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     Countries where a South Slavic language is the national language
     Countries where a South Slavic language is the national language

The South Slavs are a southern branch of the Slavic peoples that live in the Balkans mainly in former Yugoslavia (meaning "Land of the South Slavs"); in the southern Pannonian Plain and the eastern Alps. See also Kingdom of Yugoslavia, Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Yugoslavia ( Serbo-Croatian The Pannonian Plain is a large Plain in Central Europe that remained when the Pliocene Pannonian Sea dried out They speak the South Slavic languages. South Slavic languages comprise one of the three geographical groups of Slavic languages (besides West and East Slavic) Numbering close to 35 million, the group includes the Bulgarians and Macedonians in the east, and the Serbs, Croats, Bosniaks, Slovenes and Montenegrins in the west. The Bulgarians (българи balgari) are a South Slavic people generally associated with the Republic of Bulgaria and the Bulgarian language The Macedonians (Македонци transliterated Makedonci) also referred to as Macedonian Slavs --> --> are a South Slavic people Serbs ( Serbian: Срби Srbi) are a South Slavic people living in the Balkans and Central Europe, mainly in Serbia, Croats (Hrvati are a South Slavic people mostly living in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and nearby countries The Bosniaks or Bosniacs (Bošnjak pl Bošnjaci bɔ'ʃɲaːt͡si are a South Slavic people living mainly in Bosnia and Herzegovina ("Bosnia" Slovenes or Slovenians ( Slovene Slovenci, dual Slovenca, singular Slovenec, feminine Slovenke, dual Slovenki Montenegrins ( Serbian: Црногорци/ Crnogorci) are a South Slavic people closely akin to the Serbs, associated to Montenegro

Contents

History

Early Accounts

Main article: Slavic peoples

Little is known about the Slavs before the fifth century. Their history prior to this can only be tentatively hypothesized via archeological and linguistic studies. Much of what we know about their history after the 500s is from the works of Byzantine historians.

In his work De Bellis, Procopius portrays the Slavs as unusually tall and strong, with a tan complexion and reddish-blonde hair, living a rugged and primitive life. They lived in huts, often distant from one another and often changed their place of abode. They were not ruled by a single leader, but for a long time lived in a "democracy" (ie anarchy). They probably believed in many Gods, but Procopius suggests they believed in one, perhaps supreme god. He has often been identified as Perun, the creator of lightning. In Slavic mythology, Perun ( Cyrillic: Перун is the highest God of the pantheon and the god of Thunder and Lightning The Slavs went into battle on foot, charging straight at their enemy, armed with spears and small shields, but they did not wear armour.

This information is supplanted by Pseudo-Marice's work Strategion, describing the Slavs as a numerous but disorganised and leaderless people, resistant to hardship and not allowing themselves to be enslaved or conquered. They made their homes in forests, by rivers and wetlands. [1] Jordannes states that the Slavs "have their homelands on the Danube, not far from the northern bank”. Subsequent information about early Slavic states and the Slavs' interaction with the Greeks comes from De Adminitrando Imperio by Emperor Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus, the compilations of Miracles of St Demetrius, History by Theophylact Simocatta and the Royal Frankish Annals.

Migrations and 'Homeland'

Postulated Slavic migrations into the Balkans
Postulated Slavic migrations into the Balkans

Scholars tend to place the Slavic Urheimat in the Pripet marshes of Ukraine. Urheimat ( German: ur- Original, Ancient; Heimat Home, Homeland) is a linguistic term denoting the From the 5th century they spread outward in all directions. The Balkans was one of the regions which lay in the path of the expanding Slavs.

As far as the Slavs mentioned by the 6th century Byzantine chroniclers are concerned, Florin Curta suggests that their 'homeland' was north of the Danube, not in Ukraine[2]. He clarifies that their itinerant form of agriculture (they lacked the knowledge of crop rotation) "may have encouraged mobility on a microregional scale". Material culture from the Danube suggests that there was an evolution of Slavic society between the early 600s and the 700s. As the Byzantines re-asserted the Danubian defences in the mid 500s, the Slavs yield of pillaged goods dropped. As a reaction to this economic isolation, and external threats (eg from Avars and Byzantines), political and military mobilisation occurred. Archeological sites from the late 600s show that the earlier settlements which were merely a non-specific collection of hamlets began to evolve into larger communities with differentiated areas (eg designated areas for public feasts as well as an 'industrial' area for craftsmanship). As community elites rose to prominence, they came to "embody a collective interest and responsibility" for the group. "If that group identity can be called ethnicity, and if that ethnicity can be called Slavic, then it certainly formed in the shadow of Justinian's forts, not in the Pripet marshes. " [3]

The Byzantines broadly grouped the numerous Slav tribes into two groups - the Sclavenoi and Antes [4]. The Antes were an ancient tribal union in Eastern Europe who lived north of the lower Danube and the Black Sea in the 6th and 7th century AD and who are associated Apparently the Sclavenes group were based along the middle Danube, whereas the Antes were at the lower Danube, in Scythia Minor. Scythia Minor, "Lesser Scythia" (Μικρά Σκυθία Mikrá Skythia) was in ancient times the region surrounded by the Danube at the north and Some, such as Bulgarian scholar Zlatarsky, suggest that the Sclavenes group settled the western Balkans, whilst offshoots of the Antes settled eastern regions (roughly speaking)[5]. From the Danube, they commenced raiding the Byzantine Empire from the 520s, on an annual basis. They spread about destruction, taking loot and herds of cattle, seizing prisoners and taking fortresses. Often, the Byzantine Empire was stretched defending its rich Asian provinces from Arabs, Persians and Turks. This meant that even numerically small, disorganised early Slavic raids were capable of causing much disruption, but could not capture the larger, fortified cities on the Aegean coast. By the 580s, as the Slav communitites on the Danube became larger and more organised, and as the Avars exerted their influence, raids became larger and resulted in permanent settlement. In 586 AD, as many as 100, 000 Slav warriars raided Thessaloniki. By 581, many Slavic tribes had settled the land around Thessaloniki, though never taking the city itself, creating a Macedonian Sclavinia [6]. As John of Ephesus tells us in 581: “the accursed people of the Slavs set out and plundered all of Greece, the regions surrounding Thessalonica, and Thrace, taking many towns and castles, laying waste, burning, pillaging, and seizing the whole country. ”. By 586, they took the western Peloponnese, Attica, Epirus, leaving only the east part of Peloponnese, which was mountainous and inaccessible. The final attempt to restore the northern border was from 591-605, when the end of conflicts with Persia allowed Emperor Maurice to transfer units to the north. However he was deposed after a military revolt in 602, and the Danubian frontier collapsed one and a half decades later (Main article: Maurice’s Balkan campaigns)

The Iron Gate on the Serbo-Romanian border
The Iron Gate on the Serbo-Romanian border

The Avars arrived in Europe in 558. For the Iron Gates built by Alexander the Great in the Alexander Romance, see Gates of Alexander. Although their identity would not last, the Avars greatly impacted the events of the Balkans. They settled the Carpathian plain, west of the main Slavic settlements. They crushed the Gepid Kingdom and pushed the Lombards into Italy, essentially opening up the western Balkans. The Gepids (Gepidae Gifðas ( Beowulf, Widsith) - possibly from * Gibiðos, "givers" or gepanta, see below were The Lombards ( Latin Langobardi, whence the alternative names Langobards and Longobards) were a Germanic people originally from They asserted their authority over many Slavs, who were divided into numerous petty tribes. Many Slavs were relocated to the Avar base in the Carpathian basin and were galvinised into an effective infantry force. Other Slavic tribes continued to raid independently, sometime coordinating attacks as allies of the Avars. Others still spilt into Imperial lands as they fled from the Avars. Despite being paid stipends, the Avars continued to raid the entire Balkans. The Avars and their Slavic allies tended to focus on the western Balkans, whilst independent Slavic tribes predominated in the east. Following the unsuccessful siege of Constantinople in 626, the Avars reputation dimished, and the confederacy was troubled by civial wars between the Avars and their Bulgar and Slav clients. Their rule contracted to the region of the carpathian basin. Archeological evidence show that there was intermixing of Slavic, Avar and even Gepid cultures, suggesting that the later Avars were an amalgamation of different peoples. This contributed to the rise of a Slavic noble class. The Khanate collapsed after ongoing defeats at the hands of Franks, Bulgars and Slavs (c. 810), and the Avars name ceased to exist. What remained of the Avars furthermore absorbed by the Slavs and Bulgars.

Serbs and Croats are two tribes mentioned amongst the many Slavic tribes already in the Balkans. Serbs ( Serbian: Срби Srbi) are a South Slavic people living in the Balkans and Central Europe, mainly in Serbia, Croats (Hrvati are a South Slavic people mostly living in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and nearby countries We know little about their origins. According to De administrando Imperio, Emperor Heraclius invited them as foederati to defeat the Avars. They migrated from their homeland in southern Poland between 615 and 640 AD. However, apart from this (often disputed) document, we have no evidence of their migration specifically. Some suggest that they arrived to the Balkans with the rest of the Slavic migrations, only to rise to prominence as some sort of a leading clan amongst neighbouring Slavic tribes[7].

By 700 AD, Slavs inhabited the entire Balkans, from Austria to the Peloponesse, and from the Adriatic to the Black seas.

Interaction with the Balkan population

The Balkans region is, and always has been, home to a diverse range of peoples. Prior to Roman conquest, a number of ‘native’ or ‘autochthonous’ peoples had lived there since ancient times. There were, of course, the Hellenes south of the Jicerek line. To the north, there were "Illyrians" in the western portion -Illyricum-(roughly corresponding to what was Yugoslavia), Thracians in Thrace (modern Bulgaria and eastern Macedonia), and Dacians in Moesia (northern Bulgaria and northeastern Serbia) and Dacia (modern Romania). Illyrians has come to refer to a broad ill-defined " Indo-European " group of peoples who inhabited the western Balkans ( Illyria, roughly "Thracians" also refers to modern inhabitants of Thrace, regardless of ethnicity The Dacians ( Lat Daci, Gr Dákai) were a Thracian people the ancient inhabitants of Dacia (located in the area Moesia (Μοισία Moisía; Мизия Miziya; Moesia Мезија Mezija) was an ancient region and Roman province situated in the Dacia, in ancient geography was the land of the Dacians. It was named by the ancient Hellenes ( Greeks) " Getae " These people were quite diverse and un-unified. They led tribal lives and generally lacked awareness of any greater ethno-political affiliation. Over the classical ages, they were at times invaded, conquered and influenced by Celts, Macedonians, Greeks and finally, conquered by the Romans. Celts (ˈkɛlts or /ˈsɛlts/, see Names of the Celts Macedon or Macedonia ( Greek grc Μακεδονία grc-Latn Makedonía) was the name of a kingdom centered in the northern-most The Greeks ( Greek: Έλληνες) are a Nation and Ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighbouring regions Ancient Rome was a Civilization that grew out of a small agricultural community founded on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 10th century BC In reality, Roman influence was limited to the cities, which were concentrated along the Dalmatian coast, in Greece, and a few scattered cities inside the Balkan interior- particularly along the river Danube (Sirmium, Belgrade, Nis). Sirmium in Pannonia should not be confused with Sirmio on Lake Garda Sirmium (today Sremska Mitrovica, Serbia) was an ancient Belgrade (Београд Beograd is the Capital and largest city of Serbia. Roman citizens from throughout the empire settled these cities and the adjacent countryside. The vast hinterland was still populated by indegenous peoples who likely retained their own tribal character [8]

Following the fall of Rome and numerous barbarian raids, the Balkans' population dropped, as did commerce and general standard of living. Many people were killed, or taken prisoner by invaders. The fall in the population is particularly attributed to a drop in the number of indegenous peasants living in the rural countryside. They were the most vulnerable to raids and were also hardest hit by the financial crises that plagued the falling empire[7]. However, the Balkans were not desolate. Only certain areas tended to be hit by the raids- the lands around major land highways. People sought refuge inside fortified cities, whilst others fled to remote mountains and forests, joining their non-Romanized kin for a transhumant pastoral lifestyle. The larger cities were able to persevere, even flourish, through the hard times. Archeological evidence suggests that the culture in the cities changed- Roman-styled forums and large public buildings were abandoned and cities were modified - built on top of hills or cliff-tops and fortified by walls. The centrepiece of such cities was the church. This transformation from a Roman culture to a Byzantine one was paralleled by a rise of a new ruling class: the old land-owning aristocracy gave way to rule by military elites and the clergy [9].

In addition to the autochthons, there were remnants of previous invaders such as "Huns" and various Germanic peoples when the Slavs arrived. The Huns were an early confederation of Central Asian equestrian nomads or semi-nomads with a Turkic core of aristocracy The Germanic peoples are a historical group of Indo-European -speaking peoples originating in Northern Europe and identified by their use of the Germanic Sarmatian tribes (such as the Iazyges) are recorded to have still lived in the Banat region of the Danube[10]. The Sarmatians, Sarmatae or Sauromatae ( Old Iranian Sarumatah 'archer' Σαρμάτες The Iazyges ( Jazyges is an orthographic variant were a nomadic tribe

As the Slavs spread south into the Balkans, they interacted with the numerous peoples and cultures. Since their lifestyle revolved around agriculture, they preferentially settled rural lands along the major highway networks which they moved along. Whilst they could not take the larger fortified towns, they looted the countryside, capturing many prisoners. In his Strategion, Pseudo-Maurice noted that it was commonplace for Slavs to accept newly acquired prisoners into their ranks. Despite the Byzantine's accounts of 'pillaging' and 'looting', it is likely that many indegenous peoples volutarily assimilated with the Slavs. The Slavs lacked an organised, centrally ruled organisation which actually hastened the process of wilfull Slavicisation [8]. The strongest evidence for such a co-existence is from archeological remains along the Danube and Dacia- the so-called Ipoteşti-Cândeşti culture'. Here, the villages dating back to the 6th century represent a continuity with the earlier Slavic Pen'kovka culture; modified by admixture with Daco-Getic, Daco-Roman and/or Byzantine elements within the same village[9]. The Antes were an ancient tribal union in Eastern Europe who lived north of the lower Danube and the Black Sea in the 6th and 7th century AD and who are associated Such a interactions awarded the pre-Slavic populace protection within the ranks of a dominant, new tribe. In turn, they contributed to the genetic and cultural development the South Slavs. There was a flow of loan-words in either direction. For example the Slavic name for Greeks- Grci- is derived from the Latin Graecus- presumably encountered through the local Romanised populace. Conversely we know that the Vlachs borrowed many Slavic words, especially pertaining to agricultural terms. Whether any of the original Thracian or Illyrian culture and language remained by the time Slavs arrived is a matter of debate. It is a difficult issue to analyse because of the overriding Greek and Roman influence in the region.

Overtime, more and more of the Latin speaking natives (generally referred to as Vlachs) were assimilated (such that, in the western Balkans, Vlach came be a socio-occupational term rather than ethnic term[11]). The Romance speakers within the fortified Dalmatian cities managed to retain their culture and language for a longer time, Dalmatian was spoken until the high Middle Ages. However, they too were eventually assimilated into the body of Slavs. In contrast, the Romano-Dacians in Wallachia managed to maintain their Latin-based language, despite much Slavic influence. After centuries of peaceful co-existence, the groups fused to form Romanians.

The mixed ancestry of today's South Slavs is evident, as one can see a plethora of different physical characteristics.

Relationship with Byzantium

Slavic tribes in the Balkans c. 700 AD
Slavic tribes in the Balkans c. 700 AD

By 580s, Slavs occupied all Greek regions. Not content with their rural conquests, the Slavs attempted to conquer the rich Aegean cities. The Miracles of St Demetrius stated that the Draguvits, Belegzites, Sagudates laid siege on Thessaloniki in 614. In 626, a combined Gepid, Avar, Slav and Bulgar army sieged Constantinople. The siege was broken, which would have repercussions upon the power and prestige of the Avar khanate. Slavic sieges on Thessaloniki continued. In 677, a coalition of Rynchites, Sagudates, Draguvites and Strumanoi attacked. This time, the Belgezites did not participate, and in fact supplied the besieged citizens of Thessaloniki with grain.

Essentially the Slavs did as they please in Greece. Constantine Porphyrogenitus wrote that “the entire country was Slavonized”. In 723, Willibald a western pilgrim en route to the holy land landed in the Peloponnese. He referred to it as the “land of Sclavinia”[12], whilst The Life of Methodius noted that the inhabitants of Thessaloniki could "speak pure Slavonic". Apart from numerous historical records all attesting to their presence, linguicist Vasmer has listed 429 Slavic toponyms from the Peloponnesus alone.

Although the Slavs occupied every region of Greece, they did not occupy Greece in its entirety, nor did they wipe out the Greek population, which took refuge in large cities like Thessaloniki, Constantinople and Corinth. Relations, for the most part, were probably peaceful apart from the initial settlement and intermittent uprisings. Being agriculturalists, the Slavs probably traded with the Greeks inside the towns[13]. Furthermore, some Greek villages continued to exist in the interior, probably governing themselves, possibly paying tributes to the Slavs. Some villages were probably mixed, and undoubtedly some degree of bi-directional assimilation already began to occur before re-Hellenization was completed by the emperors [14].

When the Byzantines were not fighting in their eastern territories, they were able to slowly regain imperial control. This was achieved through its theme system – referring to an administrative province on which an army corps was centered, under the control of a Strategos (governor). It aimed to assimilate the Slavs into the Byzantine socio-economic sphere. The first Balkan theme created was that in Thrace, in 680 AD. By 695, a second theme – “Hellas”- was established. Its location was probably in eastern central Greece. Subduing the Slavs in these themes was simply a matter of accommodating the needs of the Slavic elites and providing them with incentives for their inclusion into the imperial administration.

However, Slavs elsewhere were far more difficult to subdue. It was not until 100 years later that a third theme would be established. In 782-84, the eunuch general Staurakios campaigned from Thessaloniki, south to Thessaly and into the Peloponnese. He captured many Slavs, moving them elsewhere- especially Anatolia (these Slavs were dubbed Slavesians[15]). Anatolia (Anadolu Ανατολία Anatolía) or Asia minor, comprising most of modern Turkey, is the geographic region bounded by the Black Although he may have made some defeated Slav tribes pay homage, it is unlikely he subdued all of them. The theme of Macedonia was created sometime between 790 and 802. This theme was centered on Adrianople (ie east of the actual geographic entity). In 805, the theme of Peloponnesus was created. However, some local Slavic tribes- Milings and Ezerites continued to revolt – apparently angered by loss of lands and the threat of losing their independence[16]. They were to remain independent until Ottoman times! From the 800s, new themes continued to arise, although many were small and were carved out of original, larger themes. New themes in the 9th century included those of Thessaloniki and Dyrrachium. From these themes, Byzantine laws and culture flowed into the interior.

An Orthodox icon depicting Saints Methodius and Cyril, founders of the Glacolitic alphabet and patron saints for all south Slavic peoples
An Orthodox icon depicting Saints Methodius and Cyril, founders of the Glacolitic alphabet and patron saints for all south Slavic peoples

Apart from military expeditions against Slavs, the re-Hellenization process involved (often forcible) transfer of peoples. Many Slavs were moved to other parts of the Empire, such as Anatolia and made to serve in the military. In return, Greek-speakers were brought to the Balkans, to increase the number of defenders at the Emperor's disposal and dilute the concentration of Slavs. Even non-Greeks were transferred to the Balkans, such as Armenians[17]. As more of the peripheral territories of the Byzantine empire were lost, their Greek-speakers made their own way back to Greece, eg from Sicily and Asia. The Hellenization of the Slavs was performed by way of culturo-religious assimilation of the Slavs into the Greek Orthodox world. Only Greek liturgy was allowed, consequently many Slavs were Christianized and Hellenized. The Aegean Greek cities were roots of Byzantine culture, which unlike their Dalmatian counterparts, eventually succeeded in Hellenizing the interior.

Eventually, the Byzantines recovered the imperial border north all the way to today’s region of Macedonia (which would serve as the northern border of the Byzantine world until 1018), although independent Slavic villages remained. As the Greek Slavs were Hellenized, there was inevitable mixture between Slavs and Greeks. Fine suggests that “probably few pure-blooded Greeks were left”[18]. But, of course, it is culture rather than blood-lines that matters. But perhaps more important than how the Slavs altered the ‘gene pool’ is how they impacted Byzantine affairs. As the Slavs occupied the entire Balkan interior, Constantinople was effectively cut off from the Dalmatian cities under its (nominal) control. Thus Dalmatia came to have closer ties with Italy, because of ability to maintain contact by sea (however, this too, was troubled by Slavic pirates). Additionally, Constantinople was cut off from Rome. This contributed to the growing cultural and political separation between the two centres of European Christendom. Perhaps the greatest effect of the Slavs in Greece was on rural life. As noted earlier, after repeated invasions, there had been a large drop in rural inhabitants. The Slavs increased the number drastically, essentially reviving the rural economy.

Northern Greece/ Macedonia remained overwhelmingly Slavic. Here, control of the Slavic tribes was nominal, as they retained their own culture and language. However, the Slavic tribes of Macedonia never formed their own empire or ‘state’, and the area often switched between Greek, Bulgarian, Serbian and temporarily even Norman control. The Byzantines were not able to Hellenize Macedonia completely because their progress north was blocked by the Bulgarian Empire, and later by the Serbian Kingdom; which were both Slavic states. However, Byzantine culture nonetheless flowed further north, seen to this day as Bulgaria, Macedonia and Serbia are part of the Orthodox world. Even in Dalmatia, where Byzantine influence was supplanted by Venice and Rome, the influence of Byzantine culture persists.

Formations of early Slavic states

States and Tribes c. 840s
States and Tribes c. 840s

By the end of 7th century, the Slavs occupied every region of the Balkans. Despite having taken much land from the Byzantines, and successfully revolted against Avar dominance, they remained split into many different tribes. Other invaders of the Roman Empire, such as the Franks in the west, for example, formed a somewhat unified Kingdom incorporating various ‘Frankish’ and other Germanic tribes. The Franks or Frankish people (Franci or gens Francorum) were West Germanic tribes first identified in the 3rd century as an Ethnic group However, as noted earlier, the Slavs tended to dislike centralized rule, and there was no one king or warrior who could forge a unified kingdom or supra-tribal union (which otherwise would have spanned half of Europe).

Asparuch’s Bulgars arrived in Dobrudja and Moesia Inferior in the 670s. The Bulgars (also Bolgars or proto-Bulgarians) were a seminomadic people probably of Turkic descent originally from Central Asia, Moesia (Μοισία Moisía; Мизия Miziya; Moesia Мезија Mezija) was an ancient region and Roman province situated in the Either by subjugation or alliance, they gained the service of Slavic tribes living in the area (as the Avars had done earlier). They moved the Severi and ‘The Seven Slavic clans’ to defend strategic areas of their early Khanate. The Byzantines were aware of this new threat, but could not stop the formation of the First Bulgarian ‘Empire’ by 681. As the Bulgars expanded their influence, many Slavic tribes in Macedonia joined the ‘Bulgar League’, which was becoming progressively Slavonicized. Others are noted to have been loyal to the Byzantines. As they spread northwest, they subjugated the Abordrites and Timochans, who rebelled and appealled to the Franks for help.

In the western Balkans, the tribal configurations of the 600s eventually formed a basis for early statelets, no doubt influenced by Feudalism from the west. During the 700s, the Franks extended into the northwestern Balkans. In 745, they incorporated the Slavs and other inhabitants of Carantania, the area serving as a march. Slavic settlement of the Eastern Alps region was a historic process that took place between the 6th and 9th century AD having culminated in Carantania, also known as Carentania (Karantanija Karantanien in old Slovene Onomastics Korotan) was a Slavic Principality The Slavs in northern Pannonia (north of the Drava) were included in the Balaton Principality, given by the Franks to an exiled Prince from Nitra, whereas those south of the Drava were part of ‘Savia’- a territory we know little about. Pannonia is an ancient province of the Roman Empire bounded north and east by the Danube, coterminous westward with Noricum and upper Italy, The Balaton Principality (also called Pannonia, Lower Pannonia, Pannonian Principality, Transdanubian Principality or Slavic Pannonian State The Franks and Bulgars fought for control over it initially, later becoming an area of conflict between Hungary and Croatia. Hungary (Magyarország 'mɔɟɔrorsaːg) officially in English the Republic of Hungary ( Magyar Köztársaság, literally Magyar (Hungarian Republic Croatia (Hrvatska ˈxȓvatska officially the Republic of Croatia ( Republika Hrvatska) is a southern Central European country at the crossroads between

The Balkans c. 900
The Balkans c. 900

The Croats were Frankish vassals until they successfully rebelled during the 850s, forming the Duchy of the Croats in northern Dalmatia. Croats (Hrvati are a South Slavic people mostly living in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and nearby countries The Croatian people trace their origins to Slavic peoples which moved into the territory of the former Roman provinces Pannonia and Dalmatia In the southern half of the Dalmatian coast, four small Slavic duchies arose- Pagania, Zahumlje, Travunia and Duklja. Pagania, Merania or Neretvia (the Narentine Frontier, Ancient Greek:, Italian: Narentani Zachlumia ( Croatian: Zahumlje Serbian: Захумље also known as the Land of the Hum and Chelm, was a Medieval Travunia ( Serbian: Травунија or Травуња Transliterations: Travunija, Travunja; Latin: Terbounia) was a Duklja or Diokletija ( Serbian Cyrillic: Дукља or Диоклетија; Latin: Doclea or Diocleia; Inland to these was the land of Serbia. Serbia (Србија Srbija) officially the Republic of Serbia (Република Србија Republika Srbija) is a Landlocked Country Today there is much debate about ‘historical rights’ to certain areas. However, these early states were composed of ethnically very similar people split into different tribal territories. At times, one would grow powerful enough to exert influence over its neighbours. Centuries later, some tribal or regional designations evolved to identify a people with a common national awareness (ie a nation-state), somewhat distinct from its neighbours. As the tribes and early states were never unified, they experienced different histories and cultural influences which has coloured their identity today. One cannot deny their uniqueness, but should not overlook their common origins either.

Genetics

Although referred to as 'Slavs' and speaking a Slavic language, modern South Slavic peoples 'genetic roots' actually stem from a wide variety of genetic backgrounds, attesting the complexity of the ethnogenetic processes in Eastern Europe, namely the symbiosis of ancient, native Balkan populations with that of the 6th century Slavs. A recent genetic study [19] researched several Slavic populations with the aim of localizing the Proto-Slavic homeland. A significant finding of this study is that two genetically distinct groups of Slavic populations exist. The first group encompassed most Slavic populations except some Southern Slavs. According to the authors, most Slavs share a high frequency of Haplogroup R1a. Its origin is purported to trace to the middle Dnieper basin of Ukraine from Ukrainian LGM refuge 15 kya. For the rocket see Dnepr rocket. For other uses see Dnieper (disambiguation. The Ukrainian LGM refuge is one of the postulated LGM refuge areas, located 'around' the Black Sea, where groups of humans sought shelter from the glacial In Astronomy, Geology, and Paleontology, tya, sometimes also kya, is an Acronym for thousand years ago and is used as a [20]. The second group is comprised of southern Slavic populations: Bulgarians, Croatians, Macedonians and Serbs, who have a significantly lower frequency of R1a. The Bulgarians (българи balgari) are a South Slavic people generally associated with the Republic of Bulgaria and the Bulgarian language Croats (Hrvati are a South Slavic people mostly living in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and nearby countries The Macedonians (Македонци transliterated Makedonci) also referred to as Macedonian Slavs --> --> are a South Slavic people Serbs ( Serbian: Срби Srbi) are a South Slavic people living in the Balkans and Central Europe, mainly in Serbia, According to the authors, this phenomenon is explained by ". . . contribution to the Y chromosomes of peoples who settled in the Balkan region before the Slavic expansion to the genetic heritage of Southern Slavs. . . "[21]

South Slavic peoples

South Slavs are divided into two groups — eastern and western. Please note that some of the subdivisions of the South Slavic ethnicities remain debatable, particularly for smaller groups and national minorities in former Yugoslavia.

List of the South Slavic peoples and ethnic groups, including population figures: [22]

Eastern group:

Western group:

Regional groups

Besides ethnic groups, South Slavs often identify themselves with the geographical region in which they live. The Bulgarians (българи balgari) are a South Slavic people generally associated with the Republic of Bulgaria and the Bulgarian language The Bessarabian Bulgarians (бесарабски българи besarabski bǎlgari) are a Bulgarian minority group of the historical region of Bessarabia The Banat Bulgarians ( Banat Bulgarian: palćene or banátsći balgare; common банатски българи banatski balgari) are a distinct The Banat Bulgarians ( Banat Bulgarian: palćene or banátsći balgare; common банатски българи banatski balgari) are a distinct The Macedonians (Македонци transliterated Makedonci) also referred to as Macedonian Slavs --> --> are a South Slavic people The Macedonian Muslims ( Macedonian: Македонци-муслимани Makedonci-muslimani) also known as Muslim Macedonians or Torbeš Serbs ( Serbian: Срби Srbi) are a South Slavic people living in the Balkans and Central Europe, mainly in Serbia, Croats (Hrvati are a South Slavic people mostly living in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and nearby countries Burgenland Croats (Gradišćanski Hrvati are ethnic Croats in the Austrian province of Burgenland. Janjevci (ˈjaːɲev͡tsi are Croatian inhabitants of the Kosovo town of Janjevo and surrounding villages located near Priština as well as The Krashovani ( Croatian and Serbian: Krašovani (Крашовани Karašovani or Krašovanje, Karaševci and Molise Croats ( moliški Hrvati in scientific literature live in the Molise region of Italy in the villages Acquaviva Collecroce (in Croatian Bunjevci ( Bunjevac, Croatian and Serbian: Bunjevci / Буњевци singular Bunjevac / Буњевац (pronounced 'boo-nyev-tsi Šokci, ( Croatian, Bosnian Šokci, singular Šokac, Serbian Cyrillic: Шокци in Hungarian: Sokácok The Bosniaks or Bosniacs (Bošnjak pl Bošnjaci bɔ'ʃɲaːt͡si are a South Slavic people living mainly in Bosnia and Herzegovina ("Bosnia" Slovenes or Slovenians ( Slovene Slovenci, dual Slovenca, singular Slovenec, feminine Slovenke, dual Slovenki Montenegrins ( Serbian: Црногорци/ Crnogorci) are a South Slavic people closely akin to the Serbs, associated to Montenegro The Goran or Gorani are a Balkan Ethnic group characterised by their adherence to Islam and by their dwelling in the border region between Albania Some of the major regional South Slavic groups include: Zagorci, Istrani, Dalmatinci, Slavonci, Bosanci, Hercegovci, Krajišnici, Semberci, Srbijanci, Šumadinci, Moravci, Vojvođani, Sremci, Bačvani, Banaćani, Sandžaklije, Kosovci, Crnogorci, Bokelji, Torlaks, Shopi, Pelagonci, Tikvešjani, Trakiytsi, Dobrudzhantsi, Balkandzhii, Aegean MacedoniansMiziytsi, Pirintsi, Rodoptsi, Bessarabian Bulgarians, etc. This article is about a geographical region bordering the Adriatic Sea Dalmatia ( Croatian: Dalmacija, see names in other languages) is a region on the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea, situated mostly in modern Not to be confused with Slovenia, a nearby country Slavonia ( Croatian, Serbian: Slavonija, Cyrillic script This is page about Bosnians (as citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina) Bosanska Krajina or Bosnian Frontier ( Serbian, Bosnian, and Croatian: Bosanska Krajina or Босанска Крајина Turkish Semberija ( Cyrillic: Семберија is a geographical region in north-eastern Bosnia and Herzegovina. Šumadija (Шумадија is a geographical region in Serbia. The Autonomous Province of Vojvodina ( Serbian: Аутономна Покрајина Војводина or Autonomna Pokrajina Vojvodina; Hungarian: Vajdaság Bačka ( Serbian: Бачка or Bačka, Hungarian: Bácska, Croatian: Bačka, Slovak: Báčka, The Banat is a geographical and historical region in Central Europe currently divided between three countries the eastern part lies in Romania (the counties Sandžak ( Serbian: Санџак Sandžak or Рашка Raška; Bosnian: Sandžak; Albanian: Sanxhak or Montenegro ( British English) Montenegrin / Serbian: PLEASE DO NOT CHANGE THE LANGUAGES WITHOUT CONSENSUS ON THE TALK PAGE! History The nearby hamlet of Risan was a thriving Illyrian city called Rhizon as early as 229 BC and gave its name to the bay then known as Rhizonicus Torlaks (Торлаци Torlaci is a name for Slavic inhabitants of south-eastern Serbia and northern Macedonia who speak the Torlakian dialect. Shopi (шопи Scientific transliteration šopi singular шоп šop with various regional names also existing is a regional term referring to the inhabitants of the Pelagonia ( Greek: Πελαγονíα Pelagonía, Macedonian: Пелагонија Pelagonija, Albanian: Pellgania, or Tikveš (Тиквеш is a plain situated in central Macedonia; known for an artificial lake and home to the town of Kavadarci, famous for its wine and The Upper Thracian Plain (Горнотракийска низина Gornotrakiyska nizina) constitutes the northern part of the historical region of Thrace. Southern Dobruja ( Южна Добруджа Yuzhna Dobrudzha in Bulgarian, Dobrogea de sud or Cadrilater in Romanian) The Balkan Mountain range ( Bulgarian and Стара планина Stara planina, "Old Mountain" "Aegean Macedonians" (Егејски Македонци Egejski Makedonci) or simply "Aegeans" (Егејци Egejci) are terms Moesia (Μοισία Moisía; Мизия Miziya; Moesia Мезија Mezija) was an ancient region and Roman province situated in the Blagoevgrad Province (област Благоевград oblast Blagoevgrad or Благоевградска област Blagoevgradska oblast) also known The Rhodopes (Родопи Rodopi, usually used with a definite article Родопите Rodopite, sometimes also called Родопа Rodopa or Родопа The Bessarabian Bulgarians (бесарабски българи besarabski bǎlgari) are a Bulgarian minority group of the historical region of Bessarabia

Countries

There are seven countries in which South Slavs form the majority of population: [1]

In addition, there are traditional sizable South Slavic minorities in non-Slavic neighbouring countries such as Italy (Slovenes, Molise Croats), Austria (Slovenes, Burgenland Croats), Hungary (Serbs, Croats, Bunjevci, Šokci, Slovenes), Romania (Krashovani, Banat Bulgarians, Serbs), Moldova (Bessarabian Bulgarians), Greece (Bulgarians, Macedonians), Turkey (Pomaks, Bosniaks) and Albania (Macedonians, Serbs, Montenegrins, Gorani), as well as emigrant communities in various countries around the world. Bosnia and Herzegovina ( Latin script: Bosna i Hercegovina, Cyrillic script: Босна и Херцеговина is a country on the Balkan Serbia (Србија Srbija) officially the Republic of Serbia (Република Србија Republika Srbija) is a Landlocked Country Montenegro ( British English) Montenegrin / Serbian: PLEASE DO NOT CHANGE THE LANGUAGES WITHOUT CONSENSUS ON THE TALK PAGE! The Republic of Macedonia (Република The state of Bulgaria (България transliterated bg-Latn ''Balgaria'' The country preserves the traditions (in ethnic name language and alphabet of the First Bulgarian Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest Slovenes or Slovenians ( Slovene Slovenci, dual Slovenca, singular Slovenec, feminine Slovenke, dual Slovenki Molise Croats ( moliški Hrvati in scientific literature live in the Molise region of Italy in the villages Acquaviva Collecroce (in Croatian Austria (Österreich ( officially the Republic of Austria (Republik Österreich Burgenland Croats (Gradišćanski Hrvati are ethnic Croats in the Austrian province of Burgenland. Hungary (Magyarország 'mɔɟɔrorsaːg) officially in English the Republic of Hungary ( Magyar Köztársaság, literally Magyar (Hungarian Republic The Serbs are an ethnic minority in Hungary. According to the 2001 census there were 7350 Serbs in Hungary or 0 Croats (Hrvati are a South Slavic people mostly living in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and nearby countries Bunjevci ( Bunjevac, Croatian and Serbian: Bunjevci / Буњевци singular Bunjevac / Буњевац (pronounced 'boo-nyev-tsi Šokci, ( Croatian, Bosnian Šokci, singular Šokac, Serbian Cyrillic: Шокци in Hungarian: Sokácok Romania ( dated: Rumania, Roumania The Krashovani ( Croatian and Serbian: Krašovani (Крашовани Karašovani or Krašovanje, Karaševci and The Banat Bulgarians ( Banat Bulgarian: palćene or banátsći balgare; common банатски българи banatski balgari) are a distinct Moldova, officially the Republic of Moldova ( Republica Moldova) is a Landlocked country in Eastern Europe, located between Romania The Bessarabian Bulgarians (бесарабски българи besarabski bǎlgari) are a Bulgarian minority group of the historical region of Bessarabia Greece (Ελλάδα transliterated: Elláda, historically, Ellás,) officially the Hellenic Republic (Ελληνική Δημοκρατία The Bulgarians (българи balgari) are a South Slavic people generally associated with the Republic of Bulgaria and the Bulgarian language "Aegean Macedonians" (Егејски Македонци Egejski Makedonci) or simply "Aegeans" (Егејци Egejci) are terms Turkey (Türkiye known officially as the Republic of Turkey ( is a Eurasian Country that stretches The Bosniaks or Bosniacs (Bošnjak pl Bošnjaci bɔ'ʃɲaːt͡si are a South Slavic people living mainly in Bosnia and Herzegovina ("Bosnia" This article is about the country in southern Europe For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Albania topics. Ethnic Macedonians of Albania are an officially recognized ethnic minority in Albania Serbs ( Serbian: Срби Srbi) are a South Slavic people living in the Balkans and Central Europe, mainly in Serbia, Montenegrins ( Serbian: Црногорци/ Crnogorci) are a South Slavic people closely akin to the Serbs, associated to Montenegro The Goran or Gorani are a Balkan Ethnic group characterised by their adherence to Islam and by their dwelling in the border region between Albania

Cities

Largest cities with South Slavic majority:

Religion

The religious and cultural diversity of the region the South Slavs inhabit has had a considerable influence on their religion. Sliven (Сливен is a town in southeast Bulgaria and the administrative centre of Sliven Province. Kumanovo (Куманово is thе third largest city in the Republic of Macedonia after Skopje and Bitola, and is the seat of the Shumen (Шумен is a city in the northeastern part of Bulgaria, capital of Shumen Province. Originally a polytheistic pagan people, the South Slavs have also preserved many of their ancient rituals and traditional folklore, often intermixing and combining it with the religion they later converted to.

Today, the large majority of South Slavs are Christian. Most Bulgarians, ethnic Macedonians, Serbs and Montenegrins are Eastern Orthodox Christians; whilst most Slovenes and Croats are Roman Catholics. The Bulgarians (българи balgari) are a South Slavic people generally associated with the Republic of Bulgaria and the Bulgarian language The Macedonians (Македонци transliterated Makedonci) also referred to as Macedonian Slavs --> --> are a South Slavic people Serbs ( Serbian: Срби Srbi) are a South Slavic people living in the Balkans and Central Europe, mainly in Serbia, Montenegrins ( Serbian: Црногорци/ Crnogorci) are a South Slavic people closely akin to the Serbs, associated to Montenegro The Eastern Orthodox Church is the second largest single Christian Communion in the world Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings Slovenes or Slovenians ( Slovene Slovenci, dual Slovenca, singular Slovenec, feminine Slovenke, dual Slovenki Croats (Hrvati are a South Slavic people mostly living in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and nearby countries Bosniaks and other small sub-groups of Slavs (eg Gorani, Torbesh, and Pomaks) are Muslims. The Bosniaks or Bosniacs (Bošnjak pl Bošnjaci bɔ'ʃɲaːt͡si are a South Slavic people living mainly in Bosnia and Herzegovina ("Bosnia" The Goran or Gorani are a Balkan Ethnic group characterised by their adherence to Islam and by their dwelling in the border region between Albania The Macedonian Muslims ( Macedonian: Македонци-муслимани Makedonci-muslimani) also known as Muslim Macedonians or Torbeš For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation.

Language

Main article: South Slavic languages

South Slavic standard languages are:

In addition, there are also two more South Slavic languages, Montenegrin and Bunjevac, that do not have official status, but that are widely used by their speakers. South Slavic languages comprise one of the three geographical groups of Slavic languages (besides West and East Slavic) Bosnian language (Bosnian bosanski jezik) sometimes referred as Bosniak language or Bosniac language is a South Slavic language native Bulgarian (български език IPA: ɛzˈik is an Indo-European language, a member of the Slavic linguistic group Croatian language ( hrvatski jezik) is a South Slavic language which is used primarily in Croatia, by Croats in Bosnia and Herzegovina in neighbouring Macedonian () is the official Language of the Republic of Macedonia and is a part of the Eastern group of South Slavic languages. Serbian (sr-Cyrl српски језик sr-Latn ''srpski jezik'' is a South Slavic language, Slovene or Slovenian ( slovenski jezik or slovenščina, not to be confused with Slovenčina) is a South Slavic language Montenegrin language ( Cyrillic script: Црногорски језик, Latin: Crnogorski jezik) is the name given to the Ijekavian- Shtokavian Formerly, the Šokac language was also listed in the censuses conducted during Austro-Hungarian administration. The Šokac language ( Šokački jezik) was a language listed in Austro-Hungarian censuses

However, this language division is more political than linguistic. Naming local dialects is made difficult by the fact that Slovenes from Austria and Italy are linked with their most remote South Slavic peoples - the Pomaks and Bulgarians of European Turkey - by a dialect continuum (ie. For Turkey in the European Union see Accession of Turkey to the European Union European Turkey or Turkey in Europe was the term used Bulgarian and Slovenian are mutually unintelligible, but are linked via a chain of intermediate dialects, all intelligible to adjactent regions; these include the standard languages, whose impact is anyhow softened by chains of intermediate non-standard dialects). A non-political classification of the South Slavic dialects is as follows:

See also: South Slavic Languages#Grammar

Classification

The three main subdialects of Shtokavian speech (see below) used to be considered as being the main dialects of the Serbo-Croatian language. South Slavic languages comprise one of the three geographical groups of Slavic languages (besides West and East Slavic) Shtokavian or Štokavian (štokavski is the main dialect of the Bosnian, Croatian and Serbian languages The Serbo-Croatian language or Croato-Serbian language (cрпскохрватски језик srpskohrvatski jezik) is a South Slavic Diasystem Kajkavian, Chakavian, and Torlakian were all at various times classified as being a fourth dialect of Serbo-Croatian. The Serbo-Croatian language or Croato-Serbian language (cрпскохрватски језик srpskohrvatski jezik) is a South Slavic Diasystem On principle, Serbo-Croat Shtokavian forms, along with Kajkavian and Chakavian are themselves closer to standrad Slovenian than they are to Torlakian (standard Serbian included) - which is itself arguably an eastern south Slavic dialect, closer to Bulgarian and Macedonian. See main article. Torlak ( Cyrillic: Торлачки говор Торлашки говор Latinic: Torlački govor) or simply Torlakian, is the name used

Yat

Main article: Yat

The Cyrillic letter yat (Ѣ) forms the basis of a major point of reference for dialectal definition, not only among South Slavic languages, but also in the entire Slavic-speaking world. italics. IPA is used to make sure that old Cyrillic is displayed properly The Cyrillic alphabet (səˈrɪlɪk also called azbuka, from the old name of the first two letters is actually a family of Alphabets, subsets of which are used by The way the pronunciation of this archaic letter has developed forms another major basis for differentiation between dialects which overlays the above classification.

Westen Dialects

Within Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro and Serbia (the regions home to the former Serbo-Croat language), a secondary yat-orientated accent system is known. The Serbo-Croatian language or Croato-Serbian language (cрпскохрватски језик srpskohrvatski jezik) is a South Slavic Diasystem italics. IPA is used to make sure that old Cyrillic is displayed properly These are an extra feature, one of which applies to every dialect spoken in all of the republics.


Eastern Dialects

The yat-based system also exists in Bulgaria and Macedonia and is the basis of the three main divisions between the dialects of the two languages :

- in Macedonian :

- in Bulgarian :

References

  1. Trajan Stojanović, Balkanska civilizacija, Beograd, 1995.
  2. Nikola Jeremić, Srpska Zemlja Bojka, Zemun, 1993.
  3. Aleksandar M. Petrović, Kratka arheografija Srba, Novi Sad, 1994.
  4. Sava S. Vujić - Bogdan M. Basarić, Severni Srbi (ne)zaboravljeni narod, Beograd, 1998.
  5. Jovan Dragašević, Makedonski Sloveni, Novi Sad, 1995.
  6. Kosta V. Kostić, Prilog etnoistoriji Torlaka, 2. izdanje, Novi Sad, 1995.

Notes

  1. ^ Fouracre, Paul. The Cambridge Medieval History, Volume I.
  2. ^ Southestern Europe in the Middle Ages. Florin Curtin. 2006. ISBN 100-521081539-8
  3. ^ Southeastern Europe in the Middle Ages
  4. ^ The Balkans. D P Hupchik
  5. ^ Dennis Hupchik. The Balkans : From COnstnatinople to Communism
  6. ^ Cambridge Medieval Encyclopedia, Vol II
  7. ^ The early Medieval Balkans. John Fine Jr
  8. ^ Early medieval Balkans. John Fine Jr
  9. ^ Southeastern Europe in the middle ages, 500-1250. Florin Curta
  10. ^ Fine
  11. ^ The Serbs. Sima Cirkovic
  12. ^ Southeastern Europe in the Middle Ages 500-1250. Florin Curta
  13. ^ The early Medieval Balkans. John Fine Jr
  14. ^ THe Bakans. From Constnatinople to Communism. Dennis Hupchik
  15. ^ Curta
  16. ^ Curta
  17. ^ Curta
  18. ^ Fine
  19. ^ Rebala K et al. (2007), Y-STR variation among Slavs: evidence for the Slavic homeland in the middle Dnieper basin, Journal of Human Genetics, 52:406-14
  20. ^ ibid. , p. 408
  21. ^ ibid. , p. 410
  22. ^ Mile Nedeljković, Leksikon naroda Sveta, Beograd, 2001.

Images

Serb bagpiper in traditional attire wearing opanci and šajkača. Serbs ( Serbian: Срби Srbi) are a South Slavic people living in the Balkans and Central Europe, mainly in Serbia, The Šajkača ( Serbian Cyrillic: шајкача is the Serbian national Hat, used by ethnic Serbs throughout former Yugoslavia that originated in the

A Montenegrin Bokelj in traditional garb. History The nearby hamlet of Risan was a thriving Illyrian city called Rhizon as early as 229 BC and gave its name to the bay then known as Rhizonicus

tsar Stefan Uroš IV Dušan of Serbia. Stefan Uroš IV Dušan ( c.1308 – 20 December 1355) called Silni ("the Mighty" was the King of Serbia (from

Petar II Petrović-Njegoš, the Prince-Bishop of Montenegro. Petar II Petrović-Njegoš ( Serbian Cyrillic: Петар II Петровић-Његош was a Serb Orthodox Prince-Bishop ( Serbian: Владика

Josip Jelačić, the ban of Croatia. Count Josip Jelačić of Bužim (born October 16 1801, Petrovaradin, died May 20 1859, Zagreb; also spelled Jellachich

tsar Jovan Nenad, the ruler of Vojvodina. Emperor Jovan Nenad (c 1492 – July 26 1527; Цар Јован Ненад / Car Jovan Nenad, also spelled as Tsar Jovan Nenad in English

Pomak village in Xanthi, Western Thrace.

Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia. Ljubljana ( is the largest and Capital city of Slovenia. It is located in the center of the country and is a mid-sized city of some 270000 inhabitants

Bulgarians in national dress dancing choro

See also

The Bulgarians (българи balgari) are a South Slavic people generally associated with the Republic of Bulgaria and the Bulgarian language Paidushko horo ( Пайдушко хоро; Пајдушко оро, Pajduško oro, Payduşka Dansı) is a folk dance in 5 beats divided 2+3 ("quick-slow" The East Slavs are a Slavic ethnic group, the speakers of East Slavic languages. The West Slavs are Slavic peoples speaking West Slavic languages.
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