Here are some of the letters of Cassiodorus that deal with the province of Savia as it existed within the Ostrogothic Kingdom. In the Hodgkin translation (from 1886), Savia is in several places labeled by the translator as Suavia.  In the index, Hodgkin labels Savia as “Sclavonia” thinking the two to be the same.  In fact, it seems precisely because he thinks that Savia refers to the Slavs (or Slavs to Savia) that he seems to insert the “u” into “Suavia”.  If this view were right, this would be the first identification of the former Roman province of Savia as Slavonia (probably not Slovenia?).  We also note that the events in question occur sometime between 514 and 515.

The last letter below talks about the incursion of the Suevi into Venetia.  It seems unlikely that these intruders came from the much further removed province of Swabia within the Frankish Kingdom.  Rather, the Suevi appear to have come from Savia/Suavia which raid occurred in 536.

The standard version of history teaches that at neither of these dates were there to be any Slavs in Savia (because they only came in with the Avars at or after 568).   In fact, even the Lombards were probably not yet there as they supposedly entered Pannonia only in 546 under Walthari or Audoin (perhaps).

For the curious, the Latin version comes from the LatinLibrary.com and is not necessarily based off of the same manuscripts as the Hodgkin version (most of which seems to have come from the British Library collections).

Book 4, Letter 49

From: King Theodoric

To: all the Provincials and the Long-haired Men [Langobards], the Defensores and the Curiales residing in Suavia

Re: Fridibad to be Governor of Suavia, and to punish freebooters

“The King’s orders must be vigorously executed, that terror may be struck into the hearts of the lawless, and that those who have suffered violence may begin to hope for better days. Often the threat of punishment does more to quiet a country than punishment itself. Therefore, under Divine guidance, we have appointed Fridibad to be your Governor.”

“He will punish cattle-lifters with due severity, will cut off murderers, condemn thieves, and render you, who are now torn by presumptuous iniquity, safe from the daring attempts of villains. Live like a settled people; live like men who have learned the lessons of morality; let neither nationality nor rank be alleged as an excuse from these duties. If any man gives himself up to wicked courses, he must needs undergo chastisement.”

(UNIVERSIS PROVINCIALIBUS ET CAPILLATIS DEFENSORIBUS ET CURIALIBUS SISCIA VEL SAVIA CONSISTENTIBUS THEODERICUS REX Districtio semper subtrahi non debet regiae iussionis, ut et audaces metus comprimat et laceratos spes futura refoveat. plerumque enim denuntiata comminatio plus efficit quam poena componit. et ideo deo auspice Fridibadum locis vestris praeesse censuimus, qui abactores animalium legitima severitate coerceat, homicidia resecet, furta condemnet quietosque vos ab sceleratis ausibus reddat, quos nunc praesumptio iniqua dilacerat. vivite compositi, vivite bonis moribus instituti, nullum natio, nullum promeritus honor excuset. necesse est vindictae subiaceat qui pravis moribus obsecundat.)

Book 5, Letter 14

From: King Theodoric

To: Severi(a)nus, Vir Illustris

Re: Financial abuses in Suavia

Year: A.D. 514-515

“We send you to redress the long-standing grievances of the Possessores of the Province of Suavia, to which we have not yet been able to apply a remedy.”

“It appears that some of the chief Possessores are actually making a profit out of the taxes, imposing heavy burdens on their poorer neighbours and not honestly accounting for the receipts to us. See that this is put right, that the land-tax (assis publicus) is fairly and equitably reimposed according to the ability of each Possessor, and that those who have been oppressing their neighbours heal the wounds which they have made.”

“See also that a strict account is rendered by all Defensores, Curiales, and Possessores of any receipts on behalf of the public Treasury. If a Possessor can show that he paid his tax (tributarius solidus) for the now expired eighth Indiction (a.d. 514-515), and the money has not reached our Treasury, find out the defaulter and punish his crime.”

“Similarly with sums disbursed by one of the clerks of our Treasury, for the relief of the Province, which have not reached their destination.”

“Men who were formerly Barbarians, who have married Roman wives and acquired property in land, are to be compelled to pay their Indictions and other taxes to the public Treasury just like any other Provincials.”

“Judges are to visit each town (municipium) once in the year, and are not entitled to claim from such towns more than three days’ maintenance. Our ancestors wished that the circuits of the Judges should be a benefit, not a burden, to the Provincials.”

“It is alleged that some of the servants of the Count of the Goths and of the Vice-dominus (?) have levied black-mail on some of the Provincials. Property so taken must be at once restored and the offenders punished.”

“Enter all your proceedings under this commission in official registers (polyptycha), both for your own protection and for the sake of future reference, to prevent the recurrence of similar abuses.”

(SEVERINO V. I. THEODERICUS REX  Iustitiae ratio persuadet excedentes reprimere, ut ad cunctos possit quietis suavitas pervenire. nam quemadmodum aequabilitas agitur, si vires mediocrium consurgere non sinantur? provincialium itaque nostrorum saepius querela comperimus possessores idoneos Saviae non solum casarum suarum tributariam functionem in tenuem relisisse fortunam, verum etiam scelerato commercio aliquid exinde suis applicare compendiis, ut functio publica commoditas sit privata.  Hoc quidem per plurimos desideravimus corrigi, sed hactenus in tuam laudem videtur potuisse differri, quatenus fides haberetur acceptior, quando post multos neglegentes studium vestrum efficacissime comprobatis. atque ideo prudentia, qua notus es, universum possessorem considerata iustitia te iubemus inspicere et aequalitatem tributi hac ratione moderari, ut quae sub aliis facta est omni redemptione cassata pro pessessionum atque hominum qualitate assis publicus imponatur. sic enim et iustitia perficitur et vires nostrorum provincialium sublevantur. Eos autem, quos sine iussione nostra censum imposuisse constiterit et pro libito suo quorundam onera in alios proiecerunt, legum severitas insequatur, ut omnia illis detrimenta sarciant, quibus incompetenter damna fecerunt. illud quoque praecipimus inquirendum, ut inter defensores, curiales et possessores illatorum ratio vestigetur et quicquid ab octava indictione nuper exempta super tributarium solidum se possessor probaverit intulisse nec nostro aerario constat illatum aut in expensis necessariis, quae in provincia factae sunt, iusta ratione non claruerit erogatum, iniqua praesumptio modis omnibus corrigatur.  Hanc quoque partem non aestimes neglegendam, ut si hoc, quod tabularius a cubiculo nostro suscepit, rationabiliter non docetur expensum, ab iniusto retentatore reddatur. quid enim tam absurdum, nisi ut liberalitas nostra, quam universis proficere volumus, nunc a paucis furtivo compendio opprimatur?  Iudices quoque provinciae vel curiales atque defensores tam de cursu quam de aliis rebus illicita dicuntur possessoribus irrogare dispendia: quod te perquirere et sub ratione legum emendare censemus.  Antiqui barbari, qui Romanis mulieribus elegerunt nuptiali foedere sociari, quolibet titulo praedia quaesiverunt, fiscum possessi cespitis persolvere ac superindicticiis oneribus parere cogantur.  Iudex vero Romanus propter expensas provincialium, quae gravare pauperes suggeruntur, per annum in unumquodque municipium semel accedat: cui non amplius quam triduanae praebeantur annonae, sicut legum cauta tribuerunt. maiores enim nostri discursus iudicum non oneri, sed compendio provincialibus esse voluerunt.  Domestici comitis Gothorum nec non et vicedomini aliqua dicuntur provincialibus concinnatis terroribus abstulisse: quibus iustitia vestra in examinationem deductis, quicquid super hac parte inique gestum esse cognoverit, amotis dilationibus legaliter ordinabit.  His ergo ac talibus, quae ad utilitatem publicam vel provinciales pertinent, sub omni ratione discussis ea te per omnia volumus agere, quae nostrae mansuetudini non debeant displicere. illud sane providentia nostra respexit, ut omnibus a te sollicita atque aequabili indagatione compertis polyptychi iubeantur ascribi: quatenus et testimonia vestrae fidei clareant et nulla posthac, quae abrogari volumus, semina fraudis iterentur.)

Book 5, Letter 15 

From: King Theodoric

To: all the Possessores in Suavia

Re: Financial abuses in Suavia

Year: A.D. 514-515?

“Although our Comitatus is always ready to redress the grievances of our subjects, yet, on account of the length of the journey from your Province hither, we have thought good to send the Illustrious and Magnificent Severinus to you to enquire into your complaints on the spot. He is a man fully imbued with our own principles of government, and he has seen how greatly we have at heart the administration of justice. We therefore doubt not that he will soon put right whatever has been done wrong in your Province; and we have published our “oracles” [the previous letter, containing Severinus’ patent of appointment], that all may know upon what principles he is to act, and that those who have grievances against the present functionaries may learn their rights.’

(UNIVERSIS POSSESSORIBUS IN SAVIA PROVINCIA CONSTITUTIS THEODERICUS REX Licet cunctis laborantibus comitatus noster concedat deo auxiliante iustitiam et hinc remedia subiectis ad reliquas regni partes quasi a vivo fonte descendant, tamen frequenti aditione permoti ingeniosa pietate repperimus et aequitatem vobis concedere et fatigationem longi itineris abrogare, quia dulciora sunt beneficia, quae nullis difficultatibus obtinentur. Misimus itaque illustrem et magnificum Severinum nostris institutionibus eruditum, ut hoc apud vos gereret quod nobis semper placuisse cognovit. vidit enim quam honorabilis apud nos iustus habeatur, quemadmodum bonis actibus clementia nostrae serenitatis arrideat. exercet profecto quod nos aestimat gratanter accipere: nec potest amari rapacitas continenti principi nulla redemptione placitura. praesumenter ergo conveniat ad eum laesorum tumultus: speret remedium qualibet pressus iniuria.  Difficultatem vobis querelae summovemus, dum in ipsis cunabulis scelera commissa resecantur: sine aliqua formidine alieni tributi sarcina gravatus exclamet, accepturus remedium quod de legibus habet. sic enim confidimus, quia per eos, quos instituta nostra componunt, innocentibus detrimenta non veniant. qualia vero pro quiete vestra vel aequalitate tributorum disponenda censuimus, oracula nostra, quae dedimus ad supradictum virum illustrem Severinum, vulgata declarabunt, ut unusquisque unde supplicare debeat, evidenter agnoscat.)

Book 9, Letter  8

From: King Athalaric

To: Count Osuin (or Osum), Vir Illustris

Re: Osuin made Governor of Dalmatia and Savia  

Year: 526-534

“We reward our faithful servants with high honours, hoping thereby to quicken the slothful into emulation, when they ask themselves why, under such an impartial rule, they too do not receive promotion.  We therefore again entrust to your Illustrious Greatness the Provinces of Dalmatia and S(u)avia. We need not hold up to you the examples of others. You have only to imitate yourself, and to confer now again in your old age the same blessings on those Provinces which, as a younger man, you bestowed on them under our grandfather.”

(OSUIN V. I. COMITI ATHALARICUS REX  Propositi nostri est honestos labores palma remunerationis ornare, ut vicissitudine, qua provecti gaudent, desides mordeantur sibique imputare possint quod clementissimis temporibus iudicii nostri praemia non merentur. atque ideo illustrem magnitudinem tuam deo iuvante ad Delmatiarum atque Saviae provincias iterum credidimus destinandam, ut quicquid pro utilitatibus nostris esse cognoscis, aequabili ordinatione disponas populumque nobis devotum per tuam iustitiam facias esse gratissimum, quia dominorum laudibus applicatur, cum se probabiliter tractat electus.  Non exempla aliena perquiras: memor esto quae feceris et non indiges ammoneri. quid est enim quod de tua quisquam debeat actione dubitare, quando ipsis provinciis adhuc propria bona redolere cognoscis? quodam modo iam debitum est illi velle praestare, apud quem te scis fuisse laudabilem. oboedientibus enim iuste indulgetur animus et quos scimus memores bonorum, indubitanter eis denuo praebemus affectum. Aetas quidem tua provecta est, sed actus quoque maturior quid tibi nunc subripere valeat, in quo nec iuventus reprehensibilis fuit? sed haec in domni avi nostri regno fecisti: nunc talia demonstra, ut temporibus nostris reservasse videaris, quicquid probitatis addideris.)

Book 9, Letter  9

From: King Athalaric

To: all the Goths and Romans (in Dalmatia and Savia)

Year: 526-534

“We send back to you the Illustrious Count Osuin, whose valour and justice you already know, to ward off from you the fear of foreign nations, and to keep you from unjust demands. With him comes the Illustrious Severinus, that with one heart and one mind, like the various reeds of an organ, they may utter their praiseworthy precepts.”

“As an act of grace on the commencement of our reign, we direct the Count of the Patrimony to remit to you all the super-assessment (augmentum) which was fixed for your Province at the fourth Indiction.”

“We also grant that when the aforesaid person [Severinus] returns to our presence, you may send suitable men with him to inform us of your financial position, that we may, by readjustment of the taxes, lighten your load if it be still too heavy. Nothing consolidates the Republic so much as the uninjured powers of the taxpayer.”

(UNIVERSIS GOTHIS SIVE ROMANIS ATHALARICUS REX Per provincias nobis deo praestante concessas tales viros cupimus destinare, qui sunt armis praediti et iustitia gloriosi, ut absit a vobis et extranearum gentium metus et calumniosis non pateatis insidiis, quia non minus est malum bellicum vitasse quam saeva discussionis evadere. ipsa est enim vera securitas, quae de nulla iudicis iniquitate formidat. atque ideo, quod deo auspice dictum sit, illustrem comitem Osuin et palatio nostro clarum et provinciis longa conversatione notissimum Dalmatiis decrevimus praesidere. cui pro utilitate nostra iubenti parere procurate, quoniam tantam eius estis iustitiam frequenter experti, ut et sine regia iussione ei deberetis priorum memores oboedire. habet enim proprium ius ille qui iustus est: nam etsi terrore minime potestatis erigitur, aequitate tamen suadente semper auditur. Simul etiam et virum illustrem Severinum ad vos aestimavimus dirigendum, ut compositi consona voluntate possint vobis laudanda praecipere. nam si disparibus calamis convenit unum melos edicere, multo magis viris prudentissimis aptum est iusta concordi voce suadere. Verum ut primordia nostra a praestitis inchoarent clementissimumque dominum in ipso regni limine sentiretis, per quartam indictionem quod a vobis augmenti nomine quaerebatur, illustrem virum comitem patrimonii nostri nunc iussimus removere. Hoc etiam insuper vobis concedentes, ut, cum deo propitio supra dictum virum ad nostra obsequia venire fecerimus, tales homines destinate, per quos possimus evidenter agnoscere, quemadmodum in futurum census doceatur impositus, ut, si gravatos vos esse cognoscimus, pro parte nobis qua visum fuerit considerata aequitate relevemus. ita fit ut habeatis spem et futuri beneficii, qui estis iam pro parte remedia consecuti. Quapropter servire vos convenit utilitatibus nostris, quando ea quae magis sperare precibus potuistis, ultro contulit munificentia principalis. sic enim tradente clementissimo nobis auctore didicimus, ut a subiectorum beneficiis non vacemus. disciplina videlicet imperandi est amare quod multis expedit, quoniam res publica nimium soliditatis accipit, si tributariorum facultas inlaesa constiterit.)

Book 12, Letter 7

From:  Senator, Praetorian Praefect Cassiodorus

To: Tax-Collector of the Venetian Province

Re: Remission of taxes on account of invasion by the Suevi

Year: A.D. 536

“A good Sovereign will always exert himself to repair fortuitous disasters, and will allow those who have paid their taxes punctually in prosperity, considerable liberty in times of barbaric invasion. On this ground, and on account of the incursions of the Suevi, the King grants for this year, the fifteenth Indiction, a discharge of all claims by the Fiscus preferred against A and B. And in all similar cases where you shall be satisfied that the property has really been laid waste by those Barbarians, you are at liberty to remit the taxes for this Indiction. Afterwards you will use all the ordinary methods, in order that you may be able to pay over the stipulated sum to the Royal Treasurer. But meanwhile the poor cultivator has the best of all arguments against paying you, namely, that he has nothing left him wherewith to pay. Thus is his calamity his best voucher for payment; and we do not wish that he who has been already alarmed by the arms of the robber should further tremble at the official robe of the civil servant.”

(CANONICARIO VENETIARUM SENATOR PPO  Sub clementia boni principis nihil constat licere fortuitis, quando sinistros casus corrigunt, qui praestare prosperrime censuerunt. nam quemadmodum ferret nudus saevam barbariem et districtum principem, quando spoliatus iure negat quod affluens inferre didicerat? atque ideo illi vel illi Sueborum incursione vastatis fiscum quintae decimae indictionis serenitas regalis indulsit, sicut te poterit instruere relecta praeceptio.  Unde oboedientiam commendantes a supradictis possessoribus de praediis, quae tamen cognoveris esse vastata, praesentis indictionis tributa non exigas: reliqua vero sollemni compulsione procura, ut constitutis temporibus arcario nostro residuam compleas quantitatem. cave ergo, ne gravior fias hostibus, si adhuc nudare velis exutos: chlamydes non pavescant, qui arma timuerunt: rapinas non sentiant post praedones. validas contra te apochas invenerunt: invictas securitates illis dedit calamitas sua: violentus abstulit quod quaerebas. cui nihil videtur relictum, a tributis constat esse liberatum.)

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The famous Senator Cassiodorus on whose work Jordanes allegedly based his Getica also wrote of the Suebi.  Or, rather, like Jordanes in Getica and like Procopius in his Wars, of the Suavi.   Specifically, he wrote of the Suavi that have lived in the province of Suavia which appears to have been somewhere around Dalmatia – perhaps on the river Sava.  These Suavi, as we already discussed here, were participants in the Battle of Nedao in 454 and the one of the losers of the Battle of Bolia in 469-470?  Their kingdom was in Pannonia and the nearby area between those years.  They shared the space with the other victors of Nedao, i.e., the Herulians, the Sciri, the Rugii and the Sarmatian Iaziges.  Before we get to Cassiodorus, however, it may be helpful to review the situation on the Danube right after the collapse of the Hunnic Empire, or rather, right after the Battle of Nedao:

(Mountainous regions in extra dark burgundy)

Of course, we know that the Ostrogoths eventually returned and other intruders, well, intruded (Odoacer’s forces from Italy and eventually the Lombards and then Avars) so that the results of the next reshuffling of the deck were as follows:

• Rugian kingdom (somewhere in lower Austria – perhaps opposite of Noricum) – defeated in 469-470 at Bolia by the Ostrogoths; at war with Odoacer’s Kingdom from 476 to 486 when they are finally destroyed by his forces;
  • remainder attaches itself to the Amal Goths under Theodoric (coming from southern Balkans) heading to Italy (in 487/488) versus Odoacer;
  • their former lands are encroached upon around 488-489 by the Lombards coming from Bohemia/Middle Elbe area;

• Herulian kingdom (southern Moravia) – (probably) defeated at Bolia by the Ostrogoths in 469-470;  then destroyed in 508 by the Lombards who enter Pannonia from the North
  • one group heads north to Scandinavia (past the “lands of the Slavs”);
  • another group flees to the Gepids then strikes a deal with Byzantines w/Anastasius  who gives them land somewhere on the Danube in the early 510s – they stay here till 540s or so and then send for a new king to Scandinavia; new fights with second preferred choice candidate vs Justinian’s choice so split again:
    • • • one group stays in with Byzantines – this group used by Byzantines to help Langobards versus the Gepids;
      • another group returns to the Gepids;

• Gepid kingdom (old Hun Attila’s haunts in the East of the Pannonian plain) – kingdom survives Odoacer’s Kingdom, the Ostrogoths’ passage to Italy and exists past Theodoric’s death in 525.  However, then the Langobards move into Pannonia in 526-546 and in 552 the Gepids are defeated by them; the final coup de grace comes from the Avars in 567 – it is at this point that the Slavs are supposed to have entered Pannonia with the Avars as their overlords.
  • Nevertheless, as late as the 630s, Byzantines are said to have encountered Gepids in Pannonia;

• Sciri (central Theiss/Tisza plain or maybe north of Danube’s bend) – these ancient tribe’s kingdom, if it can be called that, lasted till 468-469 when they were destroyed by the Ostrogoths (though killed their leader Valamir);

• Suavi – (right (southern) bank of the Danube) – kingdom of the Suavi lasts till about the Battle of Bolia in 469-470;
  • Nevertheless, the province of Suavia and Suavians appear in Cassiodorus’ writings well into the sixth century in the year 514-536 – see here;
  • Furthermore, the Suavs are said to have been defeated by the Langobard Wacho sometime between 526/546 – 568 – see here;

• Sarmatians – (likely on both sides of the Danube, perhaps along the Theiss/Tisza valley); unclear when the kingdom falls (Battle of Bolia 469-470?);

Thus, chronologically, we have (roughly given the quality of the sources) the following events and the following “kingdoms” go under:

• 451 – Battle of Catalaunian Fields (somewhere in France);
• 453 – death of Attila;
• 454 – Battle of Nedao (in Pannonia) – Huns (and, likely, Ostrogoths who fought on the Huns’ side) defeated;
• 468-469 – Sciri mostly destroyed by Ostrogoths;
• 469-470? – Hunimund of the Suavi raids Gothic cattle; Thiudimir and the Goths defeat the Suavi/Suavs of Hunimund at Lake Balaton;
• 469-470? – Battle of Bolia – Goths defeat Suavi/Suavs, (probably the) Heruli, rest of Sciri, probably Rugi and Sarmatians;
• 476 – Odoacer deposes Romulus Augustulus – end of the Western Roman Empire;
• 476-486 – Odoacer fights and defeats the Rugii;
• 488/489 – Theodoric and his Ostrogoths enter Italy;
• 488/489 – Lombards from Bohemia/Middle Elbe move past former Rugi kingdom into (northern?) Pannonia ;
• 488-493 – Theodoric’s Goths versus Odoacer;
• 493 – Odoacer killed by Theodoric;
• 508 – Lombards crush the Heruli some of whom emigrate back to Scandinavia “past the countries of the Slavs“;
• 510s – first mentions of Slavs in the East raiding the Eastern Roman Empire;
• 526 – death of Theodoric;
• 535-553 – Gothic War of Justinian and Belisarius – the Byzantines invade Italy;
• 526-546 – Langobards under King Wacho move into Pannonia south of the Danube and defeat local Suavi/Suavs;
• circa 549 – the Lombard heir HiIldigis flees “to the Slavs” (as per Procopius);
• 567 – Avars (supposedly with Slavs) enter Pannonia;
• 568 – Lombards under King Alboin leave Pannonia and enter Italy unopposed;

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Slavs

The interesting thing about ancient Slavic names is that it is difficult to claim with certainty that any of them are “really” Slavic.  For what does it really mean “really Slavic”?  To a modern Slav any name with the following suffixes (or prefixes) would “sound” Slavic:

• -mir
  • Branimir
  • Dragomir

• -gost
  • Milogost, Miłogost
  • Riedogost

• -slav or –sław (i.e., -suav)
  • Boleslav, Bolesław
  • Branislav, Bronisław
  • Yaroslav, Jarosław

The first means “peace” or “world”.  The second “guest”.  The third fame.  All or most of these can be made female by just adding an -a at the end, e.g., Dragomira.

Germans

But it is quickly made clear that various Germanic/Scandinavian peoples used similar names.  And so we have the corresponding suffixes (and prefixes):

• -mar, -mer but also -mir, e.g.:
  • Visimar
  • Merobaudes
  • Vithimiris
  • Geilamir

• -gast
  • Arvagastes
  • Cunigastus
  • Merogaisus
  • Neviogastus

Slavs Again

To add confusion, the very first Slavic chieftain names are written also with a -mer not necessarily -mir and with a -gast not always -gost.  Thus, for example we have the Slavic (or Antes) chieftains (see here for more details):

• -mer
  • Mezamer (Antes)

• – gast
  • Ardagastus
  • Kelagast (Antes)
  • Peiragastus

So were the Slavs led by a Germanic leader class?  Or did the Slavs not have names of their own before they met the Germans?  (OTOH, the Germanic -bod suffix occasionally showed up in Slavic names too as –bud meaning “to be” or “being”).

Thankfully, we can grow some comfort from the fact that the prefix and suffix -slav are 100% pure Slavic.  It may be that the Western Slavs will pronounce that -suav but the Germanic Schwaben never had such names.

Germans Again

Well, not exactly true, they did have names like Suabhard, Swabberaht, Suab, Swab, Suabo, Swap, Suabalah, Suabberi, Suabilo, Suabin, Swabulf, Swabinc, Swabizho, Swapold, Swabperaht, Swabger, Suabgast, Suaphart, Swabahilt, Suaprod, Suabolach (!), Suavarich, Suabrito.  (Most of these are out of Forschungen zur deutschen Geschichte, volume 16).

But here is another source showing much of the same :

Slavs Return

But at least we still have our suffixes!  And that is how you can tell a true Slav.  Or for that matter a Slava – if we are talking female.  So we have, e.g., the above names

• Boleslav, Bolesław – great fame
• Branislav, Bronisław – defender of the fame
• Yaroslav, Jarosław – strong fame

and the female versions

• Boleslava, Bolesława
• Branislava, Bronisława
• Yaroslava, Jarosława

Thus, we see that the only way to be absolutely sure that we have us a “Slav” is to have a suffix with –slav or -slava in it.

There are just two problems.  Hopefully, they are minor.

First, the meaning of the above words is odd.  Fame is Chwala or Slava but not Slav.  Boguchwal or Boguslav works because the chwal or slav could be a verb in the injunctive.

But Boleslav, Branislav, Yaroslav or for that matter Wladyslaw does not work if slav is meant to be the noun Slava.  That is because the prefix is not a noun that can be modified by a subsequent verb (as in Boguslav/Boguchwal) but rather is an adjective (Bole-) or a verb (Brani- or Yaro-) that modifies the subsequent noun, i.e., -slav.  But if -slav is a noun it cannot mean fame since fame is Slava not Slav.

But maybe it works for the female names?  Well, it’s a bit better but not really convincing.  That is because in Slavic languages the adjective gender has to match up with the noun gender.  So you would have to have had Yaraslava not Yaroslava.  This suggests that the female version is merely a derivative of the male onto which the -a was slapped on.  But the male version does not work as we note above.  Is there a solution?

Well, you could make it work if you thought that Slav was not a reference to any “fame” or “glory” but rather to a person, i.e., to a Slav or, as the Western Slavs would pronounce it, to a Suav.  Then you would have a:

• Boleslav – Great Slav
• Bronislav – Defender Slav
• Yaroslav – Strong Slav (this one does not work perfectly, maybe Yareslav?)
• Wladyslaw – Ruling Slav

(all pronounced Suav for the Western Slavs if they so insist and yes Wlady, Vald and Veleda are likely Indo-Europeano related)

In other words, now the prefix is an adjective that describes the ethnic Slav.

So we fix the first problem.  And we continue to own our own Slav name.  In fact, we own Slav and the female Slava!  That is how you can tell a Slav or a Slava!

Hmmm

Hippo Regius was a Vandalic-controlled town in Africa.  Many ruins remain to today.  Here is an inscription on one female tomb (dated to 474):

The woman’s husband who gave the dough to pay for this was named Ingomar.  No problem there – sounds very Swedish/Germanic.

So does the woman’s name is – the best scientists inform us – Ermengond, a lovely Germanic name for no doubt a beautiful person.  The name is actually written RMENGON as you can see.  So it seems the husband could not fit the initial “E” or the final “D”.  He did manage to fit in the woman’s ethnic designation, however – SVABA.  Strange, you do not fit the actual name but focus on ethnic details?  Was it that important that the world know that Ermengond was a woman of the Suevi (or, as it so happens here, Suavi)?  Did it matter that she was not of local stock or of the ruling Vandals or Alans (whatever was left of the latter by that time)?  Or was that, perhaps, part of her name?

[E]RMENGON[D]SVABA

RMENGONSVABA

Nothing seems sacred to these people!  Now there is that separator dot between the “N” and the “S” so maybe these are two words.  But then we hear (again from the same volume of Forschungen zur deutschen Geschichte) of Altswab, Adalswab and Erchanswab.

Other Thoughts

There are other interesting names.  E.g., the ultra-Slavic Bogdan meaning “God’s gift”.  If you want to have fun just change Bog to the Greek θεός/Theo/Theos and you get Theo[s]dan.

Or Bozydar (same meaning) – and you get Theo[s]dar.  And there was that stuff about -ik being a Slavic suffix (bartnik, miecznik, etc).  Or, for that matter the words dar or podarek (meaning a gift or present).  We will return to podarek when discussing Veneti again.

Funny stuff.