Antes people
The Antes or Antae (
First mentioned in the historical record in 518, the Antes invaded the
Customs
The Antes had similar if not identical customs and culture as the Sclaveni. They were carefully described by chroniclers such as Procopius and Maurice, whose works contribute greatly to our understanding of these two early Slavic peoples.
Maurice writes that the Slavs were very hospitable people, and tribes that mistreated guests were attacked for their dishonor. Slaves were not kept forever and after a certain period of time, captives were allowed to be let loose or to join the community. Settlements were built in hard to reach forests, lakes and marshes as they were hard to attack, with exits in many directions for escape. They farmed many crops, especially millet, but also had much livestock. Maurice praises their toleration of discomfort when necessary, and the loyalty of married women to their husbands. The Antes and Sclaveni were independent, refusing to be governed or enslaved.[6] They lived under democracy, with all matters being referred to the people.[7]
The religion of the Antes, like that of other Slavic tribes and peoples, was Slavic paganism.
The Antes and Sclaveni were skilled warriors, especially in guerrilla warfare, taking advantage of terrain. They preferred to fight in dense woodland instead of pitched battle, although field battles and sieges were also recorded. Their weapons were javelins, spears, bows nocked with poison-tipped arrows and sturdy wooden shields, but body armour was rare.[7][6]
Historiography
Scholars have studied the Antes since the late 18th century. Based on the literary evidence provided by
Ethnolinguistic affinities
Although the Antes are regarded as a predominantly Slavic tribal union, numerous other theories of their ethnic components have arisen. The origins of their core ruling class have drawn particular attention, including theories that this ruling
Although the first unequivocal attestation of the Antes tribe is from the 6th century CE, scholars (e.g. Vernadsky) have tried to connect the Antes with a tribe rendered as
However, more-recent perspectives view the tribal entities named by Graeco-Roman sources as fluctuant political formations that were, above all,
History
Early history
According to historians who argue for a connection between the Antes and the Sarmatians, the Antes were a subgroup of the
Whatever the exact origins of the tribe,
However, the utility of Getica as an accurate work of ethnography has been questioned. Walter Goffart, for example, argues that Getica created an entirely mythical story of Gothic and other peoples' origins.[34][note 2] Florin Curta further argues that Jordanes had no real ethnographic knowledge of "Scythia," despite claims that he himself was a Goth and was born in Thrace. He borrowed heavily from earlier historians and only artificially linked the 6th-century Sklaveni and Antes with the earlier Venethi, who had otherwise long disappeared by that century. This anachronism was paired with a "modernizing narrative strategy" whereby Jordanes retold older events – the war between the Ostrogothic Vithimiris and the Alans – as a war between Vinitharius and the contemporary Antes.[35] In any case, no 4th-century source mentions the Antes, and the "Ostrogoths" did not form until the 5th century – inside the Balkans.[36]
Apart from the influence of older historians, Jordanes' narrative style was shaped by his polemical debate with his contemporary Procopius.[37] While Jordanes linked the Sclaveni and Antes with the ancient Venedi, Procopius states that they were both once called Sporoi.[38][note 3]
Location in 6th century
Jordanes and Procopius have been seen as invaluable sources in locating the Antes with greater precision. Jordanes (Get. 25) states that they dwelt "along the curve of the Black Sea" from the Dniester to the Dnieper. Paul M. Barford questions whether this implies they occupied the steppe or the regions further north,[39] although most scholars generally place the Antes in the forest steppe zone of right-bank Ukraine.[40] In contrast, Procopius locates them just beyond the northern banks of the Danube (Wars V 27.1–2) (i.e., Wallachia). The lack of consistency in geography demonstrates that the Antes stretched well across Sarmatian Scythia, rather than being a small and distant polity.[41][note 4]
6th and 7th centuries
The first contact between the
In 537, Justinian recruited 1,600
In 545, the Antes became Roman allies (after approaching the Romans) and were given gold payments and a fort named "Turris" somewhere north of the Danube at a strategically important location, in order to prevent hostile barbarians invading Roman lands.
The Antes remained Roman allies until their demise in the first decade of the 7th century. They were often involved in conflicts with the Avars, such as the war recorded by
The Pereshchepina hoard, dating to the early 7th century, may be considered part of an Antean chieftain's treasury,[60] although most researchers consider it to be the treasure of Khan Kubrat, the first ruler of Old Great Bulgaria.[61]
Aftermath
Out of the old Antes federation, some of the following tribes are assumed to have evolved:
- Croats, north of the Carpathian Mountains in Prykarpattia (and Zakarpattia)[62][63][64]
- Horyn Rivers[62]
- Dulebes, in Volhynia between the Vistula, Buh, and Styr Rivers[62]
- Polans, between Kyiv and Roden[62]
- Sula Rivers[62]
However, their association with Antes, like in the case of Croats, is often unclear and not critical enough regarding various scientific evidence of the migration period.[66] The tribes living in Western Ukraine (Croats, Buzhans, Drevlians, Polans, Tivertsi, Ulichs and Volhynians) are considered to be between 7th and 10th century part of the Luka-Raikovets culture which developed from Korchak culture identified with Sclaveni, and not Penkovka culture identified with the Antes.[67][68]
Rulers
- Boz (fl. 376–80), king of Antae and first known Slavic ruler
- Dabragezas (fl. 555–56), led Roman fleet in Crimea against Persian positions
- Idariz, or Idarisius (fl. 562), father of Mezamir
- Mezamir (fl. 562), powerful Antae archon
- Kelagast (fl. 562), brother of Mezamir
- Musokios, or Mužok (fl. 592), Antes monarch
- Ardagast (fl. 584–97), commander and chieftain of Musokios
- Pirogast
See also
- Sclaveni
- List of ancient Slavic peoples
- Martynivka Treasure
Notes
- ^ Today Alans are better known as Ossetians.
- ^ The very purpose of Jordanes' narrative, especially with regard to the alleged Scandinavian origin of the Goths, was to show that there was no place for the Goths in Roman territory. Together with his enumeration of other barbarian tribes in Scythia and around Dacia, Jordanes was stating that Scythia is overpopulated with barbarians, and the Goths should belong to the frozen wastelands of the North. Jordanes only feigned his own Gothic roots, and his work is designed to celebrate the destruction of the Gothic kingdom by the Byzantines. (Goffart, 2006)
- ^ The term Spori is a hapax, but might have been inspired by the tribe "Spali" (curta, 1999. FN 36)
- ^ Eg Jordanes states Scythia extends as far as the "Tyras" and "Danaster", although they are two names for the same river (Dniester). Procopius thought the Caucasus mountains extended as far as Illyricum. (Curta, 199, p. 327-8)
Citations
- ^ The Cambridge Medieval History Series volumes 1-5. Plantagenet Publishing.
- ^ Baran (1988)
- ^ Shchukin (1986)
- ^ Gimbutas (1971, p. 90)
- ^ Sedov (1996, p. 280)
- ^ a b Maurice (500s). Strategikon of Maurice.
- ^ a b Procopius (550s). History of Wars.
- ^ Szmoniewski (2012, p. passim)
- ^ Szmoniewski (2012, p. 62)
- ^ Magosci (2010, p. 36)
- ^ Sedov (2012, p. 389)
- ^ Pritsak (1983, p. 358)
- ^ Sedov (2012, pp. 389–390)
- ^ a b Sedov (2012, p. 390)
- ^ Strumins'kyj (1979, p. 787)
- ^ Strumins'kyj (1979, pp. 788–96)
- ^ Pliny the Elder, Natural History IV page 365
- ^ Schuessler (2014, p. 268)
- ^ Yu Huan, Weilüe. draft translation by John E. Hill (2004). Translator's Notes 11.2 quote: "Yăncài, already mentioned in the text as a country northwest of Kāngjū (at that time in the region of Tashkend), has long been identified with the Aorsoi of western sources, a nomadic people out of whom the well-known Alans later emerged (Pulleyblank [1962: 99, 220; 1968:252])".
- ^ Shiji, "Dayuan liezhuan" quote: " 奄蔡在康居西北可二千里,行國,與康居大同俗。控弦者十餘萬。臨大澤,無崖,蓋乃北海云。" translation: "Yancai is located possibly 2,000 li to the Northwest of Kangju. It is a nomadic nation; its customs largely resemble Kangju's. [It has] over 100,000 bowstring-drawers [archers]. It borders a great shoreless lake, possibly [what is] also called the North Sea."
- ^ Book of the Later Han, 118, fol. 16r
- ^ a b Szmoniewski (2012, p. 55)
- ^ Natural History VI, 35
- ^ Gimbutas (1971, p. 61,61)
- ^ a b Magosci (2010, pp. 42, 43)
- ^ Sedov (1996, p. 281)
- ^ Fine (2006, p. 25)
- ^ Curta (2009, pp. 12, 13)
- ^ Curta (2004)
- ^ a b Magosci (2010, pp. 39, 40)
- ^ Getica. 35
- ^ Get. 119
- ^ Curta (1999, pp. 321–26)
- ^ Goffart (2006, pp. 56–72)
- ^ Curta (1999, pp. 330–32)
- ^ Heather, The Goths 52–55.
Kulikowski 111. - ^ Curta (1999, p. 326)
- ^ Procopius. History of the Wars. VII 14.29
- ^ Barford (2001, p. 55)
- ^ Magosci (2010, p. 43)
- ^ Curta (1999, p. 327)
- ^ Wars VII 40.5–6
- ^ Curta (2001, p. 75)
- ^ a b c Curta, 2001. p. 78.
- ^ Procopius Wars VII 14.7–10
- ^ Curta, 2001. p. 78–9
- ^ Procopius Wars VII.14.11
- ^ Kardaras (2010, pp. 74–5)
- ^ a b Curta, 2001. p. 79
- ^ Curta, 2001. pp. 80–1
- ^ Kardaras (2010, p. 74)
- ^ Agathias. III 6.9; 7.2; 21.6
- ^ Živković (2008, p. 9)
- ^ Theophylact Simocatta VII 15.12–14
- ^ Curta, 2001. p. 105.
- ^ Kardaras, 2010. p. 85
- ISBN 978-0-14-045507-6.
- ^ Cross, Samuel Hazzard; Sherbowitz-Wetzor, Olgerd P. (1953). The Russian Primary Chronicle. Laurentian Text (PDF). Cambridge, Mass., Mediaeval Academy of America. p. 37.
- ^ Angelova & Koleva (2007, pp. 481–82)
- ^ Vernadsky, George; Karpovich, Michael (1943). A History of Russia: Ancient Russia. Yale University Press ; H. Milford, Oxford University Press. p. 160.
- ^ Pereshchepina Treasure Archived 2006-09-27 at the Wayback Machine at the Hermitage Museum.
- ^ ISBN 9780802078209. p. 46, 49
- ^ Sedov (1995, p. 321, гл. Хорваты)
- ^ Sedov (1995, p. 501)
- ^ a b Sedov (1995, p. 363, гл. Восточнославянская этноязыковая общность)
- ISBN 978-953-6928-26-2
- ^ Козак, В. Д. (1999). Етногенез та етнічна історія населення Українських Карпат (in Ukrainian). Vol. 1. Lviv: Institute of Ethnology of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. pp. 483–502.
- NASU Institute of History of Ukraine. Retrieved 20 June 2019.
Носіями Р.к. були літописні племена – поляни, уличі, древляни, волиняни, бужани, хорвати, тиверці.
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Further reading
- Kardaras, Georgios. "Sclaveni and Antes. Some Notes on the Peculiarities Between Them". In: Slavia Orientalis Vol. LXVII, n. 3 (2018): 377-393.