Slavic tribes on the territory of Russia in the 10th century. Slavic tribes and their settlement

The study of issues related to the origins of various peoples of the world can be classified as the most problematic areas of historical research. The main obstacle to identifying hidden facts about the life of the ancients ethnic communities is the lack of writing at the time of their inception. In the case of the Slavic peoples, the situation is complicated by the vastness of the linguistic group, to which several ethnic groups belong. Suffice it to note that the ancient peoples on the territory of Russia in different time formed independent states and commonwealths related to the Altai, Ural, Indo-European and Caucasian language group. However, to today scientists have identified some factual layers in this direction of historical analysis that are beyond doubt.

Peoples on the territory of Russia during antiquity

The first people of the species Homo sapiens appeared in certain areas Central Asia and the Black Sea region about 30 thousand years ago. At that time, the northern and central parts of the territory were uninhabitable due to glaciers. Therefore, the very first peoples and ancient states on the territory of Russia arose in the southern and western regions as the most favorable for life and economy. As the population increased, the development of material production and the establishment of a primitive communal system in Central Asia, Transcaucasia and the Black Sea region, more and more new slave states were formed. At the same time, they developed autonomously and independently of each other. The only unifying feature is the raids of the same barbarians. These states had no contacts at all with the central and western regions in the European part of the present country, since the establishment of routes was hampered by mountain ranges and deserts.

One of the most notable states of that time can be called Urartu, which existed in Transcaucasia in the 9th century. BC e. It was formed on the shores of Lake Van, the territory of which now belongs to Turkey, but by the middle of the 7th century. his possessions extended to the upper reaches of the Tigris and Euphrates. If we talk about ethnic composition, then the peoples and ancient states on the territory of Russia in the Black Sea region and Transcaucasia were predominantly represented by Armenian tribes. Urartu reached significant prosperity in the 8th century. BC e., but by the 6th century. due to the Scythian invasions it ceased to exist. Later, the same tribes founded the Armenian kingdom. Around the same period, Abkhazian and Georgian families developed in parallel, which formed the Colchis kingdom. Iberia, the Georgian kingdom, arises in the northern part of Transcaucasia.

Impact of the Arab conquest

In the history of Central Asia and Transcaucasia VII - VIII centuries. n. e. The Arab conquest, which brought with it the Islamic faith, occupies a significant place. At the current Russian territory this process took place in the Caucasus region. In particular, Islam spread among some peoples of the Northern and Eastern Caucasus and, in particular, the Azerbaijanis. However, the Arab conquerors also met with rejection among the local population. The same Georgians and Armenians, who had previously converted to Christianity, steadfastly resisted Islamization. However, in Central Asia, Islam gradually emerged as the dominant religion of the local population. After the collapse of the Arab Caliphate, the most ancient peoples and civilizations on the territory of Russia were forced to confront the Seljuk Turks. Other states were formed during this struggle. For example, under King David the Builder, the unification of Georgian lands took place with the formation of the city of Tbilisi. To the north is the Abkhazian kingdom with independent Kakheti, and in the eastern part are Albania and a number of other small states.

Greek colonies in Russia

The Black Sea coast has become one of the most developed areas in the territory modern Russia in the VI - V centuries. BC e. This was greatly facilitated by the Greek colonialists, who in the 1st millennium BC. began to master southern lands. In the Azov and Black Sea regions, the Greeks form large colonial cities - such as Tiras, Chersonesus, Panticapaeum, Olbia, Feodosia, Tanais, Fasis, etc. To illustrate the success of these cities, it can be noted that in the 5th century. BC e. Panticapaeum was the central slave-holding power of the Bosporan state. It covered a significant part of the Azov region, promoting the development of local agriculture, trade, fishing, cattle breeding and handicrafts. It is important to emphasize that the most ancient peoples and civilizations on the territory of Russia in the Azov and Black Sea regions were not fully original. They copied the lifestyle and cultural structure brought by the Greeks. But at the same time, the colonies had dense cultural and trade relations with the same Caucasian peoples and the steppe tribes of the Scythians. Up to the 3rd century. n. e. Greek tribes were regularly attacked by nomads, and during the great migration of peoples they were forced to leave altogether.

Period of the Scythian state

Even further north of the Greek colonies lived the Scythian tribes, distinguished by their vibrant and original culture, which also left its mark on the way of life of the southern peoples. The first mentions of the Scythians date back to the 5th century. n. e. and belong to Herodotus, who described these tribes as Iranian-speaking. In the first mentions geographical location the mouths of the Lower Bug, Danube and Dnieper are indicated. The same Herodotus divided the Scythians into plowmen and nomads - accordingly, according to the direction economic activity. The nomads were located in the Azov region, the Lower Dnieper region and the Crimea, and the plowmen mainly occupied the right bank of the Lower Dnieper and lived in dugouts. By the VI - IV centuries. BC e. There was a unification of the Scythian tribes, which later formed the basis of a full-fledged state in one of the current districts of Simferopol. This state was called Scythian Naples and its structure is characterized as a military democracy. But by the 3rd century. BC e. the Scythians begin to push out other ancient peoples on the territory of Russia in its modern form. In the regions of the Northern Black Sea region, the wars of Alexander the Great appear, and the Sarmatians come from the east. The same major blow According to the Scythians, it was inflicted by the Huns, who later appeared on the Crimean Peninsula.

The Great Migration and the emergence of the Slavs

There were many reasons for the great migration, and for the most part this process took place in the territory modern Europe. The resettlement began in the 3rd century. n. e., and by the 4th century. Numerous barbarian tribes of Celts and Germans began to fight neighboring states in new territories. Forest and steppe barbarians went to seize richer lands in the southern regions, which left a mark on the reorganization of part North Caucasus and the Black Sea region. How did this affect the ancient peoples on the territory of Russia? The Great Migration of Peoples can be briefly described as the process of formation of independent Germanic, Roman and Slavic peoples. The Slavs did not play a key role at all during this period and figured already at the late stage of the resettlement, but it was precisely for the regions that today are included within the borders of Russia that they would later have a fateful influence.

The fact is that the resettlement occurred from two directions. As already noted, the main process took place in the European part - from the north-west, the Germans and Celts moved to conquer the southern lands. Nomads moved from the east from Asia, eventually traveling from China to France. There was activity in the southern regions themselves. From the Transcaucasus came the ancestors of modern Ossetians - the Alans. To varying degrees, these migration movements shaped the ancient peoples on the territory of Russia. The Eastern Slavs, in turn, joined the general wave of migration by the 4th century. n. e. They joined the stream, which consisted of Turks, Sarmatians, Illyrians and Thracians. For some time they had allied relations with the Huns and Goths, but later these tribes became enemies. Actually, it was the invasions of the Huns that forced the Slavs to settle in the directions of the west and southwest.

Theories of Slavic ethnogenesis

Today there is no exact idea of ​​how exactly and where the Eastern Slavs came from. Moreover, the group of this nationality is very extensive and included many individual ethnic groups and families. And yet, scientists have formulated three theories of ethnogenesis. Ancient peoples on the territory of Russia in the context of these areas of research are considered precisely as the origins of the formation of the Russian state.

So, the first theory is autochthonous. According to it, the original place of origin of the Slavs is the Dnieper River. This theory is based on archaeological research. The second theory is migration. She notes that the Eastern Slavs were identified as an independent ethnic group from the common pan-Slavic branch in the 1st century BC. e. Also, according to the theory of migration ethnogenesis, during the period of the great migration the Slavs could move in two directions - from the river basin. Oder to the Vistula, or from the Danube basin to the east. One way or another, in the 1st century BC. e. Slavic ancient peoples already lived on the East European Plain. The origin of the Eastern Slavs in Russia during this period is confirmed by Tacitus, Herodotus, Ptolemy and some of the Arab sources.

Antes and Sklavins

In the VI century. n. e. After the first wave of settlement of the Slavs, Byzantine writers began to distinguish two peoples - the Antes and the Sklavins. Often their mention was in the context of crowding out another Slavic people- Venedov. At the same time, Gothic sources emphasize that all three nationalities have one root, albeit a branched one. Thus, the Sklavins are characterized as a largely western group, the Antes as an eastern group, and the Wends as a northern group. Of course, there were other ethnic groups like the Radimichi, Northerners and Vyatichi, but these three are the most prominent ancient peoples on the territory of Russia. The origin and further settlement according to sources of the same time extended from the lower Danube to Lake Murcia. In particular, the Antes occupied the territory from the Dniester to the very mouth of the Dnieper. However, the boundaries of the distribution of the Slavs along northern regions sources do not note. About the same Wends, the Goths write that they occupy endless spaces.

According to the results already modern research in archeology, the Antes and Sklavins had minor differences, which mostly related to ritual rites. But at the same time, the cultural influence of the Scythian-Sarmatian tribes on the Antes is noted, as evidenced by the very name of this nation, which is of Iranian origin. But, despite the differences, the ancient Slavic peoples on the territory of Russia often united on the basis of political and military interests. Moreover, there is also a theory according to which the Antes, Sklavins and Wends were not called different groups nationalities, but one ethnic group, but called differently by its neighbors.

Avar invasion

In the middle of the 7th century. n. e. the regions of the eastern Azov region and the North Caucasus were attacked by the Avars. The latter ravaged the lands of the Antes, but as they advanced into the country of the Slavs, their relations with Byzantium deteriorated. Nevertheless, in the Avar Khaganate by the second half of the 7th century. n. e. included almost all the ancient peoples on the territory of Russia. The story of this invasion was subsequently passed on for centuries and was even described in the Tale of Bygone Years. The size of the share of the Slavic people in the Kaganate was so impressive that John of Ephesus in his chronicles identified the Antes and Avars.

Archaeological information allows us to draw conclusions about a wide migration wave of Antes towards Pannonia. For example, the origin of the ethnonym Croats also has Iranian roots. Therefore, we can talk about the dominance of the Antes in the Kaganate over the Sklavins. And already the settlement of Croats throughout the Balkan Peninsula and parts Western Europe indicates the directions taken by the wave of migration of the Antes with the Avars. In addition, the ethnonym Serbs is of Iranian origin, which makes this ethnic group close to the ancient peoples on the territory of Russia. The Great Migration of Peoples did not have such an impact on the distribution of the Slavs across eastern regions Europe, like the invasion of the Avars. They also left behind a cultural trace, but many scientists especially emphasize the likelihood of a demographic explosion by this time, which forced the Kaganate to look for new lands.

Completion of the history of the ants

Antes and other Slavic tribes during the 7th century. n. e. are in unstable hostile and allied relations with the Avar Khaganate and Byzantium. But it is important to emphasize that it was the advance of the Avars that provoked disagreements within the Slavic association. As sources note, the ancient peoples on the territory of modern Russia, formed by the Antes tribe, were eventually exterminated for their alliance with the Romans. This attempt at unity did not please the Avars, who sent an army to destroy the tribes. However, there is still no exact information about the fate of the remaining Antes. Some historians believe that they were completely defeated, while others are of the opinion that the Antes moved across the Danube.

The same “Tale of Bygone Years” indicates the death of Grand Duke Kiy and his warriors, after which the Slavic tribes began to fight among themselves, because of which the Khazars established strong power in the region. It is with this event that the new formation of ancient peoples on the territory of Russia is associated. The origin of the Slavs in the first stages determined the formation of the Ant community, but after its decline, a new period of development of the East Slavic people began with the next round of settlement.

Development of new territories by the Slavs

In the 8th century the previously secured position on the Balkan Peninsula becomes less secure. This was facilitated by the arrival of Byzantium in the region, under whose pressure the Slavs had to retreat. In Greece, their assimilation is also taking place, which forces the tribes to look for new places for development in other directions. At this stage, we can already talk about the complete formation of the basis of ancient peoples on the territory of Russia. Briefly they can be characterized as Slavic families, but as new lands are invaded, other ethnic groups join the main masses. For example, at the beginning of the 8th century. On the left bank of the Dnieper, the Romny culture is actively forming. At the same time, in the upper Dnieper region, the Smolensk Slavs formed their own layer of traditions and rituals.

A single linguistic and cultural space is created by the Slavs, who occupied the territory from the Danube to the Baltic. This advancement ultimately allowed the formation of the famous trade route from the Varangians to the Greeks. As archaeological research shows, ancient peoples in Russia used this road already in the second half of the 8th century. By the 9th century. Trade relations are formed between the Slavs and neighboring states, which allows them to enter the pan-European transport system. No less significant was the migration to the south, which made it possible to reach the countries of Asia Minor. Some of the Slavic tribes were captured by Emperor Justinian II during his campaign in the vicinity of Thessaloniki. The Bulgarian tribes acted as defenders in this clash, but further advances of the Eastern Slavs in this direction were suppressed for a long time.

History does not have accurate data about where the first Slavs appeared. All information about their appearance and settlement throughout the territory of modern Europe and Russia was obtained indirectly:

• analysis of Slavic languages;
• archaeological finds;
• written mentions in chronicles.

Based on these data, we can conclude that the original habitat of the Slavs was the northern slopes of the Carpathians; it was from these places that the Slavic tribes migrated to the south, west and east, forming three branches of the Slavs - Balkan, Western and Russian (Eastern).
The settlement of East Slavic tribes along the banks of the Dnieper began in the 7th century. Another part of the Slavs settled along the banks of the Danube and received the name Western. The South Slavs settled on the territory of the Byzantine Empire.

Settlement of Slavic tribes

The ancestors of the Eastern Slavs were the Veneti - a union of tribes of ancient Europeans who lived in Central Europe in the 1st millennium. Later the Veneti settled along the coast of the Vistula River and Baltic Sea to the North Carpathian Mountains. The culture, life and pagan rituals of the Veneti were closely connected with the Pomeranian culture. Some of the Veneti who lived in more western areas were influenced by Germanic culture.

Slavic tribes and their settlement, table 1

In the III-IV centuries. The East European Slavs were united under the rule of the Goths as part of the Power of Germanaric, located in the Northern Black Sea region. At the same time, the Slavs were part of the tribes of the Khazars and Avars, but were in the minority there.

In the 5th century, the settlement of East Slavic tribes began from the territories of the Carpathian region, the mouth of the Dniester and the banks of the Dnieper. The Slavs actively migrated in various directions. In the East, the Slavs stopped along the Volga and Oka rivers. The Slavs who migrated and settled in the East began to be called Ants. The Antes' neighbors were the Byzantines, who suffered the raids of the Slavs and described them as "high, strong people With beautiful faces" At the same time, the southern Slavs, who were called Sklavins, gradually assimilated with the Byzantines and adopted their culture.

Western Slavs in the 5th century. were settled along the coast of the Odra and Elbe rivers, and constantly launched raids into more western territories. A little later, these tribes split into many separate groups: Poles, Czechs, Moravians, Serbs, Luticians. The Slavs of the Baltic group also separated

Slavic tribes and their settlement on the map

Designation:
green - Eastern Slavs
light green - Western Slavs
dark green - southern Slavs

The main East Slavic tribes and their places of settlement

in the VII-VIII centuries. Stable East Slavic tribes were formed, whose settlement occurred as follows: Polyans - lived along the Dnieper River. To the north, along the Desna River lived the northerners, and in the northwestern territories lived the Drevlyans. The Dregovichi settled between the Pripyat and Dvina rivers. Polotsk residents lived along the Polota River. Along the Volga, Dnieper and Dvina rivers there are Krivichi.

Numerous Buzhans or Dulebs were settled on the banks of the Southern and Western Bug, some of whom migrated towards the west and assimilated with the Western Slavs.

The places of settlement of the Slavic tribes influenced their customs, language, laws and methods of farming. The main occupations were growing wheat, millet, barley, some tribes grew oats and rye. Bred large cattle and small poultry.

The settlement map of the ancient Slavs displays the boundaries and areas characteristic of each tribe.

East Slavic tribes on the map

The map shows that the East Slavic tribes are concentrated in Eastern Europe and on the territory of modern Ukraine, Russia and Belarus. During the same period, a group of Slavic tribes began to move towards the Caucasus, therefore in the 7th century. Some of the tribes find themselves on the lands of the Khazar Kaganate.

More than 120 East Slavic tribes lived on the lands from the Bug to Novgorod. The largest of them:

1. The Vyatichi are an East Slavic tribe that lived at the mouths of the Oka and Moscow rivers. The Vyatichi migrated to these areas from the Dnieper coast. This tribe lived separately for a long time and preserved pagan beliefs, actively resisting joining the Kyiv princes. The Vyatichi tribes were subject to raids by the Khazar Khaganate and paid them tribute. Later the Vyatichi were still annexed to Kievan Rus, but have not lost their originality.
2. The Krivichi are the northern neighbors of the Vyatichi, living on the territory of modern Belarus and the Western regions of Russia. The tribe was formed as a result of the merger of the Balts and Finno-Ugric tribes that came from the north. Most elements of Krivichi culture contain Baltic motifs.
3. Radimichi are tribes that lived in the territory of modern Gomel and Mogidev regions. Radimichi are the ancestors of modern Belarusians. Their culture and customs were influenced by Polish tribes and eastern neighbors.

These three Slavic groups subsequently united and formed the Great Russians. It must be understood that the ancient Russian tribes and the places of their settlement did not have clear boundaries, because Wars were fought between the tribes for lands and alliances were concluded, as a result the tribes migrated and changed, adopting each other’s culture.

In the 8th century the eastern tribes of the Slavs from the Danube to the Baltic already had a single culture and language. Thanks to this, it became possible to create trade route“from the Varangians to the Greeks” and became the root cause of the formation of the Russian state.

The main East Slavic tribes and their places of settlement, table 2

Western Slavic tribes

West Slavic tribes lived in the territory of modern Central Europe. They are usually divided into four groups:

• Polish tribes (Poland, Western Belarus);
• Czech tribes (part of the territory of modern Czech Republic);
• Polabian tribes (lands from the Elbe River to the Odra and from the Ore Mountains to the Baltic). The “Polabian union of tribes” included: Bodrichi, Ruyans, Drevyans, Lusatian Serbs and more than 10 other tribes. In the VI century. most of the tribes were captured and enslaved by the young Germanic feudal states.
• Pomeranians who lived in Pomerania. Beginning in the 1190s, the Pomeranians were attacked by the Germans and Danes and almost completely lost their culture and assimilated with the invaders.

Southern Slavic tribes

The South Slavic ethnic group included: Bulgarian, Dalmatian and Greek Macedonian tribes settled in the northern part of Byzantium. They were captured by the Byzantines and adopted their customs, beliefs and culture.

Neighbors of the ancient Slavs

In the west, the neighbors of the ancient Slavs were tribes of Celts and Germans. In the east are the Balts and Finno-Ugric tribes, as well as the ancestors of modern Iranians - the Scythians and Sarmatians. Gradually they were supplanted by the Bulgar and Khazars tribes. In the south, Slavic tribes lived side by side with the Romans and Greeks, as well as the ancient Macedonians and Illyrians.

Slavic tribes became a real disaster for the Byzantine Empire and for the Germanic peoples, carrying out constant raids and seizing fertile lands.

In the VI century. Hordes of Turks appeared in the territory inhabited by the Eastern Slavs, who entered into a fight with the Slavs for lands in the Dniester and Danube region. Many Slavic tribes went over to the side of the Turks, whose goal was to seize the Byzantine Empire.
During the war, the Western Slavs were completely enslaved by the Byzantines, the southern Slavs, the Sklavins, defended their independence, and the East Slavic tribes were captured by the Turkic horde.

East Slavic tribes and their neighbors (map)

The name Vyatichi, in all likelihood, comes from the Proto-Slavic vęt- “big”, as do the names “Vendals” and “Vandals”. According to the Tale of Bygone Years, the Vyatichi descended “from the clan of Poles,” that is, from Western Slavs. The settlement of the Vyatichi came from the territory of the Dnieper left bank and even from the upper reaches of the Dniester.

In the Oka River basin they founded their own “state” - Vantit, which is mentioned in the works of the Arab historian Gardizi.

The Vyatichi were an extremely freedom-loving people: the Kyiv princes had to capture them at least four times.

The last time the Vyatichi as a separate tribe was mentioned in chronicles was in 1197, but the legacy of the Vyatichi can be traced back to the 17th century. Many historians consider the Vyatichi to be the ancestors of modern Muscovites.

It is known that the Vyatichi tribes adhered to the pagan faith for a very long time. The chronicler Nestor mentions that polygamy was the order of the day among this tribal union. In the 12th century, the Vyatichi tribes killed the Christian missionary Kuksha Pechersky, and only by the 15th century did the Vyatichi tribes finally accept Orthodoxy.

Krivichi

The Krivichi were first mentioned in the chronicle in 856, although archaeological finds indicate the emergence of the Krivichi as a separate tribe back in the 6th century. The Krivichi were one of the largest East Slavic tribes and lived on the territory of modern Belarus, as well as in the regions of the Podvina and Dnieper regions. The main cities of the Krivichi were Smolensk, Polotsk and Izborsk.

The name of the tribal union comes from the name of the pagan high priest Krive-Krivaitis. Krwe meant “curved,” which could equally indicate the priest’s advanced years as well as his ritual staff.

According to legends, when the high priest could no longer perform his duties, he committed self-immolation. The main task of the krive-krivaitis was sacrifices. Usually goats were sacrificed, but sometimes the animal could be replaced by a human.

The last tribal prince of the Krivichi, Rogvolod, was killed in 980 by the Novgorod prince Vladimir Svyatoslavich, who took his daughter as his wife. Krivichi are mentioned in chronicles until 1162. Subsequently, they mixed with other tribes and became the ancestors of modern Lithuanians, Russians and Belarusians.

Glade

The Polyans lived along the Dnieper and had no relation to Poland. It is the Polyans who are the founders of Kyiv and the main ancestors of modern Ukrainians.

According to legend, in the Polyan tribe there lived three brothers Kiy, Shchek and Khoriv with their sister Lybid. The brothers built a city on the banks of the Dnieper and named it Kiev, in honor of their elder brother. These brothers laid the foundation for the first princely family. When the Khazars imposed tribute on the Polans, they paid them the first with double-edged swords.

The legend can also explain to us the origin of the glades. It is known that the Slavs, who lived in wooded and swampy areas from the Vistula to the Carpathians, “like spores” settled throughout Europe. Shchek could become the personification of the Czechs, Khoriv - the Croats, and Kiy - the people of Kiev, that is, the Polyans.

Initially, the clearings were in a losing position; they were squeezed on all sides by more numerous and strong neighbors, and the Khazars forced the glades to pay them tribute. But by the middle of the 8th century, thanks to economic and cultural growth, the glades switched from waiting to offensive tactics. Having captured many of the lands of their neighbors, in 882 the glades themselves came under attack. Novgorod Prince Oleg seized their lands, and declared Kyiv the capital of his new state.

The last time the glades were mentioned in the chronicle was in 944 in connection with Prince Igor’s campaign against Byzantium.

White Croats

Little is known about the White Croats. They came from the upper reaches of the Vistula River and settled on the Danube and along the Morava River. It is believed that their homeland was Great (White) Croatia, which was located on the spurs of the Carpathian Mountains. From here, Europe was settled by red, black and white Croats. The first went to the south, the second to the west, and the third to the east. The fight against the Avars, Germans and other Slavs forced everyone to look for their own path.

According to the Tale of Bygone Years, white Croats took part in Oleg’s campaign against Constantinople in 907. But the chronicles also indicate that Prince Vladimir “went against the Croats” in 992. So the free tribe became part of Kievan Rus.

It is believed that the White Croats are the ancestors of the Carpathian Rusyns.

Drevlyans

The Drevlyans have a bad reputation. The Kyiv princes twice imposed tribute on the Drevlyans for raising an uprising. The Drevlyans did not abuse mercy. Prince Igor, who decided to collect a second tribute from the tribe, was tied up and torn in two.

The prince of the Drevlyans, Mal, immediately wooed Princess Olga, who had barely become a widow. She brutally dealt with his two embassies, and during the funeral feast for her husband she carried out a massacre among the Drevlyans.

The princess finally subjugated the tribe in 946, when she burned their capital Iskorosten with the help of birds that lived in the city. These events went down in history as “Olga’s four revenges on the Drevlyans.”

The Drevlyans could be descendants of the legendary Dulebs - the tribe from which all other Slavic tribes descended. And the word “ancient” is key here. It is interesting that the Drevlyans, along with the Polyans, are the distant ancestors of modern Ukrainians.

Dregovichi

The name Dregovichi comes from the Baltic root “dreguva” - swamp. Dregovichi is one of the most mysterious unions of Slavic tribes. Almost nothing is known about them. At a time when the Kyiv princes were burning neighboring tribes, the Dregovichi “entered” Rus' without resistance.

Apparently, the Dregovichi were a very old tribe. On the island of Peloponnese in Greece there lived a tribe with the same name, and it is quite possible that in ancient times they were the same tribe. The Dregovichi settled in the 9th-12th centuries on the territory of modern Belarus; they are believed to be the ancestors of the Ukrainians and Poleschuks.

Before joining Rus', they had their own reign. The capital of the Dregovichi was the city of Turov. Not far from there was the city of Hil, which was an important ritual center where sacrifices were made to the pagan gods.

Radimichi

The ancestors of the Radimichi were not Slavs, but their closest relatives - the Balts. Their tribes came from the west, ousted by the Goths in the 3rd century, and settled in the area between the upper Dnieper and Desna along the Sozh and its tributaries.

By the 8th-9th centuries, Slavic tribes came from the west and merged with them. Perhaps the chronicles are right: these few “colonists” came “from the Poles,” that is, from the upper reaches of the Vistula, from where many Slavic tribes settled.

Until the 10th century, the Radimichi remained independent, were ruled by tribal leaders and had their own army. Unlike most of their neighbors, the Radimichi never lived in dugouts - they built huts with smoking stoves.

In 885, the Kiev prince Oleg asserted his power over them and obliged the Radimichi to pay him tribute, which they had previously paid to the Khazars. In 907, the Radimichi army took part in Oleg’s campaign against Constantinople. Soon after this, the tribal union was freed from power Kyiv princes, but already in 984 a new campaign against the Radimichi took place. Their army was defeated, and the lands were finally annexed to Kievan Rus. IN last time Radimichi are mentioned in the chronicle in 1164, but their blood still flows in modern Belarusians

Slovenia

Slovenes (or Ilmen Slovenes) are the northernmost East Slavic tribe. Slovenes lived in the basin of Lake Ilmen and the upper reaches of Mologa. The first mention of the Slovenes can be dated back to the 8th century.

Slovenia can be called an example of vigorous economic and government development.

In the 8th century, they captured settlements in Ladoga, then established trade relations with Prussia, Pomerania, the islands of Rügen and Gotland, as well as with Arab merchants. After a series of civil strife, Slovenes in the 9th century called for the Varangians to reign. Veliky Novgorod becomes the capital. After this, the Slovenians began to be called Novgorodians; their descendants still live in the Novgorod region.

Northerners

Despite the name, the northerners lived much further south than the Slovenians. The habitat of the northerners was the basins of the Desna, Seima, Seversky Donets and Sula. The origin of the self-name is still unknown; some historians suggest Scythian-Sarmatian roots for the word, which can be translated as “black”.

The Northerners were different from other Slavs; they had thin bones and a narrow skull. Many anthropologists believe that the northerners belong to a branch of the Mediterranean race - the Pontic.

The tribal association of northerners existed until the visit of Prince Oleg. Previously, the northerners paid tribute to the Khazars, but now they began to pay Kyiv. In just one century, the northerners mixed with other tribes and ceased to exist.

Ulichi

The Ulichi lived in the lands of the legendary Ants. They were called by many names - “Uglichi”, “uluchi”, “ultsy” and “lyutichi”. Initially, they inhabited the “corner” between the mouth of the Dnieper and the Bug, which is why they may have received one of the names. Later, the nomads drove them out, and the tribes had to move westward. The main “capital” city of the streets was Peresechen, located in the steppe zone.

With Oleg coming to power, the Ulichi began to fight for independence. Sveneld, the governor of the Kyiv prince, had to conquer the lands of the Ulichs piece by piece - the tribes fought for every village and settlement. Sveneld besieged the capital for three years until the city finally surrendered.

Even subject to tribute, the Ulichi tried to restore their own lands after the war, but soon a new trouble came - the Pechenegs. The Ulichi were forced to flee to the north, where they mixed with the Volynians. In the 970s, the streets were mentioned in chronicles for the last time.

Volynians

The Volynians lived at the end of the 10th - beginning of the 11th centuries in the basin of the upper reaches of the Western Bug and near the sources of Pripyat. Archaeologists note that the Volynians were mainly engaged in agriculture and crafts, but it is known that the tribes owned more than 70 fortresses.

The Volynians took part in Oleg’s campaign against Constantinople in 907, albeit as translators. Unlike many other tribes captured by the prince of Kyiv by this time, the Volynians did this voluntarily.

The Volynians were captured only in 981, when the Kiev prince Vladimir I Svyatoslavich subjugated the Przemysl and Cherven lands.

The first mentions of the Slavs are found in written sources of the 5th-6th centuries. But modern archeology claims that the first tribes Ancient Rus' lived on the territory of present-day Russia even before our era.
Initially, the peoples who lived until the IV-VI centuries. in the area between the Oder and Vistula rivers, near the Dnieper River, they were called Wends. Later they began to be called Slavs. The Veneds were engaged in agriculture, cattle breeding, knew crafts, and built fortified houses. All members of the tribe worked equally, there was no social inequality. This way of life made the Slavs a civilized and developed people. Our ancestors were among the first to build cities and large settlements, establish roads and trade relations.
Historians count several tribes that lived in Ancient Rus' from the 6th to the 11th centuries.
The Krivichi occupied a vast territory of modern Vitebsk, Mogilev, Smolensk, and Pskov regions. The main cities of the family were Smolensk and Polotsk. This tribe is one of the most numerous in Ancient Rus'. They are divided into two groups: Pskov and Polotsk-Smolensk. The Krivichi tribal union included Polotsk residents.
Vyatichi were the most eastern tribe Ancient Rus', they lived along the banks of the Moscow River and in the upper reaches of the Oka. Their lands were located on the territory of modern Moscow, Oryol, Ryazan and other neighboring regions. The central city is Dedoslavl, its exact location has not yet been established. People for a long time preserved paganism and resisted Christianity imposed by Kiev. The Vyatichi were a warlike and capricious tribe.
The Ilmen Slovenes were neighbors with the Krivichi, inhabiting the lands near Lake Ilmen, which gave the tribe its name. According to written sources, they, together with other peoples, called on the Varangians, related to the Slovenes, to rule the lands of Ancient Rus'. The warriors of the tribal union were part of Prince Oleg's squad and took part in the campaigns of Vladimir Svyatoslavich.
Together with the Vyatichi and Krivichi they formed the people of the Great Russians.
The Dulebs are one of the most ancient clans of the Slavs. They lived in the area of ​​tributaries of the Pripyat River. Little information has been preserved about them. Written sources of that time indicate that the Dulebs participated in the military campaigns of Prince Oleg. Two groups later emerged from the people: the Volynians and the Drevlyans. Their lands belonged to Kievan Rus.
The Volynians lived near the Bug and near the source of the Pripyat. Some researchers claim that the Volynians and Buzhans are the same tribe. In the territory occupied by this Slavic family, there were up to 230 cities.
The Drevlyans lived in the Polesie region, on the right bank of the Dnieper River. The name of the tribe comes from the habitat of the clan - forests. They were mainly engaged in agriculture and cattle breeding. IN historical sources it is indicated that the tribe was peaceful and almost did not fight. Associated with the Drevlyans famous story about the murder of Prince Igor in 945. Princess Olga, Igor's widow, burned them main city- Iskorosten, later known as Vruchiy.
The Polyans lived on the territory of present-day Kyiv and near the Dnieper River. Their settlements were located in the very center of the East Slavic lands. The culture of the glades was very developed, which is why Kyiv subjugated the peoples of other tribes by the 9th century. The most major cities Kyiv, Belgorod, Zvenigorod are considered tribes. It is believed that the name of the genus comes from their habitat - fields.
The Radimichi inhabited Upper Transnistria, the basin of the Sozh River and its tributaries. The founder of this tribal union was Radim, his brother Vyatko founded the Vyatichi people. Archaeologists note the similarity of the customs of these tribes. The last time the Radimichi appear in the records of sources was in 1169. Their territories later became part of the Smolensk and Chernigov principalities.
Dregovichi are one of the most mysterious and little-studied tribes of Ancient Rus'. Presumably they settled in the middle part of the Pripyat basin. The exact boundaries of their lands have not yet been established. The Dregovichi moved from the south to the Neman River.
Northerners lived near the Desna until about the 9th-10th centuries. The name of the tribe does not come from their geographical location. Researchers suggest that the word translates as “black.” This theory is confirmed by the fact that the main city of the tribe was Chernigov. They were mainly engaged in agriculture.
Tivertsy inhabited the area between the Dniester and Prut rivers. Currently, these lands are located on the territory of Ukraine and Moldova. In the 12th century, the tribe left these lands due to military aggression neighboring principalities. Subsequently, the Tiverts mixed with other peoples.
The streets occupied the territory of the lower Dnieper. Their main city was called Peresechen. For a long time, the tribe resisted the attempts of the capital of Ancient Rus' to subjugate them.
All the tribes of Ancient Rus' had their own customs and way of life, but they were united by a common faith and religion, language, and culture.

East Slavic union of tribes living in the basin of the upper and middle reaches of the Oka and along the Moscow River. The settlement of the Vyatichi occurred from the territory of the Dnieper left bank or from the upper reaches of the Dniester. The substrate of the Vyatichi was the local Baltic population. The Vyatichi preserved pagan beliefs longer than other Slavic tribes and resisted the influence of the Kyiv princes. Disobedience and belligerence are the calling card of the Vyatichi tribe.

Tribal union of the Eastern Slavs of the 6th-11th centuries. They lived in the territories of present-day Vitebsk, Mogilev, Pskov, Bryansk and Smolensk regions, as well as eastern Latvia. They were formed on the basis of the incoming Slavic and local Baltic population - Tushemlinskaya culture. The ethnogenesis of the Krivichi involved the remnants of local Finno-Ugric and Baltic tribes - Estonians, Livs, Latgalians - who mixed with the numerous newcomer Slavic population. Krivichi are divided into two large groups: Pskov and Polotsk-Smolensk. In the culture of the Polotsk-Smolensk Krivichi, along with Slavic elements of decoration, there are elements of the Baltic type.

Slovenian Ilmenskie- tribal union of Eastern Slavs in the territory Novgorod land, mainly in the lands near Lake Ilmen, adjacent to the Krivichi. According to the Tale of Bygone Years, the Ilmen Slovenes, together with the Krivichi, Chud and Meri, participated in the calling of the Varangians, who were related to the Slovenes - immigrants from the Baltic Pomerania. A number of historians consider the ancestral home of the Slovenes to be the Dnieper region, others trace the ancestors of the Ilmen Slovenes from the Baltic Pomerania, since the legends, beliefs and customs, the type of dwellings of the Novgorodians and Polabian Slavs are very similar.

Duleby- tribal union of the Eastern Slavs. They inhabited the territories of the Bug River basin and the right tributaries of the Pripyat. In the 10th century The association of Dulebs disintegrated, and their lands became part of Kievan Rus.

Volynians- an East Slavic union of tribes that lived on the territory on both banks of the Western Bug and at the source of the river. Pripyat. In Russian chronicles, Volynians were first mentioned in 907. In the 10th century, the Vladimir-Volyn principality was formed on the lands of the Volynians.

Drevlyans- East Slavic tribal union, which occupied in the 6th-10th centuries. the territory of Polesie, the Right Bank of the Dnieper, west of the glades, along the rivers Teterev, Uzh, Ubort, Stviga. The area of ​​residence of the Drevlyans corresponds to the area of ​​the Luka-Raykovets culture. The name Drevlyans was given to them because they lived in forests.

Dregovichi- tribal union of the Eastern Slavs. The exact boundaries of the habitat of Dregovichi have not yet been established. According to a number of researchers, in the 6th-9th centuries the Dregovichi occupied the territory in the middle part of the Pripyat River basin, in the 11th - 12th centuries southern border their settlement took place south of Pripyat, the northwestern one - in the watershed of the Drut and Berezina rivers, the western one - in the upper reaches of the Neman River. When settling Belarus, the Dregovichi moved from south to north to the Neman River, which indicates their southern origin.

Polotsk residents- a Slavic tribe, part of the tribal union of the Krivichi, who lived along the banks of the Dvina River and its tributary Polota, from which they got their name.
The center of Polotsk land was the city of Polotsk.

Glade- a tribal union of Eastern Slavs who lived on the Dnieper, in the area of ​​​​modern Kyiv. The very origin of the glades remains unclear, since the territory of their settlement was at the junction of several archaeological cultures.

Radimichi- an East Slavic union of tribes that lived in the eastern part of the Upper Dnieper region, along the Sozh River and its tributaries in the 8th-9th centuries. Convenient river routes passed through the lands of the Radimichi, connecting them with Kiev. The Radimichi and Vyatichi had a similar burial rite - the ashes were buried in a log house - and similar female temple jewelry (temporal rings) - seven-rayed (among the Vyatichi - seven-paste). Archaeologists and linguists suggest that the Balt tribes living in the upper reaches of the Dnieper also participated in the creation of the material culture of the Radimichi.

Northerners- an East Slavic union of tribes that lived in the 9th-10th centuries along the Desna, Seim and Sula rivers. The origin of the name northerners is of Scythian-Sarmatian origin and is traced back to the Iranian word “black”, which is confirmed by the name of the city of northerners - Chernigov. The main occupation of the northerners was agriculture.

Tivertsy- an East Slavic tribe that settled in the 9th century in the area between the Dniester and Prut rivers, as well as the Danube, including along the Budjak coast of the Black Sea in the territory of modern Moldova and Ukraine.

Ulichi- East Slavic tribal union that existed in the 9th - 10th centuries. The Ulichi lived in the lower reaches of the Dnieper, Bug and on the shores of the Black Sea. The center of the tribal union was the city of Peresechen. The Ulichi for a long time resisted the attempts of the Kyiv princes to subjugate them to their power.