V.A. KRIVOSHEY - YES

FROM “VARYAGS TO THE GREEKS”

The idea of ​​creating a modern waterway connecting the Baltic and Black Seas did not arise by chance. It existed back in the days of the Vikings, who, using the waterway from the “Varyags to the Greeks,” penetrated into the depths of Russia.

Currently, the idea of ​​creating a modern waterway between the Baltic and Black Seas has been returned to again. As the main option, experts are considering the Neva-Dnieper waterway, passing through the territory of Russia, Belarus and Ukraine. According to the plans of a number of scientists, the implementation of this project can significantly increase the efficiency of the water transport system and provide a powerful incentive for the integration of Russia, Belarus and Ukraine. Moreover, Latvia can also join this waterway, providing water transport links with Western Europe.

Historical reference

For many centuries, rivers were the most important routes of communication. They played a huge role in the formation of state territories. Cargo flowed along the rivers, communications were established, and troops were transferred. One of these routes of communication was the route from the “Varyags to the Greeks,” named after the squads called Vikings in Scandinavia, Normans in the West, and Varangians in Rus'.

The waterway from the “Varangians to the Greeks” passed from the Baltic (Varangian) Sea along the Gulf of Finland, the Neva River, Lake Ladoga (Lake Nevo), the Volkhov River, Lake Ilmen, the Lovat River, portage to the Dnieper and further to the Black Sea (Russian sea). By sea, the waterway ran along Bulgaria to Constantinople. The waterway from the “Varyags to the Greeks” also had access to the Baltic Sea through the Western Dvina, to Western Europe through Pripyat and the Bug, and to the Caspian Sea along the Volga.

The Varangian ships had a wide midsection, providing good stability in the waves, and a shallow draft, allowing navigation on rivers. The ships were light, which made it possible to drag them across watersheds. Thanks to such ships, the Varangians could get to almost any place, which contributed to the development of trade and the establishment of relations between countries.

Along the waterway from the “Varyags to the Greeks”, wine, spices, jewelry and glassware, expensive fabrics, icons, books came north from Byzantium; bread, various crafts and artistic products, silver in coins, etc. came from Kyiv.

Weapons and artistic products were brought south from Scandinavia, timber, fur, honey, wax from Northern Rus', and amber from the Baltic countries.

The water route from the “Varyags to the Greeks” was of greatest importance in the 10th – 11th centuries. In the 12th century, the role of the waterway from the “Varyags to the Greeks” began to decline. The cargo went in the direction of the Western Dvina, Pripyat and Bug. After the Mongols captured the Volga lands, the waterway from the “Varyags to the Greeks” lost its importance. However, the idea of ​​​​developing this waterway continued to excite the thoughts of scientists who saw the advantages of the close location of the Western Dvina, Dnieper, Neva and Volga rivers.

On February 23, 1797, Paul I issued a decree on connecting the Western Dvina and Dnieper through the Berezina. By 1805, the system was built and the first ships sailed on it. In 1843, the Berezinsky system was reconstructed, which made it more attractive. However, it did not receive the expected development of shipping, which was hampered by insufficient depths and undeveloped routes. In 1941, the Berezinskaya water system was destroyed and completely lost its transport significance.

IN AND. EVDOKIMOV - NO

THE PATH FROM “VARIAGS TO THE GREEKS”: WHY IT DIDN’T EXIST AND WHY IT WAS NEEDED

The path from the “Varangians to the Greeks” (hereinafter - PVG) was fateful - two powerful Russian cities appeared on it - Kyiv and Novgorod. It saturates our history, confirms the continuity of Russian, on the one hand, and Byzantine and European statehood on the other, i.e. indicates that from ancient times Russian lands were in the European, and therefore the world, orbit. Kyiv is the capital of Ancient Rus'; the Varangian Rurik, summoned by the Novgorodians, began to reign in Novgorod. PVG is a serious argument in favor of the Norman theory (the Varangians, they say, began Russian statehood) and in favor of the originality of Rus' (the princely throne, they say, existed for a long time, but they did not find their suitable prince, they invited a Varangian).

Literature about PVG is a vast sea; school textbooks report on it in one form or another; historians, citing quotes from various sources, enthusiastically speculate about tribes, Varangians, princes and events; Geographers, speaking about the river network of European Russia, will not fail to mention it and recall that Ancient Rus' “occupied an advantageous geographical position”, since it “emerged on the way from the Varangians to the Greeks.”

Is it so?

From where and to where?

Who are the Varangians? Although there are different opinions about where exactly the Varangians came from and what kind of people they were, and whether they were a people, the prevailing assertion is that the Varangians are the inhabitants of the north of Europe, more precisely, the Scandinavians. In the Russian language they left three reliable traces: the Varangian Bay on the Kola Peninsula (Varangerfjord in Norwegian), Varegovo - a suburb of Yaroslavl, and mittens (varegi). Mittens - mittens (wrapped around the hand) indicate that the Varangians came from the north to where there was no need for mittens, to the south, mittens - a southern Russian name.

The Varangians, however, were known not only in Rus', but throughout Europe and were called differently: Varangs, Normans, Vikings, Dubgalls, Askemans, Finngalls, Madhus. What united them was that they were water (river and sea) robbers. Well-organized, decisive, cruel, stubborn, they not only kept the whole of Europe in fear, but also created their own states (England, Normandy, Sicily). And if, for example, the Varangians from Sicily needed to visit Rome, they would not use the PVG.

Who are the Greeks? With the Greeks, it would seem, the question is clear - they are subjects of Byzantium, residents of the Balkan Peninsula. But at the same time, we must remember that the term Byzantium to designate the Roman Empire was introduced by Western European historians, and its inhabitants called themselves Romans, and the country was simply Romea, Rome, in Latin Rum. Until now, this name has remained in the form of the self-name of the Romanians and the external name of the Armenians. The word Rum itself means power (for example, the name of Rus' mentioned in European chronicles, as Russorum, is simply the Russian power, and the name of the eastern part of the Mediterranean Sea - the Sea of ​​Rum - is simply the Sovereign Sea). After gaining independence from the Ottoman Empire in the 19th century, the Greeks began to call themselves Hellenes and their country Ellas. Meanwhile, in all European languages ​​Greece is called in Russian – Greece. (At one time, I learned this as soon as I learned about Greece and therefore I was very surprised that people, even serious ones, did not understand this. But it’s simple. If strictly speaking in Russian, then the inhabitants of the mountains are: he is a mountaineer, and she is a mountain nut, not a mountain nut, and if she is a mountain nut, then he is a mountain nut. So the Greek was formed from the mountain nut, where Greece comes from. To check, let me remind you that the walnut is not Greek, but mountain walnut (there are hazelnuts, water walnuts, etc.). earthen) and grows well in the Caucasus or Tien Shan, but there is no Greece there.) This indicates greater Russian influence in the Balkans than is commonly thought. But to put it bluntly, we have to admit that the European world learned about Greece from the Russians. It is unlikely that the world of historians will entrust such a merit to the Russians; it will take the imagination far, so we will limit ourselves to the fact that such a situation only strengthens the coordinates of the location of the final destination of the PVG, namely Greece, i.e., Constantinople, or Constantinople.

Route

Since school years, from history and geography lessons, we believe that the PVG went like this: Baltic Sea → Neva River → Lake Ladoga → Volkhov River → Lake Ilmen → Lovat River → portage → Dnieper River → Black Sea → Constantinople. We believe and are proud. But, as Ronald Reagan said, “Doveryaj, no proveryaj!” We look at any map and note that the first part of the journey, along the Volkhov and Lovat, must be sailed against the current. It is necessary to overcome the rapids against the current on the Volkhov. It is necessary to pass through lakes Ladoga and Ilmen, and these are different navigation conditions than along the river (a diversion canal was built long ago around the southern part of Ladoga - so that ships can now safely sail through without fear of storms). Further bewilderment is that for some reason the Western Dvina River is not included in this generally accepted designation, but if you were to sail against the current, it would be easier to do it along it - from the same sea, only not from the Gulf of Finland, but from the (today) Gulf of Riga. Then there will be one portage, not two: from Lovat to the Dvina, and from the Dvina to the Dnieper. It’s good to sail along the Dnieper, but only up to the rapids. But through navigation on the Dnieper became possible only after 1932, the year the Dnieper hydroelectric station began operating and the formation of the Dnieper reservoir. (Please note - at the mouth of any navigable river there is a port created specifically for transshipment of goods from river vessels to sea vessels and vice versa, for example, Arkhangelsk (formerly Kholmogory) on the Northern Dvina, Azov on the Don, Astrakhan on the Volga, Riga on the Western Dvina. There was no port at the mouth of the Dnieper and there is no one - it is not needed, and not needed because there was no water communication along it to the mouth.) Finally, a trip along the Black Sea poses a direct and frank question - what kind of universal watercraft (of the "river" class) is this? -lake-sea") was used on the PVG a thousand years ago in light of the fact that vessels of the "lake-sea" and "river-sea" class appeared only in the second half of the twentieth century? Whether you like it or not, you have to read the primary sources.

And, as they say, it would be better not to read!

The Tale of Bygone Years (PVL) sets out the PVG route with artless simplicity. (Hereinafter, this document is quoted from the publication: “The Tale of Bygone Years.” Translation by D.S. Likhachev. Edited by V.P. Adrianova-Peretz. St. Petersburg: “Nauka”, 1991. 670 pp.)

Here it is: “...there was a path from the Varangians to the Greeks and from the Greeks along the Dnieper, and in the upper reaches of the Dnieper - a portage to Lovot, and along Lovot you can enter Ilmen, the great lake; The Volkhov flows from the same lake and flows into the Great Lake Nevo, and the mouth of that lake flows into the Varangian Sea. And along that sea you can sail to Rome, and from Rome you can sail along the same sea to Constantinople, and from Constantinople you can sail to the Sea of ​​Pontus, into which the Dnieper River flows.” From this description it is clear that, although it is called “the path from the “Varangians to the Greeks,” it is described as “the path from the Greeks to the Greeks through the Varangians.”

Such turnovers are alarming. It is directly indicated that from the Varangian (current Baltic) Sea, i.e. “from the Varangians” one must go “to the Greeks” not along rivers and lakes, directly, but in a roundabout way (!), along the Varangian Sea (?) to Rome, and from it (by sea!) to Constantinople! This means that Constantinople is one thing, and Rome is another, i.e., we mean Rome on the Apennine Peninsula. So, no one used the PVG from north to south? Why is there such confidence in this path, why is there such interest in it (historical works, tourist routes, transport projects, local brands, general erudition)? Why is it called “The Path from the Varangians to the Greeks”?

They say there are archaeological finds. So they are everywhere. There is evidence... what kind? What direct evidence, other than PVL, is there about PVG? And do they exist? But there it is! One (!) is a book attributed to the Byzantine emperor Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus (Porphyrogenitus) (908-959 AD) “On the administration of the empire,” namely, its chapter 9 “On the dews departing with monoxide from Russia to Constantinopolis." This is the only, and therefore the main source.

But it must be said that, despite the authority of historical books in general and ancient books in particular, few people read them. Moreover, this is done either by people who need such reading in the process of learning a profession - in order to learn and not forget the basics of science, or by scholars who simply strive to know everything and demonstrate this knowledge (“What? Where? When?”). There is no talk of a critical attitude towards such sources, but there is talk of a deep level of knowledge of NN. If NN has an academic degree and represents an authoritative scientific structure, then no questions arise - he knows. What does he know? What is written in chapter 9, namely:

Main source

9. “About dews departing with monoxides from Russia to Constantinople.” [Let it be known] that the monoxyls coming from outer Russia to Constantinople are some from Nemogard, in which Sfendoslav, the son of Ingor, the archon of Russia, sat, and others from the fortress of Miliniski, from Teliutsa, Chernigoga and from Vusegrad. So, they all descend along the Dnieper River and converge in the fortress of Kioava, called Samvatas. The Slavs, their paktiots, namely the Kriviteins, Lenzanins and other Slavinians, cut down monoxyls in their mountains during the winter and, having equipped them, with the onset of spring, when the ice melts, they introduce them into the neighboring reservoirs. Since these [reservoirs] flow into the Dnieper River, they also enter this very river from there [places] and go to Kiov. They are pulled out for [equipment] and sold to the dews. The Rosys, having bought some of these dugouts and dismantled their old monoxyls, transfer them to these oars, rowlocks and other accessories... equip them. And in the month of June, moving along the Dnieper River, they descend to Viticheva, which is a paktiot fortress of the Ros and, having gathered there for two or three days, until all the monoxides are united, then they set off and descend along the named Dnieper River. First of all, they come to the first threshold, called Essupi, which means in Russian and Slavic “Don’t sleep.” The threshold [this] is as narrow as the space of the dicanistria, and in the middle of it there are steep high rocks sticking out like islands. Therefore, the water flowing and flowing towards them, erupting down from there, emits a loud, terrible roar. In view of this, the dews do not dare to pass between the rocks, but, mooring nearby and landing people on land, and leaving other things in monoxide, then naked, feeling with their feet [the bottom, dragging them] so as not to bump into some stone. This they do, some at the bow, others in the middle, and others at the stern, pushing [it] with poles and with extreme caution they pass this first threshold along the bend near the river bank. When they pass this first threshold, then again, taking the others from the land, they set sail and come to another threshold, called Ulvorsi in Russian, and Ostrovuniprah in Slavic, which means “Island of the Threshold.” It is similar to the first, heavy and difficult to pass. And again, having landed people, they carry out monoxyls, as before. In the same way they pass the third threshold, called Gelandri, which in Slavic means “The Noise of the Threshold,” and then the fourth threshold, a huge one, called Aifor in Russian, and Neasit in Slavic, since pelicans nest in the stones of the threshold . So, at this threshold, everyone moored to the ground with their noses forward, the men appointed to serve as guards came out with them and left. They keep vigilant watch over the Pachinakites. And the others, taking the things they had in monoxide, lead the slaves in chains overland for six miles until they pass the threshold. Then, in the same way, some dragged, others carried their monoxides on their shoulders to this side of the threshold, pushed them into the river and brought in the load, they entered themselves and sailed away again. Having approached the fifth threshold, called in Russian Varuforos, and in Slavic Vulniprakh, for it forms a large backwater, and again crossing their monoxides along the bends of the river, as on the first and second rapids, they reach the sixth threshold, called in Russian Leandi, and in Slavic Veruchi, which means “Boiling of water”, and overcome it in the same way. From it they sail to the seventh threshold, called Strukun in Russian, and Naprezi in Slavic, which translates as “Small threshold”. Then they reach the so-called Kraria crossing, through which the Khersonites [coming] from Russia and the Pachinakites cross on their way to Kherson. This crossing has the width of a hippodrome, and the length from the bottom of that [place] where the underwater rocks protrude is as far as the arrow that shoots it from there will fly. Because of this, the Pachinakites descend to this place and fight against the Russians. After passing this place they reach an island called St. Gregory. On this island they perform their sacrifices, since there is a huge oak tree there: they sacrifice live roosters, they strengthen arrows around [the oak], and others - pieces of bread, meat and what everyone has, as their custom dictates. They also cast lots for the roosters: either slaughter them, or eat them, or release them alive. From this island the dews are not afraid of the pachinakite until they find themselves in the Selina River. Then, moving in this way from [this island] for four days, they sail until they reach the bay of the river, which is the mouth in which the island of St. Epherius lies. When they reach this island, they rest there for up to two or three days. And again, they re-equip their monoxy ships with everything they need that they lack: sails, masts, helms, which they brought [with them]. Since the mouth of this river is, as said, a bay and extends all the way to the sea, and in the sea lies the island of St. Epherius, from there they go to the Dniester River and, having found refuge there, rest there again. When favorable weather arrives, having set sail, they come to the river called Aspros, and, having similarly rested there, they set off again and come to Selina, in the so-called branch of the Danube River. Until they pass the Selina River, the Pachinakites follow close behind them. And if the sea, as often happens, throws monoxyl onto land, then everyone [others] will moor to stand together against the pachinakites. They are not afraid of anyone from Selina, but, having entered the land of Bulgaria, they enter the mouth of the Danube. From the Danube they arrive to Konopa, and from Konopa to Constantia... to the Varna River; from Varna they come to the Dichina River. All this applies to the land of Bulgaria. From Dichina they reach the region of Mesemvria - those places where their painful and terrible, unbearable and difficult voyage ends. This is the winter and harsh way of life of those same Russians. When the month of November comes, their archons immediately leave Kiava with all the Rosses and go to polyudium, which is called the “circling”, namely, in Slavinia, the Vervians, Druguvites, Krivichi, Severians, and other Slavs, who are pactiots of the Rosses. Feeding there throughout the winter, they return to Kiaw again, starting in April, when the ice on the Dnieper River melts. Then, just as has been told, taking their monoxyls, they equip [them] and set off for Romagna.

[Know] that the bonds can fight the Pachinakites.”

Quote from: Porphyrogenitus Constantine. "On the management of an empire." M.: Nauka, 1991. 496 p.

(What is in square brackets was added by the translator to restore the semantic connection of the sentence).

What have we learned?

Swimming character. The style of the narration leaves no doubt that the voyages of the Ros to Constantinople were of a regular nature. This is, indeed, a well-established, established path. Further in the text this is constantly confirmed, for example, by the transfer of oars and rowlocks from old to new watercraft, etc.

Sailing time is June. It seems logical - to build monoxy plants in the winter, in the spring, after the opening of the river, to bring them to Kyiv, to equip them - and now the time has passed. But the hydrological regime of the Dnieper is characterized by pronounced times of spring flood, summer and winter low water. It is freed from ice from bottom to top, starting from the beginning of March and ending in mid-April, its level rises sharply, the river overflows its banks and floods the floodplain. The peak of the flood occurs in the upper reaches in mid-April, in the lower reaches - in early May. This is followed by a decline and the establishment of low water: June, July, August. The minimum water level is observed in July. The annual amplitude of the water level in the middle and lower reaches of the Dnieper is 6–10 meters. It would seem that the dews need to hurry in order to avoid shoals, not get entangled in the floodplains and, most importantly, jump through the rapids at the peak of the flood, in May! But no - they set off only in June, during low water, i.e. during a low water level in the river, with the prospect of an even greater decrease in the level along the route. Extraordinary frivolity!

Watercraft. The word monoxyl (monoxla) is translated as a single tree, then as a dugout (mona). What is a dugout? A dugout is a “trough” hollowed out in the whole trunk of a tree, usually an oak, since its trunk is very wide. It floats, but with difficulty - the specific gravity of oak is 700-750 kg/m3. A sample of the dugout can be seen in the Historical Museum in Moscow. The thickness of its walls is at least 7 cm by eye, the width along the sides is approximately 0.9 m, the height is up to 0.6-0.7 m. Not only is sailing to Constantinople on this boat out of the question; The river can only be navigated through quiet, shallow backwaters.

The dews had to take various loads with them on their journey. Definitely tools. These are axes - for repairing boats, chopping wood, preparing overnight shelters, etc. Probably, tools for fishing and hunting. Next are the kitchen utensils. Let it be the most primitive thing - cauldrons for preparing stew. Of course, provisions for ourselves and slaves. And, of course, weapons - after all, almost along the entire route they are accompanied along the banks by ferocious Pachinakites (Pechenegs), just waiting for the moment to attack the Russians and rob them.

The Ros also have clothes - one should not portray the Ros as wild animals who just need to lie down on the bare ground and fall asleep.

The cargo must be placed: the craft must be spacious.

We know about the legendary trade route from the Tale of Bygone Years (beginning of the 12th century) - a source that is unique and irreplaceable, but not the most reliable. If you believe the chronicler, the path “from the Varangians to the Greeks and from the Greeks...”, which was also used by the Apostle Andrew the First-Called, connected the “Varangian Sea” and Constantinople (and Rus' between them) and was by water. It, however, was part of a larger system of communications of the European North and South: from Constantinople they sailed to the West, there the ships passed Gibraltar, rounded the western coast of Europe and went again to the north and to the Baltic Sea.

Route of the route “from the Varangians to the Greeks...” (more than 2.5 thousand km): “Varangian Sea” (Baltic) and the Gulf of Finland - “Lake Nevo” (Neva) - Lake Ladoga - Volkhov - Lake Ilmen - Lovat - Dnieper - Black Sea - Constantinople (Constantinople).

It was not so easy to walk along this route, which developed in the 9th-10th centuries, on Varangian knorrs and Russian boats (dugout one-trees). Due to rapids and areas not connected by water, part of it had to be overcome by land - by portage. Travelers exchanged one vessel for another, re-equipped them and continued moving. It probably took at least three months to get from the Baltic Sea to Constantinople.

Technical problems of the route and data from geography and climatology forced scientists in the twentieth century. to doubt that the waterway “from the Varangians to the Greeks,” outlined in The Tale of Bygone Years, could even exist. A thousand years ago, due to the dry climate, Lovat and Volkhov were much smaller, but even today it is very difficult to move along them on a boat - since 1986, several scientific expeditions tried to go the route “from the Varangians to the Greeks” using ancient technologies, but they failed failure. Some historians believe that in reality a significant part of the trade communications between the North and the South ran overland, others - that some of the rivers were crossed in winter.

Note: Another nuisance was, of course, the robbers. The Pechenegs lay in wait for the Russians at the Dnieper rapids, where the boats had to be dragged overland. It was on the rapids that the Pechenegs killed Prince Svyatoslav Igorevich in 972, returning to Kyiv from.

Chronicle information is rather scarce, and we do not know the exact routes described in detail (they could be different). For example, it is unclear how they were transported from Lovat to the Dnieper, or from the Dnieper to the Western Dvina. Because of this uncertainty, the concept of “the path from the Varangians to the Greeks” is usually understood not as one specific route, but as a general system of transport links that existed and passed through the territory of Ancient Rus' between Byzantium, the Eastern Slavs and the Baltic region.

There is no doubt that these connections not only took place, but were actively used. Merchants transported a wide range of goods. The Varangians and Slavs brought furs to the south (sable, beaver, fox, marten...), honey, wax, resin, ambergris, silver and iron (possibly), bone, weapons, various objects of art (including jewelry), bread, slaves ... Weapons and jewelry, fabrics and wine, glass and ceramics, stirrups, tools, figurines, icons and books were delivered from Byzantium to Rus'...

In general, they traded in huge quantities and everything in a row - from brooches and frying pans to swords and anchors. The development of merchant connections is evidenced by the fact that archaeologists have found many Arab coins of that period in Scandinavia or at the mouth of the Neva. Even then, Rus' had a lot of overseas goods, and people who were wealthy wore things made in different parts of the world. For example, a rich woman certainly had southern beads and pendants, glass items, and probably also “imported” silk fabrics. Warrior warriors acquired Frankish swords from the Rhine, Khazar and Byzantine belts.

Trade is the engine of civilization

Trade stimulated the development of crafts - in the X-XII centuries. Novgorod, Pskov, Polotsk, Chernigov, Smolensk, Lyubech, Kyiv and other cities actively developed. Places for storing goods, inns, and workshops were built in them. The diversity and high level of craftsmanship in Rus' was then undermined for a long time by the Mongol-Tatars, who took away Russian artisans in large numbers. In addition, the development of trade communications contributed to the political unification of Novgorod, Kyiv and the East Slavic tribes in general under the leadership of first the Novgorod and then the Kyiv prince. The path “from the Varangians to the Greeks” became the axis around which Ancient Rus' took shape and strengthened. The true historical significance of the route “from the Varangians to the Greeks” also lies in the cultural and political influence that its trading partners had on Rus'. The Varangians gave Rus' at least a ruling and (probably) the name of a people and a state. They also contributed to military successes, as a result of which from the beginning of the 10th century. Rus' traded on favorable terms with Byzantium. Acquaintance with Constantinople ended with the adoption of Christianity in Rus'. Along the way, “from the Greeks” the first priests and artisans, the first icons and books were delivered to the Eastern Slavs. Thus, Rus' joined Christian civilization and set out on a new historical path.

The route “from the Varangians to the Greeks” was most actively used in the 10th - first half of the 11th centuries. and on the Novgorod-Kyiv section. After this, international trade communications shifted, only connections with Constantinople remained intense for some time (Varangian and Russian mercenaries even participated in the Crusaders in 1204). In the 12th century. The role of the Normans falls and land routes from Germany and Poland through Galician Rus' are established. Novgorod, at the same time, is increasingly focusing on Baltic trade (then especially actively with), which was much more profitable. And then Byzantium was surpassed in wealth and trade activity by Italian cities. Dangerous and difficult river routes on the territory of Rus' gradually lost their relevance. But first, the path “from the Varangians to the Greeks and from the Greeks” fully fulfilled its historical purpose.

The path “from the Varangians to the Greeks” is the conventional name of the waterway that ran along the rivers and led from the Baltic Sea to the Black Sea, to the shores of Byzantium. This was one of the key routes, important for its trade and cultural connections.

One of the most famous ancient Russian testimonies about the path “from the Varangians to the Greeks” is contained in the Tale of Bygone Years of the monk Nestor: “There was a path from the Varangians to the Greeks and from the Greeks along the Dnieper, and in the upper reaches of the Dnieper there was a path to Lovot, and along Lovot you can enter Ilmen, the great lake; The Volkhov flows from the same lake and flows into the great lake Nero, and the mouth of that lake flows into the Varangian Sea. And along that sea you can sail to Rome, and from Rome you can sail along the same sea to Constantinople, and from Constantinople you can sail to the Sea of ​​Pontus, into which the Dnieper River flows.". Despite such a detailed description of the route and data from historical disciplines, modern science cannot determine the exact geography of the route.

Historians continue to debate who was the first to pave this route. Nestor himself initially described it rather as a path “from the Greeks to the Varangians,” focusing on movement from south to north. Some sections of the route involved swimming against the flow of rivers, which still raises doubts among researchers. However, the path was most likely initiated by the inhabitants of the northern lands. During the 9th century, almost all regions of Europe were affected by the expansion of the Scandinavians, the so-called movement. Having penetrated the north of the East European Plain, the Vikings met the Slavs, and one of their famous kings became the head of the Ilmen Slovenes. In addition, one of the theories of the origin of the term “Rus” itself is the “northern” concept. According to it, a word derived from the Scandinavian verb “to row” in the Finnish version ruotsi, the squads of Vikings who rowed boats along the rivers called themselves.

As for specific names, if you believe the medieval Scandinavian sagas, the glory of the discoverer of the route “from the Varangians to the Greeks” belongs to the Danish king Eirik the Traveler. The saga says that the leader was looking for Odainsak - the mythical gardens of immortality, which, according to legend, were located somewhere in the East. In their search, Eirik the Traveler overcame many obstacles and ended up in the territories of future Rus' and Byzantium. The events of this saga were also confirmed by archeology: scientists discovered Scandinavian household items characteristic of the Middle Ages in the places where the king followed.

An alternative point of view on this issue belongs to Swedish scientists. They claim that the path “from the Varangians to the Greeks” was known before the events of the saga by almost 100 years. Scientists attribute the discovery of the path to Ivar Vidfamma, another Old Scandinavian king who visited Constantinople. However, this version is not supported by material finds.

In general, the path “from the Varangians to the Greeks” became the main route both for the formation of the ancient Russian state and for trade and cultural exchange between northern and southern countries. It experienced its heyday under the ancient Russian princes Svyatoslav and Vladimir the Saint in the 10th–11th centuries, and finally lost its significance after the capture of the Lower and Middle Dnieper region during the Mongol invasion.

an ancient water trade route from the Baltic to the Black Sea, along which in the 9th-12th centuries. There was trade between Rus' and the countries of Northern Europe with Byzantium. Laid from the Baltic metro along the river. Neva, Lake Ladoga, r. Volkhov, lake Ilmen, r. Loot, drag to the river. Western Dvina, dragging to the river. Dnieper and further to the Black Sea. On this route there were the largest cities: Novgorod the Great, Smolensk, Kyiv, etc.

Great definition

Incomplete definition ↓

THE WAY “FROM VARYAGS TO THE GREEKS”

the oldest trade route connecting the Baltic and Black Seas, was a branch of the Great Silk Road and connected Byzantium with the North. Europe. Passed from the Baltic Sea along the river. Neva, Lake Ladoga, r. Volkhov, lake Ilmen, r. Lovat, then portage near Smolensk to the Dnieper and further along the Dnieper, bypassing its rapids by portage, into the Black Sea. In the Tale of Bygone Years, the Apostle Andrew the First-Called passed this way from south to north.

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THE WAY FROM VARYAG TO THE GREEKS

the name of the water trade route of Kievan Rus, which connected Northern Rus' with Southern Russia, the Baltic states and Scandinavia with Byzantium. The term appears in The Tale of Bygone Years. The path arose in the period IX - AD. X centuries It was of greatest importance in the 10th - 1st third of the 11th centuries. The southern part of it was well known by the Byzantines. According to information from Constantine Porphyrogenitus (10th century), the Krivichi and other tribes subject to Kyiv in the spring brought large (for 30-40 people) dugout boats - “one-trees”, to Smolensk, Lyubech, Chernigov and other cities, which were then rafted along the Dnieper to Kyiv. Here they were refitted, loaded and sent down the Dnieper. Having passed 7 rapids (the largest, Nenasytetsky, was bypassed by a portage), as well as a rocky and narrow place called the Krariyskaya Crossing (where the Pechenegs often ambushed), the merchants stopped at the island. Khortytsia, then, having equipped the boats with sea sails in the Dnieper estuary, sailed along the western shore of the Black Sea to Constantinople. The northern part of the route, according to the Tale of Bygone Years, through the portage connecting the Dnieper and Lovat, went along Lovat, Ilmensky Lake, Volkhov, Ladoga Lake, Neva to the Varangian (Baltic) Sea. However, judging by the location of the treasures of Arab, Byzantine and Western European coins, the main route went from the Dnieper to the river. Usyazh-Buk to Lukoml and Polotsk and from the Dnieper to the river. Kaspl to Vitebsk and further along the Western Dvina to the Baltic states. The absence of treasures between Vitebsk and Velikiye Luki indicates that the route from the Dnieper to Lovat had mainly internal significance. The route from the “Varangians to the Greeks” was connected with other waterways of Rus': the Pripyat-Buzhsky, which went to Western Europe, and the Volga, which led to the Arab Caliphate. From the south along the way they carried: from Byzantium - wine, spices, jewelry and glassware, expensive fabrics, icons, books, from Kyiv - bread, various crafts and artistic products, silver in coins, etc.; from Volyn - slate whorls, etc. From the north along the way they brought: from Scandinavia - some types of weapons and artistic crafts, from Northern Rus' - timber, fur, honey, wax, from the Baltic countries - amber. In the 2nd half. XI-XII centuries Ties with Western Europe strengthened and the path from the “Varangians to the Greeks” gave way to the Pripyat-Buzhsky, Western Dvina, etc.

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THE WAY FROM "VARYAG TO THE GREEKS"

name water trade the path of Kievan Rus, which connected the North. Rus' from the South, the Baltic states and Scandinavia from Byzantium. The term appears in The Tale of Bygone Years. The path arose in the end. 9 - beginning 10th centuries It was of greatest importance in the 10th - 1st third of the 11th centuries. South part of it was well known to the Byzantines. According to information from Konstantin Porphyrogenitus (10th century), the Krivichi and other tribes subject to Kyiv in the spring brought large (for 30-40 people) dugout boats - “one-trees”, to Smolensk, Lyubech, Chernigov and other cities, which were then rafted along the Dnieper to Kyiv. Here they were refitted, loaded and sent down the Dnieper. Having passed 7 rapids (the largest, Nenasytetsky, was bypassed by a portage), as well as a rocky and narrow place called the Krariyskaya Crossing (where the Pechenegs often ambushed), the merchants stopped at the island. Khortytsia, then, having equipped the boats with sea sails in the Dnieper estuary, sailed along the west. the banks of the Black Metro to Constantinople. North part of the route, according to the Tale of Bygone Years, through the portage that connected the Dnieper and Lovat, went along Lovat, Lake Ilmen, Volkhov, Lake Ladoga, Neva to Varyazhskoe (Balt.) m. However, judging by the location of the treasures, Arab. , Byzantine and Western-European coins, ch. the path went from the Dnieper to the river. Usyazh-Buk to Lukoml and Polotsk and from the Dnieper to the river. Kaspl to Vitebsk and further along the West. Dvina to the Baltic States. Lack of treasures between Vitebsk and Vel. Lukami testifies that the route from the Dnieper to Lovat was mainly internal. meaning. P. from "v. to g." was connected with other waterways of Rus': the Pripyat-Buzhsky, which went to the West. Europe, and the Volzhsky, who led to the Arab. Caliphate. From the south along the way they carried: from Byzantium - wine, spices, jewelry and glassware, expensive fabrics, icons, books, from Kyiv - bread, various crafts. and arts. products, silver in coins, etc.; from Volyn - slate whorls, etc. Along the way they carried from S.: from Scandinavia - certain types of weapons and arts. crafts, from the North. Rus' - forest, fur, honey, wax, from the Baltic states. countries - amber. In the 2nd half. 11-12 centuries Ties with the West have strengthened. Europe and P. from "v. to g." gave way to Pripyat-Buzhsky, Zap.-Dvinsky, etc. Lit.: Brim V.A., The Path from the Varangians to the Greeks, "IAN USSR. Series 7. Department of Social Sciences", 1931, No. 2; Bernshtein-Kogan S.V., The Path from the Varangians to the Greeks, "VG", collection. 20, M., 1950; Alekseev L.V., Polotsk land (Essays on the history of Northern Belarus). IX-XIII centuries, M., 1966. L. V. Alekseev. Moscow.

Information about which route from the Varangians to the Greeks, that is, from the lands adjacent to the Baltic Sea to the Mediterranean countries, was chosen by our ancestors for trade travel, and sometimes military campaigns, is kept in the yellowed pages of ancient chronicles. Having opened them, we will try to feel that era that has long sunk into oblivion and trace the route of fearless merchant travelers.

Waterways - the forerunners of land roads

In those times, the description of which is contained in the Tale of Bygone Years - the oldest chronicle, the authorship of which is attributed to the Kyiv saint Venerable Nestor the Chronicler - there were no roads in our understanding of the word. But since the development of trade relations required constant travel, rivers, which Europe is very rich in, became alternative routes of communication.

It was along these waterways that merchant boats moved, filled with goods they delivered to neighboring countries. Over time, travelers began to give preference to certain, most convenient routes, from which certain trade routes were formed, the movement along which became more and more intense with each decade.

The longest trade route

The formation of such trade routes had a very beneficial effect on the inhabitants of coastal areas. Their settlements grew richer, gradually became trading hubs, and some eventually turned into cities. In addition, river and sea communications, connecting the economically developed West with the rich countries of the East, contributed to the establishment of international relations, as well as the development of world culture.

One of these highways was the trade route from the Varangians to the Greeks, described in detail by the chronicler Nestor. It is considered the longest of all known to science. Its length only across the territory of ancient Rus' was about 2850 kilometers, and it ran not only along rivers and lakes, but also partially overland, where the boats had to be dragged.

From the harsh Baltic to the shores of sunny Hellas

The route from the Varangians to the Greeks is a trade route that connected the economically developed centers of the Baltic Sea coast (the chronicler calls it Varangian) with Central Russia, and later with its numerous appanage principalities. Then he went to the steppe expanses of the Black Sea region, which at that time were a refuge for nomads, and, having crossed the Black Sea, reached Byzantium - the eastern territory of the once powerful, but by that time collapsed Roman Empire. Leaving behind the noisy markets of Constantinople, northern merchants continued their journey to the Mediterranean Sea, where rich coastal cities awaited them. Let us take a closer look at the trade route from the Varangians to the Greeks and dwell on its main stages.

The beginning of a long journey

It is generally accepted that it began on Lake Mälaren, located on the territory of modern Sweden. On the island located in its center, to this day there is a settlement called Birka, which in ancient times was a large trading center where goods were brought from all over Scandinavia, and where brisk trade took place. This is evidenced by ancient coins from different states found during recent archaeological excavations.

From there, boats loaded with goods went out to Baltiyskoe and moved to which was also a large trading hub, whose residents derived considerable benefits from commercial transactions, and therefore warmly welcomed guests. Having completed a number of intermediate trade transactions there and replenished supplies, the merchants, following along the Baltic coast, entered the mouth of the Neva and, having climbed along it, ended up in Lake Ladoga.

From the Ladoga expanses to Novgorod

It should be noted that the journey from the Varangians to the Greeks was an extremely difficult and dangerous undertaking. Not only the sea sections of the route, but also the river and lake sections, were fraught with many dangers. Already at the beginning of the journey, overcoming the Neva rapids, it was necessary to pull the boats ashore and drag them for a considerable distance, which required considerable strength and endurance. As for Ladoga, notorious for its sudden storms, it was sometimes fraught with mortal danger for travelers.

Further, describing the detailed route from the Varangians to the Greeks, the chronicler reports that caravans of ships ascended and, having reached Novgorod, the first large Russian city encountered on their way, stayed there for a long time. Some merchants, not wanting to continue their journey and thereby tempt fate, having sold their goods in the Novgorod markets and purchased new ones, turned back.

On the way to the Dnieper

Those who certainly wanted to get rich on the sunny shores of the Mediterranean continued their journey. Having left Novgorod, they climbed the Volkhov and, having reached it, followed up the Lovat River, which flowed into it. Next, the merchants, sitting in their boats among bales of goods, had the opportunity to stretch their legs: having passed Lovat, they had to pull their ships ashore and, using log rollers, drag them to the shore of the Western Dvina.

On its anciently inhabited shores, trade was resumed, and here the Scandinavians were joined in large numbers by Slavic merchants, also heading to the cities of the Mediterranean in search of profit. New hardships awaited all of them ahead, since between the basins and the Dnieper, where their path lay, there was a pedestrian crossing, coupled with the same dragging overland, albeit small, but loaded with goods.

Trade in the cities of the Dnieper region

Finding themselves in the waters of the Dnieper, on the banks of which they were greeted by such large cities as Smolensk, Chernigov, Lyubich and, finally, the mother of Russian cities - Kyiv, the travelers received a worthy reward for all the labor they had endured. In each of them there was brisk trade, thanks to which the sold goods were replaced by newly purchased ones, and the voluminous merchant purses acquired a pleasant roundness.

Here, as in Novgorod, some travelers completed their journey and from here returned home with new cargo. Only the most desperate followed, because in those ancient times the path from the Varangians to the Greeks was, in fact, a challenge to fate, so many unforeseen and unpredictable things could await the brave souls.

Way beyond the sea

Their further adventures began immediately at the Dnieper rapids, which in those years posed a serious danger to shipping, since the boats had to be dragged along the shore, where they were already awaited by ambushes of nomads who filled the banks with the whistle of their arrows. But even those who managed to safely pass these disastrous places and enter the Black Sea could not yet breathe a sigh of relief - new dangers awaited them ahead.

But, having finally reached the opposite shore, the merchants, protected by fate, found themselves in the rich and luxurious capital of Byzantium - Constantinople, which the Slavs used to call Constantinople. Here, in noisy and loud markets, the brought goods were sold at a profit, giving way to new stocks.

The crown of labor and the return home

The path from the Varangians to the Greeks, a description of which we find in Nestor the Chronicler, continued further through the waters of the Mediterranean Sea. He brought those who managed to avoid storms, fever or encounters with pirates who ruled the waters to blessed Rome, as well as other rich cities of Italy and Greece. This was the end point of the journey - the result of many months of work. However, it was too early to thank fate for its favor - an equally dangerous return journey lay ahead.

To return home and enter the shelter of their parents, merchants led their caravans across the Mediterranean Sea to the Atlantic and, skirting the entire coast of Western Europe, reached the Scandinavian shores. Trying to minimize risk and moving as close to the coast as possible, they stopped in all major coastal cities, where they also carried out their endless buying and selling. Thus, the path from the Varangians to the Greeks, a brief description of which became the topic of this article, went around the whole of Europe and ended at its starting point.

Assortment of merchant goods

What did those who made such a difficult and dangerous journey from the Varangians to the Greeks trade in? Cities located along the shores of the seas and rivers through which their route ran had their own individual economic characteristics, and this, of course, affected the range of both imported and exported goods. It is well known, for example, that Volyn and Kyiv offered in large quantities, and therefore at very reasonable prices, bread, silver, weapons and all kinds of products of local artisans.

Residents of Novgorod generously supplied the market with fur from fur-bearing animals, honey, wax, and most importantly, timber, which was cheap and available in their area and extremely scarce in the south. Since the route from the Varangians to the Greeks passed through a large number of cities and even countries with different economic features, the range of goods was constantly changing.

What was common, as a rule, was that the merchants began their journey by thoroughly filling their boats with the primordial gifts of the Baltic countries: weapons, amber and timber. And they returned laden with spices, overseas wines, books, expensive fabrics and works of jewelry.

The influence of the trade route on the development of the state

According to the most authoritative researchers, the path from the Varangians to the Greeks was the most important factor that influenced the development of international relations of that era. It was thanks to him that Ancient Rus' established relations with Byzantium, from where Christianity and various technical innovations came to it, as well as with the states of the Mediterranean.

He influenced the internal life of the Old Russian state by connecting its two major centers, Novgorod and Kyiv. In addition, thanks to such a firmly established route for merchant caravans, each nearby city had the opportunity to freely sell goods distributed in its area. This had the most favorable effect on the economy of the country as a whole.

The trade route that became the road to war

As is known from chronicles, and primarily from the Tale of Bygone Years, many ancient Russian commanders used the route from the Varangians to the Greeks in their campaigns. Rivers that served as highways for trade communications in these cases became roads of war.

An example is Prince Oleg, nicknamed the Prophetic and widely known thanks to the immortal poem by A. S. Pushkin. In 880, using the already known river route, he and his squad managed to reach Kyiv and take possession of it.

Having also subjugated all the cities he encountered along the way, the prince thereby united most of the Slavic lands. Thus, the path from the Varangians to the Greeks, briefly described by the chronicler Nestor, played a significant role in the creation of a unified Russian state.

Further, in 907, Prince Oleg, using the same waterway, made his historical campaign against Byzantium, captured Constantinople and, having nailed his own shield on its gates as a sign of victory, concluded a number of profitable trade and political agreements.

On the same route in 941, while making a military campaign, his successor, Prince Igor, reached the shores of the Bosphorus. In addition, one can recall the names of Prince Svyatoslav, nicknamed for his military talent by the ancient Russian Alexander the Great, Alexander Nevsky and many others, who skillfully used the waterway blazed by the merchants.