Slavs

Definition

The term "Slavs" designates an ethnic group of people who share a long-term cultural continuity and who speak a set of related languages known as the Slavic languages (all of which belong to the Indo-European language family). Little is known about the Slavs before they are mentioned in Byzantine records of the 6th century CE, and most of what we know about them prior to this time is mainly derived from archaeological and linguistic studies. The Byzantine authors refer to the Slavs as "Sclaveni".

More about: Slavs

Timeline

  • c. 1500 BCE
    Proto-Slavic people are active within an area that stretched roughly from western Poland to the Dnieper River in Belarus.
  • 531 CE - 534 CE
    Byzantine forces engaged in a series of military campaigns against the Slavs and other groups.
  • c. 550 CE
    The Slavs advance towards Thessalonica, entering the region of the Hebrus River and the Thracian coast. Thessalonica is saved by the Roman army.
  • c. 580 CE
    The Slavs and the Avars overwhelm Greece, Thrace and Thessaly.
  • 585 CE
    The Slavs march on to Constantinople, they are driven off by the Roman defence.
  • c. 623 CE - 658 CE
    Reign of Samo, first recorded king of the Slavs.
  • 626 CE
    A coalition of Persians, Slavs, Avars and Bulgars unsuccessfully lays siege to Constantinople.
  • 631 CE
    Samo defeats the Franks during the Battle of Wogastisburg.
Membership