Related Balkan Tribes

[Delodephius]

Originally Posted by Demos

Slovak,

If that is the case please post some Slavic documents dating prior to 500AD.

Thanks

The absence of evidence is not the same thing as evidence of absence!

[Risto the Great]

Originally Posted by Slovak/Anomaly/Tomas

The absence of evidence is not the same thing as evidence of absence!

That is a good one.
And we see much evidence of absence when it comes to Macedonia's history over the last 1500 years. Any reason why dear Greek friends?

[Soldier of Macedon]

Here is something about Spartan's people from Mani, written by Constantine Porphyrogenitus:

The inhabitants of the city of Maina are not of the race of the aforesaid Slavs, but of the ancient Romans, and even to this day they are called 'Hellenes' by the local inhabitants, because in the very ancient times they were idolaters and worshippers of images after the fashion of the ancient Hellenes; and they were baptized and became Christians in the reign of the glorious Basil. The place where they live is waterless and inaccessible, but bears the olive, whence their comfort is. This place is situated on the tip of Malea, that is, beyond Ezeron towards the coast.

[Spartan]

The Maniots are also known to have offered the fiercest resistance to the Ottoman occupation.

[Soldier of Macedon]

Something else by Strabo about the related tribes from both sides of the Danube:

For `to turn his eyes again,' is more especially to turn them behind him; but he who extends his vision from the Trojans to the people either behind them, or on either side of them, stretches his sight to a greater distance, but not in the least behind him. And this also is introduced as a proof of this very thing, that Homer classes with these the Hippemolgi, the Galactophagi, and the Abii, who are the Scythian Hamaxœci and Sarmatians; for at this day, all these nations, as well as the Bastarnæ, are mixed with the Thracians, more especially with those beyond the Danube, and some even with the Thracians on this side the Danube; also amongst these are the Keltic tribes of the Boii, Scordisci, and Taurisci. Some, indeed, call the Scordisci the Scordistæ, and give to the Taurisci the names of Ligurisci and Tauristæ. Book 7, 3, 2.

[Risto the Great]

If I remember correctly, the Scordisci preceded the Hungarians.
I wonder how close the Celts are to the Thracians.
And as a consequence to the Slavs.

[Soldier of Macedon]

Celts lived along the Danube among Thracian and Illyrian tribes since ancient times before they migrated from their homeland, Alexander made contact with them during his campaign in the northern Balkans.

The fact that the Bagpipe is common in both the Balkans and Scotland (among other neighbouring areas) indicates a common cultural element.

[Soldier of Macedon]

Here are some interesting texts from the Roman writer Livy, with regard to ancient lineage.

Take note of the mention of Veneti and Enetians;

To begin with, it is generally admitted that after the capture of Troy, whilst the rest of the Trojans were massacred, against two of them - Aeneas and Antenor - the Achivi refused to exercise the rights of war, partly owing to old ties of hospitality, and partly because these men had always been in favour of making peace and surrendering Helen. Their subsequent fortunes were different. Antenor sailed into the furthest part of the Adriatic, accompanied by a number of Enetians who had been driven from Paphlagonia by a revolution, and after losing their king Pylaemenes before Troy were looking for a settlement and a leader. The combined force of Enetians and Trojans defeated the Euganei, who dwelt between the sea and the Alps and occupied their land. The place where they disembarked was called Troy, and the name was extended to the surrounding district; the whole nation were called Veneti. Similar misfortunes led to Aeneas becoming a wanderer, but the Fates were preparing a higher destiny for him. He first visited Macedonia, then was carried down to Sicily in quest of a settlement; from Sicily he directed his course to the Laurentian territory. Here, too, the name of Troy is found, and here the Trojans disembarked, and as their almost infinite wanderings had left them nothing but their arms and their ships, they began to plunder the neighbourhood. The Aborigines, who occupied the country, with their king Latinus at their head, came hastily together from the city and the country districts to repel the inroads of the strangers by force of arms. (1, 1)

An Etruscan king sending forth to the oracle of Delphi, another example of non-Greeks engaging cultural elements located within Greece.

The king himself was not so much terrified as filled with anxious forebodings. The Etruscan soothsayers were only employed to interpret prodigies which affected the State; but this one concerned him and his house personally, so he decided to send to the world-famed oracle of Delphi. Fearing to entrust the oracular response to any one else, he sent two of his sons to Greece, through lands at that time unknown and over seas still less known. (1, 56)

[Soldier of Macedon]

Just a summary of quotes about Thracians.

The Thracians are the biggest nation in the world, next to the Indians. If they were under one ruler, or united, they would, in my judgment, be invincible and the strongest nation on earth..........The Thracians have many names, each tribe according to its region, but they are very similar in all their customs, save the Getae, the Trausi, and those who dwell above the Crestonaeans......(Herodotus, 5th Century BC)

If compared to other nations of the earth, Thracians altogether are the most crowded people after the Celts. For this reason, no other nation before the Romans has been able to cover the Thracians under their hegemony. Only Romans was the first to rule Thracians……(Pausanias, 2nd Century AD)

Perhaps even the whole of Greece was, anciently, a settlement of barbarians, if we judge from former accounts……….Thracians, Illyrians, and Epirotae…the territory they possessed was more extensive, although even now the barbarians possess a large part of the country, which, without dispute, is Greece. Macedonia is occupied by Thracians, as well as some parts of Thessaly…….(Strabo, 1st Century AD)

……… the Trojans to the people either behind them, or on either side of them………Homer classes with these the Hippemolgi, the Galactophagi, and the Abii, who are the Scythian Hamaxœci and Sarmatians; for at this day, all these nations, as well as the Bastarnæ, are mixed with the Thracians, more especially with those beyond the Danube, and some even with the Thracians on this side the Danube; also amongst these are the Keltic tribes of the Boii, Scordisci, and Taurisci. Some, indeed, call the Scordisci the Scordistæ, and give to the Taurisci the names of Ligurisci and Tauristæ.........(Strabo, 1st Century AD)

.............but if he should say they were but an invention, as there were no Mysians in Thrace, he will be guilty of a palpable misstatement, for even in our own times Aelius Catus has removed from the opposite side of the Danube into Thrace fifty thousand Getae, who speak a language cognate with the Thracian. They still inhabit the very spot, and pass by the name of Moesi……..(Strabo, 1st Century AD)

As for the Getae, that is to say the herds of Sclavenes, they were fiercly ravaging the regions of Thrace………….(Simocatta, 6th Century AD)

[Risto the Great]

If the Getae spoke a language cognate with the Thracians, and Macedonia was occupied by the Thracians in the time of the 1st century AD, the myth of slavic migrations is reduced to something more akin to a distraction from the truth.

Nice summary SoM.