Sea and the Danube.

Thus, a continuous territory was formed, inhabited by the Eastern Slavs and stretching from the Baltic to the Black Sea.

The Eastern Slavs lived surrounded by numerous neighbors. To the west of them lived the Western Slavs, to the south - the Southern Slavs. In the northwest, the Baltic lands were occupied by the ancestors of modern Lithuanians, Latvians and Estonians. Many Finno-Ugric tribes lived in the northeastern forests and taiga - Mordovians, Ves, Karelas, Chuds. In the east, in the region of the Middle Volga, the state of Volga Bulgaria was formed. These Bulgarians were a Turkic people related to the Chuvash and Caucasian Balkars. The owners of the southern steppes were nomads - Turks, Avars, Khazars. In the 9th century The Pechenegs appeared there, and in the 11th century. The Polovtsians came to the steppe. In the Middle Danube region (the territory of modern Hungary) in the 9th century. Hungarian tribes settled - they came there from the Urals through the southern Russian steppes and found a new homeland there.

The first written evidence about the Slavs appears in the 1st millennium in Greek, Arab and Byzantine sources. The ancient Slavs lived in small settlements, in not very spacious houses made of clay or wood. In the south, half-dugouts (huts) anointed with clay predominated, in the north - above-ground log cabins (huts), spacious by the standards of that time. The house often served as a place of residence for a large family, but the inhabitants spent most of their time outside its walls, doing rural work. The main occupation of the Slavs was agriculture and cattle breeding, with agriculture clearly predominant. The Slavs cultivated wheat, barley, rye, millet, peas, and buckwheat. Beekeeping, as well as hunting and fishing, played a significant role. Blacksmithing and foundry were widely developed among the Eastern Slavs. They made ceramics on a potter's wheel and made jewelry and bone household items.

The ancient Slavs were pagans. They deified the forces of nature - the earth, sky, sun, moon, wind, thunder. Gods of the ancient Slavs: Perun - God of thunderstorms - he was primarily the god of warriors. Veles (Volos) - God of the animal world, wealth, the afterlife (the enemy of Perun), it was the God of simple community members. Mokosh is the Mother Goddess who embodied the earth. Dazhdbog is the sun god, considered the ancestor of the Slavs and their princes. Stribog – God of the wind. Paganism- a system of primitive beliefs based on polytheism, the deification of the forces of nature, the animal and plant world.

The Slavs lived in communities, otherwise called “mir”. The world was divided into smaller divisions, also clans, which were more of a family, tracing their origins to a common ancestor. Communities were united into tribes, their names were either formed from the place of residence (Polyane, Drevlyans), or were “patronymic names” (Krivichi, Vyatichi), most often from personal names. The largest political unit was the union of tribes - a tribal union, it consisted of several tribes united to jointly wage wars. In the Slavic tribe, the bulk of the population were free community members - people. As the basis of the tribal militia, they participated in government through the people's assembly – veche. Only men, the heads of large families, sat at the meeting.

Functions of the veche: it was the highest judicial authority; resolved issues of war and peace; approved international treaties; elected tribal leaders and other leaders; resolved land disputes and disposed of tribal lands. This form of social structure is called - military democracy, which preceded the formation of the state.

Servants of the Slavic pagan religion - priests and magi - also played a significant role in managing the tribe. Their power over the souls of their fellow tribesmen acquired a very specific content - taking into account, for example, the fact that the priest could condemn any person to death during a sacrifice. At the head of the tribe was a prince who enjoyed the power of the high priest. Along with the leader, the Slavic tribe also had a military leader, called a voivode, that is, a leader of warriors. He led a tribal squad, at first still unstable, gathering for specific campaigns. Gradually, the squad becomes permanent and princely, and the prince turns into the head of the tribe, both in military and civil affairs. The squad was divided into the senior squad, which included ambassadors and princely rulers who had their own land, and the junior squad, which lived with the prince and served his court and household. The warriors collected tribute from the conquered tribes. Such campaigns for tribute were called “ polyudye" There was a militia. At their head were the thousand and sotskys. The community played a major role in the life of the ancient Russian village. By the time the state was formed, the Eastern Slavs had a tribal community ( world) was replaced by a territorial community ( rope). As a result of the transfer of the right to own land by the princes to the feudal lords, some of the communities came under their authority. Communities that did not fall under the power of feudal lords were obliged to pay taxes to the state, which in relation to these communities acted both as the supreme authority and as the feudal lord.

Gradually, princely power becomes hereditary; from among the “small” princes, over time, great princes emerge - the heads of tribal unions.

Tasks for independent completion

1. Prepare a message or presentation on the topic “Slavic pantheon and pagan rituals.”

2. Select material on the topic “Disputes about the origin and role of the Varangians. Points of view on the nature of statehood in Rus'.”

Forms of independent work control:

Protection of messages and reports;

Oral survey;

Protection of presentations;

Checking workbooks.

Questions for self-control on the topic

Answer the test questions:

1. East Slavic peoples include:

A) Poles;

D) Russians.

2. Features of the historical development of the Eastern Slavs:

A) colonization of lands;

B) warlike character;

B) mentality;

D) geopolitics.

3. What caused the monotony of natural factors?

A) the development of the Slavs along the traditional path;

B) specialization of the economy;

C) uniformity of economic activity;

D) development of domestic and foreign trade.

4. The farming system common among the Slavs in the 6th-7th centuries was called:

A) slash-and-burn;

B) irrigation;

B) two-field;

D) three-field.

5. The people's assembly of the ancient Slavs was called:

6. The Slavic god is the patron of cattle breeding and art at the same time:

A) Makosh;

B) Stribog;

7. The Ant tribal union was formed

A) in the upper reaches of the Don;

B) in the Volga basin;

B) in the Dnieper and Dniester basins;

D) on the shores of Lake Ladoga.

8. In the VI – VII centuries. The main opponents of the Eastern Slavs are:

D) Khazars.

9. The main branch of the economy of the Eastern Slavs is

A) beekeeping;

B) intermediary trade;

B) nomadic cattle breeding;

D) slash-and-burn agriculture.

10. The military leader of the East Slavic tribes was called this:

A) elder;

B) headman;

D) vigilante.

Topic 4.2 “Ancient Rus'”

In today's lesson you will get acquainted with the ancient Slavic tribes, the peculiarities of their economy and life, and learn the names of the gods worshiped by the Eastern Slavs and their neighbors.

Topic: Old Russian state

Lesson:Eastern Slavs inVII - IXcenturies

In the 7th - 9th centuries. The Slavs occupied a vast territory of Eastern Europe. They settled in the territory from Lake Ladoga to the middle reaches of the Dnieper River, from the Bug River to the upper reaches of the Dnieper. A peculiarity of the settlement of the Slavs was that the tribal unions of the Eastern Slavs formed in the basins of large rivers, where centers of tribal principalities subsequently arose. The Ilmen Slavs settled in the area of ​​Lake Ilmen and the Dvina River. The Dregovichi and Drevlyans settled in the area of ​​the Pripyat River. In the upper reaches of the Dnieper along the Sozh and Seim rivers lived the Radimichi. In the middle reaches of the Dnieper, glades settled. In the Desna River basin there are northerners. In the northeast, in the Oka River basin, there are Vyatichi.

Rice. 1. Settlement of the Eastern Slavs ()

The main occupations of the Slavs were based on the characteristics of the land. Slash-and-burn agriculture was practiced in the forests. The steppe land was developed through fallow land. But still the yield was low due to the harsh continental climate. Other industries of the Slavs were fishing, hunting, and beekeeping was also common. The Novgorod-Ilmen region was rich in forests, and the fur trade flourished there. In the southern regions, hunting for moose and bears was practiced. The abundance of rivers, lakes, and a well-branched water transport system contributed to the development of shipping, trade, and various crafts that provided products for exchange. Large cities and tribal centers, such as Kyiv and others, were founded at the crossroads of trade routes.

Rice. 2. Slash-and-burn farming ()

On the eve of the formation of statehood, the Eastern Slavs lived as a neighboring community, in which private property took shape. Each family had the right to cleared land - lyadina. In Slavic society, military leaders were identified and a squad was formed. A squad is a special group of the population engaged only in military activities, in particular campaigns. For defense, there was a militia of free community members. The warriors not only participated in campaigns of conquest, but also ruled the annexed lands. At its head was a prince, to whom the squad and governors were subordinate. Lower in position were smerds or, as they were also called, husbands (heads of patriarchal families who had the right to participate in the army). The servants had an even lower status - these were members of the husbands' families and slaves who did not have the right to participate in the army.

The religion of the Eastern Slavs was complex, varied, with detailed customs. Its origins go back to Indo-European ancient beliefs, to Paleolithic times. The religion that existed among different peoples before they adopted Christianity or Islam was called paganism (polytheism). The Slavs populated the world with different gods and goddesses. At their head was the great Svarog, the god of the universe. His sons - Svarozhichi - the sun and fire, were carriers of light and warmth. The sun god Dazhdbog was highly revered by the Slavs. The Slavs prayed to the clan and women in labor - the god and goddesses of fertility. This cult was associated with the agricultural activities of the population and therefore was especially popular. God Veles was revered by the Slavs as the patron of cattle breeding, Stribog commanded the winds. As the Slavs merged with some Iranian and Finno-Ugric tribes, their gods migrated to the Slavic pantheon. Thus, in the 8th - 9th centuries, the Slavs revered the Iranian sun god Khoros. With the beginning of military campaigns among the Slavs, the god of thunder and lightning, Perun, borrowed from the Balts, increasingly came to the fore. A special attitude towards dead soldiers appears (funeral pyres, burial mounds, and so on). The Slavs had an annual cycle of agricultural holidays: Kolyada, the day of the vernal equinox, Maslenitsa, May 1-2 celebrated the appearance of the first spring shoots, the holiday of Ivan Kupala, and so on. Many of these holidays have survived to this day. In every house the Slavs had idols of gods; there was also a cult of Shurov, small family idols of houses.

The Slavs did not have friendly relations with all their neighbors. Slavic legends tell about the attack of the Turkic-speaking nomads Avars on the Slavic tribe of Dulebs. In the 8th century, the East Slavic tribes of the Polans, Severians, Vyatichi and Radimichi conquered the Khazars, forcing them to pay tribute.

So, living surrounded by various tribes and peoples, the Eastern Slavs formed a special civilization.

1. Mavrodin V.V. Where did the Russian land come from? M., 1986.
2. Rybakov B.A. World of history. The initial centuries of Russian history. M., 1984

1. WWW.GRANDARS.RU ().
2. Academician ().
3. TAREFER.RU ().

1. When did the Slavs appear on the territory of our country?
2. How did nature influence the activities and beliefs of the Eastern Slavs?
3. What were the relationships between the Slavs and neighboring tribes and peoples?

TICKET 2 THE AGE OF SLAVIC UNITY AND ITS DISCOVERY

Ticket 1. ANCIENT INFORMATION ABOUT THE SLAVS

In the PVL, written at the beginning of the 12th century by the chronicler Nestor, there is a question: “Where does Rus. Is there land? It is necessary to find the ancestral home of the Slavs. This question is the most important in studying the history of ancient information about the Slavs. But there is still NO accurate data about the ancestral home. There are several hypotheses: the idea of ​​​​the “autoctony” of the Slavs - the Slavs appeared where they live. There is also a theory that the Slavs appeared on the Danube.

SLAVS arose in the process of ethnogenesis, the development of ethn. communities of Indo-Europeans. INDO-EUROPEANS is the name of a language family that arose during the Neolithic period in the territory of central and south-eastern Europe, which later split into 4 language groups: Eastern, Western-European, Slavic and Baltic. Later, her descendants settled in the territory from the Atlantic Ocean to the Indian Ocean. 5-4 thousand – the collapse of the Indo-Europeans, a gradual increase in the gap between the tribes. This provided the prerequisites for the start of new ethnic groups.

Slavic vocabulary is poor in maritime terms (“sea” meant a swamp, “island” meant an island on a river). The Slavs became acquainted with the sea later. There are few mentions of mountains and steppe. An abundance of names of forests, lakes, swamps, animals, birds. Based on this, we can CONCLUSION that the Slavs lived in the area of ​​FORESTS and SWAMPS. Historians Procopius, Mauritius, report on the Slavs. They noted that the Slavs are very strong, they live along the banks of rivers, they are farmers, they love freedom, they live in community, and only a foreigner can be a slave. At the very dawn of the historiography of the Slavs, we find thorough discussions about the Slavs as a single whole.

The name “Slavs” has several explanations, one of which is “word” - “understandable”. In the history of the Slavs, the period of the PRASLAVIANS stands out - this is how the early Slavs are called, who were first mentioned in the 6th century by the Gothic historian Jordan. He divides the Proto-Slavs into 3 groups: Antes - Sklavens - Wends. Today, archeology has established that Jordan's data can be trusted.

The Slavs began to divide into branches around the 6th century. This event marks the top line in the oldest information about the Slavs.

In principle, the same thing, but under the prism of other factors.

Since the 6th century - reliable information about the Slavs. The Slavs began to attack Byzantium more and more often. The name “Slavs” has several explanations, one of which is “word” - “understandable”. In the history of the Slavs, the period of the PRASLAVIANS stands out - this is how the early Slavs are called, who were first mentioned in the 6th century by the Gothic historian Jordan. He divides the Proto-Slavs into 3 groups: Antes - Sklavens - Wends. Today, archeology has established that Jordan's data can be trusted.

In the 6th century, the Slavs became active participants in the VPN (Byzantium, Baltic states, Ob, Balkans). In the 6th – 8th centuries the Slavs finally colonized the East-European plain. Colonization was peaceful, settlement took place along rivers, which became natural boundaries between Slavic tribes. The resettlement process was also reflected in the Tale of Bygone Years. The Slavs settled throughout the East European Plain: POLYANES - along the Dnieper (Kyiv), DREVLYANES (NW glades), DREGOVICHI (between Pripyat and Dvina), POLOCHAN (Polot river), KRIVICHY (top of the Volga, Dvina, Dnieper) - Smolensk , SLOVEN - Ilmen (Ladoga, Novgorod), NORTHERN, VYATICHI (Oka), RADIMICH, DULEBI, STREET and TIBERTSY - Dniester

Each tribe had its own urban center. V.S. - settled agricultural people. Villages V.S. were scattered in wooded areas near water bodies. Fearing raids, the Slavs fortified their settlements - these settlements were called GORODISCHAI. Most of the settlements are to the East of the Dnieper, along its left tributaries + Don, Oka. Fortified settlements are small. Often next to the fortified one there was a non-Ukrainian. settlement.

Relations with neighbors are not smooth. AVAR - nomads, KHAZARS (nomads, subjugated, imposed tribute), PECHENEGS (south), VARYAGS (NW). This external danger stimulated the process of state formation. Other neighbors - the Lithuanians - had a more constructive role: the Krivichi - a synthesis of RUS and LIT), the FINNO-UGRICS - took part in the formation of the state.