1. De Administrando Imperio Pdf

This study by the great historian J. Bury appeared in Byzantinische Zeitschrift (Leipzig, 1906) pp. It is a description and analysis of the 10th century Byzantine emperor Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus' manual known as De Administrando Imperio.

De Administrando Imperio ('On the Governance of the Empire') is the Latin title of a Greek work written by the 10th-century Eastern Roman Emperor Constantine VII.

This document was written by the emperor in 948-952 for his son and heir Romanus II, as a guide to foreign and domestic policies. It describes, among many other things, the histories and characters of the nations neighboring the Empire or incorporated into it, including the Kievan Rus', Arabs, Lombards, Armenians, Georgians, Venetians, Magyars, Pechenegs, and Turks. 62 pdf pages.

Book digitized by Google, article extracted and uploaded by user Robert Bedrosian. John Bagnell Bury (1861-1927), a great classical scholar and author of many enduring works, was also editor of the early volumes of the Cambridge Ancient History.

A wise son maketh. Glad a father, and an affectionate father taketh delight in a prudent son. For the Lord giveth wit to speak in season, and addeth thereto an ear to hear; with Him is the treasure of wisdom, and from Him cometh every perfect gift; He setteth kings upon the throne and giveth unto them the lordship over all. Now therefore hearken unto me, my son, and being adept in this my teaching thou shalt be wise among the prudent, and be accounted prudent among the wise; the peoples shall bless thee, and the multitudes of the nations shall call thee blessed. Be instructed in what it behoves thee before all else to know, and lay hold skilfully upon the helm of the rule.

De Administrando Imperio Pdf

Study the things that are now, and be instructed concerning the things that are to be, so that thou mayest amass experience with sound judgment, and thou shalt be most competent in thine affairs. Russians ('Ρώς) It goes without saying that there were no Russians during Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus time. During his time, Ruses lead an army composed of Varangians, Chud, Slovenes, Merya, and all the Kriviches. The Varangians, Slovenes, and the others who accompanied him (Oleg) were called Rus (Primary Chronicle, year 882/6390).

The Laurentiev Chronicle later adds the tribes of the Chud, Ves, Muroma, Cheremis, Mordva, Perm, Pechora (Laurentiev Chronicle). The Russians belong to the Imperial Period, some 600 or 700 years later, and they have little, if any, in common with the Rus. The distorted translation `Ρώς = Russian conflicts with the narrative of Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus. The Pechenegs (Patzinaks) are neighbors to and march with the Russians (Rus) also, and often, when the two are not at peace with one another, raid Russia, and do her considerable harm and outrage. 51 2, 3, 4 The Russians (Rus) also are much concerned to keep the peace with the Pechenegs (Patzinaks).

For they buy of them horned cattle and horses and sheep, whereby they live more easily and comfortably, since none of the aforesaid animals is found in Russia (Rus). Moreover, the Russians (Rus) are quite unable to set out for wars beyond their borders unless they are at peace with the Pechenegs (Patzinaks), because while they are away from their homes, these may come upon them and destroy and outrage their property. And so the Russians (Rus), both to avoid being harmed by them and because of the strength of that nation, are the more concerned always to be in alliance with them and to have them for support, so as both to be rid of their enmity and to enjoy the advantage of their assistance. Nor can the Russians (Rus) come at this imperial city of the Romans, either for war or for trade, unless they are at peace with the Pechenegs (Patzinaks), because when the Russians (Rus) come with their ships to the barrages of the river and cannot pass through unless they lift their ships off the river and carry them past by portaging them on their shoulders, then the men of this nation of the Pechenegs (Patzinaks) set upon them, and, as they cannot do two things at once, they are easily routed and cut to pieces. Of the Pechenegs (Patzinaks) and Turks (Τούρκοι, Turkoi, Hungarians). Far side of the Dnieper river The far side of the Dnieper river, or its left bank, at around 900 AD housed two peoples, Black Bulgars and Polyans or Alans (Sl. Field pole Polyans, Tr.

Field alan Alans). Bechens must have shared the winter pastures with the Black Bulgars and Polyans or Alans, or else the Polyans or Alans moved eastward to the Azov Sea banks, their traditional winter quarters. The Atilkuzu west of the Buh river was taken by the Hungarians, or a compact of Magyars and Kubar Bulgars. That leaves the steppe between the Buh in the west and Dnieper in the east as summer pastures of the Bechens or some of their tribes. The ranges of the Polyans or Alans along the course of Dnieper reached Kyiv and Vyshgorod, a fort within or outside of the Kyiv. Of the coming of the Russians (Rus) in ‘monoxyla’ from Russia (Rus) to Constantinople.

The ‘ monoxyla’ which come down from outer Russia (Rus) to Constantinople are from Novgorod, where Sviatoslav, son of Igor, prince of Russia (Rus), had his seat, and others from the city of Smolensk (μιλινίσκαν, Smiliniskan, Tr. Shamlyn) and from Teliutza (Τελιούτζαν) and Chernigov (Τζερνιγώγαν, Tzernigogan) and from Yyshegrad. All these come down the river Dnieper, and are collected together at the city of Kiev, also called Sambatas (Σαμβατάς). Their (the Rus) Slav (Σκλαβίνιοι) tributaries, the so-called Krivichians and the Lenzanenes (Lachs, Pole or Czech Slavs) and the rest of the Slavonic (Σκλαβινίοα) regions, cut the ‘monoxyla’ on their mountains in time of winter, and when they have prepared them, as spring approaches, and the ice melts, they bring them on to the neighboring lakes. And since these lakes debouch into the river Dnieper, they enter thence on to this same river, and come down to Kiev (έκεϊνα), and draw the ships along to be finished and sell them to the Russians (Rus). Unbeknown to the most, the last Avar Kagan's name was Attila. 121 28 For this Pippin had three brothers, and they were ruling over all the Frank and Slavonic (Σκλαβίνικα) regions.

Now when king Pippin came against the Venetians with power and a large army, he blockaded them along the mainland, on the far side of the crossing between it and the islands of Venice, at a place called Aeibolas. Well, when the Venetians saw king Pippin coming against them with his power and preparing to take ship with the horses to the island of Madamaucon (for this is an island near the mainland), they laid down spars and fenced off the whole crossing. The army of king Pippin, being brought to a stand (for it was not possible for them to cross at any other point), blockaded them along the mainland six months, fighting with them daily. The Venetians would man their ships and take up position behind the spars they had laid down, and king Pippin would take up position with his army along the shore. The Venetians assailed them with arrows and javelins, and stopped them from crossing over to the island. So then king Pippin, at a loss, said to the Venetians: “ You are beneath my hand and my providence, since you are of my country and domain.” But the Venetians answered him: “ We want to be servants of the emperor of the Romans, and not of you.” When, however, they had for long been straitened by the trouble that had come upon them, the Venetians made a treaty of peace with king Pippin, agreeing to pay him a very considerable tribute. But since that time the tribute has gone on diminishing year by year, though it is paid even to this day.

For the Venetians pay to him who rules over the kingdom of Italy, that is, Papia, a twopenny fee of 36 pounds of uncoined silver annually. So ended the war between Franks and Venetians. When the folk began to flee away to Venice and to collect there in numbers, they proclaimed as their doge him who surpassed the rest in nobility. The first doge among them had been appointed before king Pippin came against them.

At that time the doge’s residence was at a place called Civitanova, which means ‘new city’. But because this island aforesaid is close to the mainland, by common consent they moved the doge’s residence to another island, where it now is at this present, because it is at a distance from the mainland, as far off as one may see a man on horseback. Of Dalmatia and of the adjacent nations in it. The emperor Diocletian was much enamored of the country of Dalmatia, and so he brought folk with their families from Rome and settled them in this same country of Dalmatia, and they were called ‘Romani’ from their having been removed from Rome, and this title attaches to them until this day.

Now this emperor Diocletian founded the city of Spalato and built therein a palace beyond the power of any tongue or pen to describe, and remains of its ancient luxury are still preserved to-day, though the long lapse of time has played havoc with them. Moreover, the city of Diocleia, now occupied by the Diocletiana, was built by the same emperor Diocletian, for which reason those of that country have come to be called by the name of ‘Diocletians’. The territory possessed by these Romani used to extend as far as the river Danube, and once on a time, being minded to cross the river and discover who dwelt beyond the river, they crossed it and came upon unarmed Slavonic (Σκλαβίνικα) nations, who were also called Avars (Αβαρείς). The former had not expected that any dwelt beyond the river, nor the latter that any dwelt on the hither side. And so, finding these Avars (Αβαρείς) unarmed and unprepared for war, the Romani overcame them and took booty and prisoners and returned. And from that time the Romani formed two alternating garrisons, serving from Easter to Easter, and used to change their men about so that on Great and Holy Saturday they who were coming back from the station and they who were going out to that service would meet one another.

For near the sea, beneath that same city, lies a city called Salona, which is half as large as Constantinople, and here all the Romani would muster and be equipped and thence start out and come to the frontier pass, which is four miles from this same city, and is called Kleisa to this day, from its closing in those who pass that way. And from there they would advance to the river.

This exchange of garrisons went on for a number of years and the Slavs (Σκλάβωι) on the far side of the river, who were also called Avars (Αβαρείς), thought it over among themselves, and said: “ These Romani, now that they have crossed over and found booty, will in future not cease coming over against us, and so we will devise a plan against them.” And so, therefore, the Slavs (Σκλάβωι), or Avars (Αβαρείς), took counsel, and on one occasion when the Romani had crossed over, they laid ambushes and attacked and defeated them. 125 29 The aforesaid Slavs (Σκλάβωι) took the Roman arms and standards and the rest of their military insignia and crossed the river and came to the frontier pass, and when the Romani who were there saw them and beheld the standards and accoutrements of their own men they thought they were their own men, and so, when the aforesaid Slavs (Σκλάβωι) reached the pass, they let them through. Once through, they instantly expelled the Romani and took possession of the aforesaid city of Salona.

There they settled and thereafter began gradually to make plundering raids and destroyed the Romani who dwelt in the plains and on the higher ground and took possession of their lands. The remnant of the Romani escaped to the cities of the coast and possess them still, namely, Decatera, Ragusa, Spalato, Tetrangourin, Diadora, Arbe, Vekla and Opsara, the inhabitants of which are called Romani to this day.