On the Arrival of the Antes & Slavs at the Byzantine Frontier – Procopius

Slavs have existed as a separately identifiable people prior to the 6th century.  There will come a time on these pages when we discuss Pliny the Elder and Tacitus as they relate much on this topic (or, given how little there is of such writing, “much enough” so to speak).

Nonetheless, the first time a people definitely identified as Slavs appear in the pages of recorded history is in the works of Jordanes and Procopius – Byzantine authors writing about 550 Anno Domini.

Indeed, we have already given a preview Jordanes in discussing the short story of Boz which was recounted by Jordanes in his Getica.  Let us now see what else Jordanes says of the Slavs and while we’re at it, discuss too that other that other writer of late antiquity who left accounts of the Slavs – Procopius.

So as to mix it up a bit, let us start with Procopius.  We will cover Jordanes, fittingly, in a companion post.

In his History of Wars  (volume vii, chapter XIV), Procopius discusses the Slavs in anthropological tones as he relates the story of (spoiler alert) false Chilbudius.  This is what he says:

On the Slav system of governments:

“For these nations, the Sklaveni and the Antae, are not ruled by one man, but they have lived from of old under a democracy, and consequently everything which involves their welfare, whether for good or ill, is referred to the people.”

On Slav religion:

“It is also true that in all other matters, practically speaking, these two barbarian peoples have had from ancient times the same institutions and customs. For they believe that one god, the maker of the lightning, is alone lord of all things, and they sacrifice to him cattle and [non-Slavic readers with a self-preservation instinct intact, should perk up right about here] all other victims; but as for fate, they neither know it nor do they in any wise [i.e., ways] admit that it has any power among men, but whenever death stands close before them, either stricken with sickness or beginning a war, the make a promise that, if they escape they will straightway make a sacrifice to the god in return for their life; and if they escape, they sacrifice just what they have promised, and consider that their safety has been bought with the same sacrifice.”

So they believe in one God – check (i.e., could be fodder for Christian missionaries) (though here we note that some later interpretations of this sentence say “one of the gods”) and are not very superstitious except when they are very superstitious when they can get REALLY hurt.  Got it.  Also, no, the name of that God may, perhaps, have been Perun, Piorun, Perkun but… if it was (and we do not think so), Procopius certainly does not say so (the name does not appear in any writing until the Nestor Chronicle where it, perhaps, refers to the god of the Rus, i.e., Thor).

On Slav spirituality, environmentalist philosophy and more sacrifices:

“They reverence, however, both rivers and nymphs and some other spirits, and they sacrifice to all these also, and they make their divinations in connection with these sacrifices.“

So environmentalism, check.  Lots of sacrifices, one more check.   And superstitions – let’s put down a more definitive, yes.

On Slav home & hearth:

“They live in pitiful hovels which they set up far apart from one another, but, as a general thing, every man is constantly changing his place of above.“

Let’s call it a non-materialistic life style, clearly a result of the Slavic enhanced sense of spirituality.  Also, Slavs appear to be rovers, explorers, always seeking a new experience.

On Slav martial arts and strategy:

“When they enter battle, the majority of them go against their enemy on foot carrying little shields and javelins in their hands, but they never wear corselets. Indeed, some of them do not wear even a shirt or a cloak, but gathering their trews up as far as to their private parts they enter into battle with their opponents.”

On Slav language/communications modes:

“And both the two peoples [i.e., Antes & Slavs] have also the same language, an utterly barbarous tongue.”

It appears here that the Slavs were, for tactical reasons, able to disguise their melodious speech so as to confuse the foolish Byzantine spies, listeners and other voyeurs.  Either that, or the Slavic language and communications were so sophisticated that the Byzantines with their primitive modes of communication were simply flummoxed by the onslaught of consonants and the ueber-Victorian modesty in the Slavic application of vowels.

On Slavic Handsomeness and General Beauty:

“Nay further, they do not differ at all from one another in appearance [i.e., again, Antes & Slavs – either that, or the Slavs were an army of – gorgeous – clones]. For they are all exceptionally tall and stalwart men, while their bodies and hair are neither very fair or blonde, nor indeed do they incline entirely to the dark type, but they are all slightly ruddy in color.“

Nothing needs to be added here.  Just imagine a picture of a GQ cover or, perhaps, of Mens’ Health. 

On the Slavs’ Common Man style:

“And they live a hard life, giving no heed to bodily comforts, just as the Massagetae [a Gothic tribe] do, and like them, they are continually and at all times covered with filth; however, they are in no respect base or evil-doers, but they preserve the Hunnic character in all its simplicity.“

Especially, interesting for us, on “Origins of Slavs”:

“In fact, the Sclaveni and the Antae actually had a single name in the remote past; for they were both called Spori in olden times, because, I suppose, living apart one man from another, they inhabit their country in a sporadic fashion. And in consequence of this very fact they hold a great amount of land; for they alone inhabit the greatest part of the northern bank of the Ister.“

(the above highlights ought to cause a recollection on certain statements made on the etymology of the word Croat)

Regarding the Spori, it is worth nothing that the Greek version is actually Σπορους which could also be read as Sporous.  To the extent this is not a Byzantine name but rather a native Slavic name it seems to be of the meaning large as in many, a mass of, multitude or, more simply, “we are more than you – we kick ass”.  Interestingly, a similar etymology can be shown for the above mentioned Massagetae.  

Now, for those who want to read this in the quasi-original Greek here are a few pages from the source (for this, at least):

(courtesy of Henry Bronson Dewing (b  March 2, 1882 – d Sept 5, 1956), it goes without saying thanks also to his parents, Stephen Dewing and Eva Victoria Lincoln, for turning out such a helpful chap, to Harvard University Press for publishing such esoteric texts, to, of more recent vintage,  the Internet Archive, for putting this stuff on line and, to our lawyers for reminding us to thank all of the above including and, especially, our lawyers – the Internet Archive, incidentally, are taking donations in bitcoin now – maximize your self-satisfaction by giving quickly before that means of exchange is such a means no more).

  

p.s. Procopius mentions the Slavs in his other writings (other Wars, Buildings and, the deliciously subversive, The Secret Court of Justinian) but this passage is the Cadilac (in so many senses) of mid-sixth century Slavic historiography.

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