Herodotus - an ancient Greek scientist, thinker, traveler and "Father of history. Analysis of the Great Scythian

A mysterious and magical edge with impassable swamps, pure lakes and brown forests was called the Antique Epoch. Alien merchants did not risk coming here, frightened by rumors about the debate, water nimphs and forest monsters. Even neighbors neva Little heard about them. Nevertheless, these mysterious people existed in reality.

Like many other peoples of antiquity, the neury was first mentioned by Herodot. Their description in the fourth book of his "History" is an ancient written source dedicated to the history of Eastern Europe. Herodotus, who wrote about 450 to our era, reports the campaign of the Persian Tsar Daria on Scythians, about 100 years before, and lists the names and position of the border peoples. Among them, he calls the Neva, Androphagi, Melanchlenov and Budinov, who lived in the north of Scythians.

Mysterious land

The "Father of History" reports the following: "The northern parts of Scythia, stretching inside the mainland, upstairs (Danube), border first with Agaphirs, then with the Nevers, then with Androfhagm and, finally, with Melanchlenia." Further, he continues: "Istr is the first Scythian River, Tiras is following her (Dniester - approx, aut.). The latter begins in the north and follows from the Big Lake on the border of Scythia and the lands of the Neva. In the mouth of this river, Ellina, called Tirites, live.

IN this case Herodotus meant residents of the Greek Colony of a Tira, based on the shore of the Dniester Liman. Now there is a city Belgorod-Dniester Odessa region of Ukraine.

"The north of Aliizona live Scythians-farmers. They sow grain not for their own feed, but for sale. Finally, the neurors live even above, and north of the nevver, as far as I know, there is already a deserted desert, "the antique historian is finished.

The information he said allows you to place the location of the land of the Neva with a high degree of reliability. First, the Dniester River, arising from the Big Lake in the north, is the border between Scythia and the Earth of the Neva. Since the Dniester is not at all connected with the lakes, it can be assumed that under the "big lake" Herodotus implies the Prienyst swamps that could well become a natural border.

Secondly, the settlements of the Neva are located at a distance of 3 days of swimming in the east or 11 days - up the Dnieper from the city of Gila on the Black Sea coast. From here it follows that the lands of agriculture Scythians were located in the lower and middle of the subway. Nevurda, thus, was in the upper course of the Dniester and Buga - north of the Scythian lands.

It turns out that the neury was a separate people who played their role during the Persian invasion that shook the whole Scythia. It is known that King Nebrov took part in the Council of Scythian Kings. And when the invasion began and the Scythians retreated in their land, the neury fled to the north into the deserted desert.

It is significant that the mention of Nevers is found to the IV century, and Roman historians write that the neury lived at the origins of the Dnieper. But all the information that has come to us is fragmentary and concise. So what was this strange and secretive people?

People wolves

Herodota himself did not see the neurors. But he had heard about the wonders who were going on in their lands, from Scythians and Greek colonists of Olbia, Tira and Niconia. It is this Greek historian "poured oil to fire," when a number of mystical and strange facts about this tribe reported.

In particular, he wrote that the neury for one generation to the campaign of Darius (that is, in the middle of the 6th century to our era) moved from their homeland to the land of Budinov "due to snakes."

Whether the unprecedented invasion of these reptiles happened that year, or under the "snakes", Herodot meant the enemies of this people, it's hard to say.

Further in the description of the nevver, it further intrigues readers, reporting literally the following: "These people seem to be sorcerers. The Scythians and the living among them, Ellina, at least, argue that each Neva annually turns into a wolf for several days, and then takes the human appearance again. "

This message allowed scientists to trace the ideas about the wolves-wolves in the depths of history. After all, the above antique legend about the transformation of neviv into wolves was up to the beginning of the 20th century, the popular motif of the Ukrainian, Belarusian and Lithuanian folklore.

It can be assumed that both the gray wolf, the faithful friend of Ivan Tsarevich, came to our fairy tales from the mysterious neurides. The traces of this mythology were reflected in the "Word about the regiment of Igor", where in one place it is said about Polotsk Prince Veslava, who "Wolf himself in the night of a wolf: Dorious to the chickeys of Tmutluorokani ..."

Conducting analogies with the totem cults of the Indians, scientists came to the conclusion about the presence of a wolf cult in the Neva. In addition, it can be assumed that the birth of legends brought the fact that neuro men went to the distant wolf and bear skins. That is why they were similar. If you still consider that they all wore thick beards and long hair, legend gets their explanation.

Archaeologists believe that the Nery warriors used armor of the skin of the bison and hid wooden shields, covered skin. From weapons in a special honor there was an iron sequee, which was convenient not only for battle, but also for work. But they lacked them.

But in the excess, there were wooden brows and clocks, stone axes, flint spears, darts, copper shears, iron and bone arrows. Any enemy in Nevuride was waiting for not only the deaf forests and the bog swamps, but also unknown people are busy with primitive, but terrible weapons.

Archaeological puzzle

With the exception of the comment that the neury adheres to Scythian customs, Herodotus did not give any detailed information about their lives, customs and origins. The ethnicity of the nevver for a long time was the subject of discussion among linguists and archaeologists.

Starting from the XIX century, historians tried to identify the nevnels with one or another people of Europe. Archaeological studies allow them to relate them to carriers of various archaeological crops. The point of view has been made that the neury left monuments of the so-called Luzhitsky culture (x II-IV century BC, the territory of Polesia and Volyn), Vysotskaya culture (1100-600 years BC, the rigging of the Western Bug and the tributaries of Pripyat) and a number of others.

But many archaeologists primarily connect the nevnels with the Milograd culture in the upper wagging dated VII-II centuries to our era.

It is represented by a large number of diverse monuments: fortifications, settlements, splinters and burial grounds. Her inhabitants were building small dwellings of ground and twilight type. Among the founders found sickles, hoes, grains and axes predominate. Prints of grains on the walls of the vessels showed that the population grown mainly wheat and millet.

In addition, it was engaged in livestock, hunting, fishing and craft - weaving and pottery. Primitive metallurgy based on swamp ores. Compared to the neighbors, these people lived modestly, if not sayingly. Poverty was due to living conditions: swamps and forests did not allow to develop promising agriculture.

The fact that the neury lived in the West of Belarus and in the east of modern Lithuania confirms the presence of such toponyms as Neris, Nurst, Naroch, Nerovka, Nevishka and others. It is difficult to say whether the main array of the nevver was here or only some part of them. But they undoubtedly lived here, and therefore they could not leave their traces in toponymy and folklore.

Indeed, the names of rivers, lakes and villages with the root of "Ner" or "Nor" are often found quite often in the Baltic lands, in Prussia, Latvia and Lithuania, in Belarus and in the west of Russia. The word nerti ("dive, dive") and now exists in Latvian and Lithuanian languages.

Today, the Nechmas are given an extremely important role in the problem of the formation of a number of peoples. A number of leading historians include the Neva to the ancestors of Slavs. Others identify them with oriental ballets and even with celts that dissolved among the Baltian tribe of Estiyev.

But no matter who in ethnically they were - the Slavs, Baltami or Celts, in European history, the neury remained primarily as mystical people-waswolves.

Evgeny Yarova

The search for the ancestors of Russia, lead us through many archaeological crops that have replaced each other for thousands of years, to a distant Scythian era.

In archaeological cultures reflected periods of lifting and times of decline associated with wars, the invasions of Kochoechnika-Stepnyakov, but the historical center of the subway, running through Dnipro-Borisfen, and became the core of ancient Russia with the center in Kiev.

The role of Scythians B. ancient history Slavs have long been interested in historians. Chronicler Nestor, mentioning the Slavic tribes between Dnipro and the Danube, added that they lived on Earth, called Great Scythia.

Historian-Slavist, archaeologist, ethnographer and linguist, author of 11-languid encyclopedia "Slavic antiquities" Lubeza Hidelle claimed that "... Among the Scythians mentioned by the Herodot, not only the neury ... But also the Scythians are referred to as pahars and farmers ... were undoubtedly the Slavs who experienced the influence of Greco-Scythian culture."

Chernolessic archaeological culture - X - VIII centuries. BC e.

Northern Scythian Herodot Coincides with the eastern regions of Slavic Pranodina, on archaeological and linguistic data coincides with the area of \u200b\u200barchaic Slavonic hydronism, with the area m of the Chernolessic archaeological culture relating to the X - VIII centuries. BC e., and relating to transitional period from bronze to early iron century.

Traveling on Scythia Northern Black Sea region, in VI -V centuries. BC e., Herodot It clearly notes the external, cultural, and language differences between the tribes living on this territory, united by one common name - Scythians given by the Greeks. Herodotus determines the regions of living Scythian tribes and gives them brief description, relying on your impressions and information obtained from other sources. Actually the Scythian region of living Herodotus calls the Earth on the Lower Dnieper and in the Azov as well as agricultural region on The Middle Dnieper, where Scythians-Pahari or Borisphenites lived, and Left Bank Dnieper with a mixed population (Gelons, Budins, part of Borisphenites).

Describing Scythia, Herodotus informs us the first information about the proto-Slavs who lived on the territories mentioned above in the ancient era - in VI -V centuries. BC e.

1. Herodota considered his contemporaries, "Scythians-farmers", "Scythians-Parames" and "Borisphenites", which trades bread through the port in Olvia, one agricultural people.

2. Borispane -Dnepr - home River "Borisphenitis". The Land of Borisphenitis stretches along the right bank of Borisphen from the Pantikhaep-Vorskla to 11 days of swimming up to the mouth of Irpen or Tether.

3. Borisphenite neighbors: in the north-west - the neury (also by protoslavyans), in the east - gelons and budins engaged in agriculture. On the left bank of Borisphen and in the south there are sociophys-nomads.

4. Herodot about the mythical history of Borisphenitis - Middle-Dnipro farmers tells legend about the origin of the "Scythians" - farmers, honored sacred plow, Golden Bowl and Yarm leading their own rod from the king of Targy and three sons of Kola-Ksaya, Lipo-Ksaya and Arpo-Ksai.Skif's self-setting - "chip" (C-Cole-IT) named their common king of all Scythian tribes - COLABLE (COLOR KING).

This legend of agriculture- "Borisphenitis" is quite different from the legend about the origin of the Scythians nomads of the left bank and lower Dnieper, leading properties rod from Hercules and Echidny (Snakenogo Goddess), who were born three sons - Skiff, Agaphirs and Gelon.

5. Herodot does not assume the agriculture- "Borisphenites", Plow admirers, bowls and yards steppe nomadsthat do not cultivate land, do not sow and do not plow.

6. Scrolls on the myths of the tribes of the Scythians of the nomads of the left bank and the lower Dnieper - These are descendants Zeus and daughters of the Divine of the Borisphen River. Terms "Scooles" and Borisphenites "are equivalent, these tribes are relatives among themselves.

7. These archeology confirm the presence in the forest-steppe zone of the Right Bank of the Dnieper of the four agricultural archaeological groups of monuments. The most extensive of them is Kiev Group - extends along the Dnipro River - from Vorskla to Tetherieva "For 11 days of swimming."

8. Agricultural tribes Borisphenitis and "Skolotov"they experienced a strong influence of all diverse Scythian culture (customs, clothes, deities ...), which made them outwardly similar to the Scythians. The Greeks did not distinguish the Scythian tribes and did not see any difference between them, and only Herodot for the first time gave Grekam many information, facts and stories about Scythians.

9. Linguistics data Prove that all archaic hydronomies (the names of rivers and lakes) Middle Dnieper, relating to the I millennium BC. e. Have Praslavyan rootsIt means that all the middle subnet was part of the borders of Slavic Pranodina.

10. Anthropologists have a similarity appearance Scythian population (I millennium BC), chernyakhovskaya Cultures (II-IV century), residents of the Union of Eastern Slavs in the south-west of our country in the VI century and medieval Russia (from IX to XVII V.V.). (Works of the historian and anthropologist Gerasimov)

11. Praslavyansky folklore in Scythia Herodotus. Praslavyans lived in the middle plot, both in to Scythian and scythian time corresponding to the time of antiquity of ancient Eldla and other countries of the Mediterranean. Foresting in the middle of the subway in the ancient times Russian-Ukrainian-Belarusian, that is praslavyansky Folklop, in which the main characters were Kola-Ksai (Kolo-King) - Sun-King and fabulous hero tsarevich Svetozar, Zorevik (), Prince Red Sun - the epitious epithet of the Kiev Prince, fully combined With the stories of Herodota About myths and legends of Scythians. You can spend many myth-epic parallels between the records. Herodotus and Praslavyan tales of three kingdoms, Of which the sunshine gets gold. Herodotus retained the name of the mythical generic skolotov - Tarh Tarakhovich, legends about the magic plow, golden bowl (Celts - Grail) and Yarm. In Slavic folklore with antique Scythian times, leading their own genus from the progenitor of Scythian kings Targita (Targ (x) -tsary) So there remains the name of the Russian epic hero, the plates of the kings - Tarh-Tarkhovich, or Byk-Bykovich.

12. Herodotus spoke about the Gods of Scythia, religious rites, customs and traditions of Scythians, noticing that "with kifsky gods are much ancient Greek "

Scythian Tsarist Pectoral from Kurgan Thick Grave (Ukraine). Stylized image of snake shafts, protecting the peaceful life of Sellian, farmers Borisphenitis and "Skolotov" from attacking enemies.

The ritual images of Scythian deities are symbolically displayed in ancient Veligious embroidery, and in the rites of the burial of Slavs there are elements of ancient ancient rites - a grave hill, a trusion on the deceased, rites 3, 9, and 40 days, etc. Folk Slavic annual ritual agricultural holidays Related with antique Scythian legends of farmers Borisphenitis and "Skolotov". For example, the dissolution of a ritual plow, brilliant, like gold, holiday of the first furrow; In the time of disasters, a ritual furrow plowed around the village of the sacred plow, as a charm, designed to protect the village from all the troubles, misfortunes, Mora and Nurrenes. Antique beliefs of farmers Borisphenitis and "Skolotov" Over time, turned into stable pagan rites and folk customs Ancient Russia.

The custom of the definition of the rightness of arguing with hot iron when the agriculture exit "Golden" metal The guilty burned down, and the right could take himself, goes back to the ancient Scythian legend about the king of Targitai, who shared the kingdom between the three sons. In the Scythian legend it is said that the Golden Items Bowl, Plow and Yarm, who fell from the sky, killed hands to two brothers, and only the youngest Tsarevich could take them, who inherited Scythia from the father-king Targy. Since then, the Scythians of the farmers called themselves "Scooles", that is, the descendants of the king of the bell. It is precisely those who settled in Western Europe in the III-II millennium BC. Agricultural Scythian Scroll Tribes (eng. Skolot or Skolt), saved your self-ignition, in the form of

Interestingly, the Celts-Wallowers, who call themselves kimmers (from the Kimmerians, related tribes Scythians), preserved the Scythian custom of the definitions by the judges of the rulite arms, as well as described in the book where she writes:

"The boiler is truth" was: "Silver vessel of silver and gold, allowed to distinguish the truth and lies; it was poured by boiling water and immersed in her hand of the defendant . If he was guilty, his hand turned out to be aspired. If there were no guilt on it, it did not hurt any harm. For the pagans are most trusted by three things: the boiler is truth, a tree and touch to a split altar ».

« Ireland was empty for thirty years after Partyolone, until the new, the son of the agnomana came, from the Greeks Scyfia, along with its four leaders who were his sons. "

In the East Slavic folklore, many fairy tales about the three kingdoms - copper, silver and gold, at the head of which are three brothers, are preserved. Golden kingdom After all fabulous adventure Always gets younger brother.

In the ancient epic of the middle subway There are many legends about the mythical blacksmiths that are first on Earth, a huge forty powder plow, which can be pumped deep furrows and snake trees, « zabuliski Yak Churcha. "

In the Old Russian Folklore Kuznets Nikita Kozheyaka sowed a plow in 300 pounds, the snake of Gorynych's snake and smeared the furrow from Kiev to the sea of \u200b\u200bthe Russian (Black Sea), divided the sea, and drowned the snake in it. Since then, the gruzda is called zmium shafts, and the tract near Kiev is called to now leather.

Snake shafts or snake shafts with antique times have been preserved and donyn In many regions of Ukraine, as a monument of defensive structures, protecting the city from steppe nomads. It is unknown who and when built powerful earth shafts, with a deep moat at the foot, trees facing the front to the wild steppe spaces. Snake shafts were built manually, the construction of one gigantic shaft could leave from 20 to 30 years. The height of the serpentine shaft is preserved in places equal to 12 meters. In terms of construction and efforts to build, snake shafts can be compared with the construction of Egyptian pyramids.

Outside, from the south, the shafts were taken in deep miles filled with water. Along inner The serpentine shaft was located guard villages, in which wars carrying the security service in the state, a type of Cossack settlements guarding the southern borders of Russia. Armed wars could reflect the first attacks of the nomads of enemies, stop their roster raid and, lighting the signal fires on the towers, to warn the city about the danger, to give the opportunity to gather a city military friend and make a fight.

The remains of the serpent trees were preserved today on the rivers, Ros, Truzh, River, Red, Stogn, Sula, and others.

Snakes The treasures of the ancient defensive trees on the shores of the tributaries of the Dnieper south of Kiev were built allegedly in the ancient times - from the II century BC. e. According to the VII century n. e.

Zmiemey trees in time of creation correspond to the Slavic archaeological cultures existing here:

Zrubenets Archaeological culture (III - II century BC. E. - II century. n. er), found in the village of Zarubinitsa, Monastorismki district, Cherkasy region. The bubble culture was spread in the upper and average subway from Berezina in the north, to Treismina in the south, on average Posymia and Saint Polesie, in the territory of Western and Central Ukraine, in the south and east of the current Republic of Belarus, o to Vladimir.

Chernyakhovsky archaeological culture, II-IV century, existing in the territories of Ukraine, in Crimea, Moldova and Romania

Penkov's archaeological earliest medieval culture of Slavs VI - began the VIII century, Completed on the territory of Moldova and Ukraine from the river river basin to the Poltava region.

Information about the nravas and the lifestyle of the inhabitants of the ancient Scythian we draw first of all from books. For us, they are important as the oldest written news about southern Russia. In Herodot, the main thing is the Scythian food was horse meat and milk mare. They acted with milk so: "Scythians pour milk into wooden vessels and shack them; From the shaking it foams and composite parts of it are divided: the fatty pop up to the top, because they are easy; Heavy and thick sedents at the bottom; Scythians separate them from liquid and dried; In solid and dry form, this is called piercer (maobie cheese), and the water-bearing part remains in the middle. " Slaves were engaged in shaking milk, which were probably the most part of prisoners of war.

Ancient Greek historian Herodotus

Herodotus says that the clothing of Scythians and in the summer, and the same one and the same; From other writers, we learn that they wore shalvars and upper dress, commonly stitched from the skin of wild animals and "mice" (i.e. rodents, what a lot in the terrain: rabbits, surkov). All Scythian crafts provided women and slaves; Men with contempt looked at all those engaged in these works; Crafts were limited to the manufacture of carts, tents, necessary dishes (wooden vessels for milk, cups, clay pots, knives), clothes and weapons. Men were engaged in war, hunting, robbery; They were considered in Scythia with noble classes. Scythians skillfully shot onions; They rushed across extensive plains on their little, but hot horses, who could not catch up the pursuer and on which they overtook any enemy. They with the same dexterity tensioned onions and left hand and right. Herodotus reports that the arrows at the Scythians were poisoned, in addition, they had spears, swords, combat secrets; There were shells and shields from elk skins. Who did not bring the king's head of the dead enemy, he did not have the right to drink from the general honorary Cup on public peers; Who killed a lot of enemies, he drank from two cups. The skulls of enemies served as Scythians Bowls; Often they tightened these bowls of oxide leather or were sent to gold. Some tribes of ancient Scythia, such as Tavrians, stuck the heads of the killed enemies to the high sixtes, which were put on the roof, as if guarded their homes. The skin of the killed enemies of Scythians, according to Herodota, dubbed and hung like a decoration, to break the horses. From the prisoners, they were sacrificed to the god of war from every hundreds of one, who worshiped in the image of a sword stuck on a folded elevation; The rest they scolded their eyes and then entrusted to them to milk mares and taste the milk. When the Scythians familiarized themselves with Greek wine, they drank it without interfering with water, and Lily it was so much that the expression "drink in Scythian" included in Spartans to the saying to designate drunkenness. The sorcerers, so-mentors, the interpreters will adopted in the ancient Scythian great respect.

Herodotus writes that in the east of Tanais (Don), they walked along the extensive brass plain the savromates or sarmati, wild people. The Greeks considered their descendants of the Amazons. According to the language and the bushes, Sarmati was like Scythians, but they are called the Greeks of the people of another tribe. Budins, "big and numerous people with blue eyes and rusia hairs" lived behind them; Their country was wooded; Gelons lived between them - the people occurred from the mixture of the Greeks with the natives. Gelons had a wooden city and there was a king; Budinov also had a king. Further, he lived, on the story of Herodotus, two hunting people, teesageties and Iarks, and behind them "bald", peace-loving ARGIPPEI, who conducted cold winter time under the white felt tents that trees were tied; Argippey's weapons did not have. According to the Verkhovy Bug (Hypanis) for agricultural Scythians lived in the current podolia and Volyn Alazons and the neury, and to the west of them, Agathirsses, "the most luxurious people", wearing gold jewelry; They had common wives. Their land stretched to the valleys of the current Transylvania. Herodota gathered about all these peoples; But countries further north of Scythia, the areas of snow and fog were unknown edges for him, which only legends and fairy tales reached it, of course, who sometimes had some poorly understood facts.

The map of the ancient Scythia and neighboring countries About 100 g. BC.

Herodota heard that the great rivers flowing from the lakes or swamps were taken there, flowing into the Black Sea and in Meotid (Azov Sea). There, allegedly, there is a country in which the snow flies through the air, like the fluff, so thick, that you can not see anything, and you can not go. In these northern lands of an unknown climate and an unknown extensity, lived, on the news of Herodotus, Androphagi (cannibals), wicked flaws who do not have a court, no truth, and mysterious melanchlen (people in black clothes). Both of these people were not Scythian origin, but they were on the Scythians of the Nravami; They naochesed the swampy deserts.

About the lands to the east of Argippey and Sarmatov, where impassable wooded mountains were interfered, only rumors came to Herodotus, completely fabulous, transmitted from the Cenedon Scythians, from the Scythians to the Greek colonists of the Black Sea coastal; Herodota himself says that he considers these rumors fairy tales. He was told that people with goat legs live there and other people who sleep six months a year (this rumor was probably the alteration of incomprehensible stories about the duration of nights in the Far North); Arimaspa lived there, people with one eye, take away the gold of the country's gold at the Grys; This story, another hundred years before Herodot, has already heard the poet of Aristi Prokoness; knew and Eschil, who has a chained Prometheus speaks And aboutSo that it beware "Dogs of Zeus, ferocious, strongly biting necks and equestrian troops of one-eyed Arimaspov, living on the flow of Aida, on gold-bearing water." Perhaps this is a vague echo of Scythian stories about gold and precious stones mined in the Urals. But it is likely that this is only the fiction of the childhood of the childhood of the peoples carrying the Treasures on the edge of the Light, possessing the person who makes the guards of these wealth the fabulous creatures, to overcome, which is difficult - the symbolic expression of the thought that the acquisition of what a person values, is connected to Labor and hazards. Legend of griffs, "four-legged birds", who have eagle wings and head, and vision of vision, like an eagle, and legs, hull and power, like a lion, and who will be laundered, it seems, the birthplace of the east, Bactria and India, and moved from there by visiting merchants to the peoples of the Caspian and Black Seas.

Behind the northern mountains, for griffs and Arimaspa lived, in Greek myth, blissful hyperboreans, Happy people, innocently and peacefully leading prolonged joyful life in an excellent country, illuminated by the eternal light of the Sun, beloved Apollo, who remains more advocating and longer than in other lands.

The first historical information about the Slavs appear relatively late; BC There are no reliable mention about them.

However, Slavs, as we just saw, have long been dwelling in Central and Eastern Europe and have undergone here, there are no doubt a few different changes under the influence of events that occurred to our era and to the epoch of their settlement. However, history does not tell us anything that would relate directly to the Slavs. We can only make indirect assumptions that in the era, when various groups that have subsequently, the whole tribes lived together in general territory, some significant historical events should have influenced the fate of Slavs.

So, it can be assumed that in the VIII and VII centuries BC. e. Slavs tied a relationship with Iranian Scythians, which penetrated then from Asia into the steppe South Russian regions 1. I do not hesitate that among the Scythians mentioned by the Herodot, not only the neury on Volyn and Kyiv region, but probably budins who lived between Dnipro and Don, and even Scythians, called both pahars and farmers (σκύθαι άροτήρες, γεωροήί) and Placed by Herodot 2 north of the steppe areas between the upper bug and the middle Dnipro, were undoubtedly the Slavs who experienced the influence of Greco-Scythian culture, which is evidence of the numerous mounds of Kiev and Poltava regions.

On the other hand, from the message of Herodotus about the campaign of Darius in Scythia in 513-512 (or 507-505) years BC. e. We know that the Darius penetrates also in the area populated by Slavs (Nevers), and forced them to move them back to the north. 3 In addition, certain linguistic data, namely, a rather significant number of Celtic titles in the toponymics of rivers in Parcarpathia, Celtic names of the cities specified by Ptolem καρόόΔοάνιο, ύαιιώώιοά ,οον, μαιτώνιον, έρακτον), and, finally, several names of the tribes (ομβρωνες, τευρίσκοι, 'άναρχοι, Βριτολάγαι), indicate that the lands of Slavs in Vicarpathia have undergone, at least partially, the invasion of galls, which in the III and II centuries BC. e. reached the coast of the Black Sea, which prove the γαλάται of the protogenic decree in Olvia. The invasion of galls was caused, undoubtedly, the pressure of the Germans, moving from the north to Central Germany, but what were the fate and the duration of this invasion, remains completely unknown until now. To consider these Gallean conquerors of the villages, referred to the Vistula later historical sources, it seems to me impossible for the reasons set out below 4.

I also believe that the German tribes of Bastarnov and Skirov, who left the coast of the Baltic Sea and inhabited from the III century to N. e. On the Black Sea coast, they penetrated through the territory intense with the Slavs, about the same way as the goths in the III century n. e. This happened between the death of Herodotus, who did not know anything about them, and 240-230, when the bastards are mentioned on the Danube (28. Prologue of the history of Pompey's trography), that is, between the middle of the V and the middle of the III century.

These are the most significant and worthy of mentioning historical events that touched the Slavs before the start of our era.

Another hypothesis, however, deserves special mention, as its conclusions are attached great importance when studying the foundations of Slavic history. I mean the point of view of the Paisker, according to which the Slavic people are still long before our era and up to the XI century n. e. He was subordinate from various conquerors, then the Germans, then in Turkic Tatars, and was in constant and cruel slavery, which allegedly determined his character and gave special features of his life and development 5. Here I can not show in detail why this hypothesis is deprived of a serious reason, as some minor and unresarison, inflated facts lead the author to unacceptable conclusions; On this issue, I send the reader to my work "Zivot Starych Slovanu" 6. Here I will give only a few data necessary for orientation in this matter.

Professor Paisker mainly builds his theory only in several Old Slavic words belonging to Slavic culture. These words, borrowed partly from Germanic, partly from Turkic Tatar languages, prove, in his opinion, that Slavs at the time while they lived on their common Pranodine in the Pripyat basin, they were subordinate to the Germans, then Turko-Tatars. These words are: malko, cattle and nuta (cattle), on the one hand, and, on the other hand, bull, ox, goat and twitard. From the fact of borrowing of these words, it is supposed to the Slavs that the Slavs were prohibited cattle breeding and what they talked about Skot and dairy products only as a privileged ownership of their Germanic or Turkic Tatar rulers. To the conclusion of the cruel slavery, the Slavs Peister comes on the basis of the later news about the attack of the Türco Tatar on Slavs, the news, according to which there were no horses in Russia cattle 7 .

However, objection by Panswarm, I already briefly indicated that the prerequisites based on its hypothesis are mostly untenable in all respects. According to a number of other historical and archaeological certificates, Slavs have long been independently engaged in cattle breeding and had its own rich terminology associated with its own rich terminology. The few borrowed words given by Peister as really other-speaking 8, confirm only what is known from the history, namely, that the Slavs have long lived in southern Russia Next door to the Turkic Tatars and were closely connected with them. The story reiterates to us that later for a short time the Slavic tribes survived one after another invasion of Huns, Avarov, Pechenegs, Polovtsy and Bulgarians. But from this in no way follows that "all the Slavs starting from the era of their unity were in slavery among the Germans, then Tatars." If the arguments of Paisker were fair, then in this case it would not be possible to make such conclusions. It is possible, however, it is possible to assume that the links of Slavs with the Türco Tatars were tied up before the arrival of Avarov, namely, neolithic, when in a few millennia BC, dark brachicephali, who came out of Central Asia, flooded Europe. However, there were no Slavs in that era: the Pyranceo-European people were only formed somewhere in Central Europe, and Slavs, who did not distinguish from its mass, could not feel the consequences of this invasion more than the rest of this mass.

So, we do not have evidence of the cruel slavery of the Slavs near the German and Tatar yam for the oldest period of their history, nor for later times. Such slavery never has ever existed, except in the imagination of Paister, detaining Slavic primitiveness. Therefore, we must resolutely reject his interpretation of the beginning of the history of Slavs and take into account only those events that we mentioned at the beginning of this chapter.

The first reliable news of the Slavs belong to the I and II centuries. e. Slavs appear in them under the name of the Venedi (Venedi, Venadi, Veneti, ύύενέδαι). These reports include Pension messages (Nat. Hist., Iv.97; Its labor is written around 77): "Quidam Haec Habitari AD Vistulam USQue Fluvium A Sarmatis, Venedis, Sciris, Hirris (CORR.) TRADUNT";

Tacitis (TAC., Germ., 46, was written in 98): "HIC Suebiae Finis. Peucinorum Venetorumque et Fennorum nationes Germanis an Sarmatis ascribam dubito ... Veneti multum ex moribus traxerunt: nam quidquid inter Peucinos Fennosque silvarum ac montium errigitur, latrociniis pererrant, hi tamen inter Germanos potius referuntur, quia et domos fingunt, et scuta gestant et pedum usu ac pernicitate gaudent; QUAE OMNIA DIVERSA SARMATIS SUNT IN PLAUSTRO EQUOQUE VIVENTIBUS ";

Ptolemy (who died about 178 years, Geogr, III.5.7.): «« Κατέχει δε τήν Σαρματίαν εθνη μέγιστα οι δε Ούενέδαι παρ 'δλον τον Ούενεδικόν κόλπον καί ύπέρ την Δακίαν Πευκΐνοί τε καί Βαστέρναι »; Geogr. III.5.8: "παρά τον οτιστούλαν ποταμόν ύπό τούς ούενέδας γύθωνες, εΐτα φίννοι, έΐτα σούλωνες"; Geogr., 111.56: "άά ύύενεδικά όρη". ".

Others, somewhat later are added to these testimonies: first, these are the inscriptions on a Petership card, which refers, in my opinion, by the end of the III century and on which Veneny-Sarmatians are mentioned twice, once in Dakia, another time between the Danube and Dniester; Secondly, this is a Greek list of various peoples, compiled at approximately at the beginning of the III century (Διαμερίσπασμάτιον), in which the names of βαρδουλοί, κουαδροί, βεριδοί are found, which is obviously a distortion of words βανδουλοί and βενιδοί. And finally, this is the testimony of Marcian in his "Perniple" (about 400), where again the name is οόενδικός κόλπος (ιι.38, 39, 40), which is available at Ptolemy. In these primary sources of Venteda, Slavs are presented as a numerous people (έέγιστον έ "θνος), settled for the hangout between the Baltic Sea (Venenensky Bay), Carpathians (Venenen Mountains) and Lands pevkin and fenns.

Such are the Slavs in the first centuries of our era. We have no earlier testimony. Of all the news attracted to alleviate the oldest historical past of Slavs, only two can be considered to be known as believable.

First of all, these are notes of Cornelia Nonason (94-24), which refers to Indies listed by the storm from the "Indian Sea" (Indica Aequora) to the shores of the North Sea, where the king of Batavov captured them in captivity and presented as a gift in 58 Proconsuul A. Metella Cherry 9. Then this is a number of ancient legends, according to which the amber came from the land of genes or enets, located at the mouth of the river, called Eridanos, later identified with the river 10.

Name Indi and indica Aequora. (Indy and the Indian Sea) cannot treat India, as the storm could not attribute the ship from India to the coast of Germany. Obviously, this is not about Indies, but about other people with a similar name, in particular about the "Veden" of Roman authors or about "Windows" ( Vindy) - in German Wender.As for the legend of the origin of amber, then it should be remembered that in the lands of Italian "Venetov" this rare substance was not found, while the Baltic state had once delivered the Mediterranean countries a huge amount of amber and trade between them had a place during the second millennium. BC e. It can also be assumed that the traditional idea of \u200b\u200bthe presence of amber in northern Italy (historical Venice) appeared as a result of the fact that the Baltic Wennesses were mixed with Italian venets, which were, of course, are more famous for historians than the first. However, it should be recognized that such an explanation of these two ancient evidence can be rejected on the right.

Baltic Wentalies were definitely Slavs. There are several evidence of it. First, their habitats in the I-II centuries n. e. Coincide with the habitats of Slavs in the VI century. The spread of Slavs was quite slightly during the resettlement of peoples. Secondly - and this is a very important argument - the name of Venenov, Venndov 11 remained in German ( WENDEN, WINDEN) Throughout the historical era, up to the newest, as the general name of Slavs. Old villages that their German neighbors wanted to distinguish between the German villages of the same names, were indicated in contrast to them windisch. or wendisch. Finally, Jordan, the historian of the VI century, the first giving essay on the beginning of the history of Slavs, it is known that the names of "Vend", "Venten" and "Slavyan" were used to designate the same people; It consumes these names alternately 12, from which it can be concluded that the identity of the Slavs with Venenami recognized in the 6th century.

The above proofs simultaneously refute as a point of view of Tacitis, which hesitated whether the Venedov to Sarmatam or the Germans, and finally stopped, on their German origin, and the archaeological hypotheses of R. Muha, in the opinion of Wenveda were Illyrian nationality, as well as the last The hypothesis of Shahmatov and Paisker, who consider Venenov by Celts based on the alleged Celtic waterway terminology on the territory of the Prats of Venenov 13. If this nomenclature was really Celtic origin (and in this one can doubt, at least in relation to the part of these names), it would only prove to us that the Celts once penetrated these edges, obviously under the head of the Germans, Moving from north to Germany 14. However, this is in no way evidence that the Venennes of the I-VII centuries n. e. were Celts. Most more that can be allowed, this is what if Venteda and were Celtic origin, their Slavs occurred long before the I century n. e. As for my point of view, I have no doubt that Veneny Plania, Tacita and Ptolemy, as well as Veneny Jordan, proofing and later historians have always been Slavs. Their name - Wende, Wenneda - was not actually Slavic, and was obviously the name of alien origin, which gave the Slavs to their neighbors. Significant prevalence of titles with the basis vind.or vend. On the lands settled by the Celts once, it gives reason to assume that these names of Celtic origin 15.

Finally, this numerous people who inhabited in the first centuries of our era of extensive lands between the Vistula, the Baltic Sea, Karpatami and Dnipro and the gums was in that epoch of their own local name "Slavs". You can also guess the existence of even more ancient name serb (plural serbs). This guess, by the way, is based on a unclear comment to the proofer, writing about the Slavs and Antah 16: "Σπόροςς γάρ τό παλαιόν άμφωτέροςς έέλουν ότι Δή σποράδην, οΐμαι διεσκημένοι την ώώραν οίκοΰσιν".

The procopia can be attached to the tradition, which remained at the anonymous Bavarian geographer of the 9th century: "Zeruiani (we are talking about the Carpathian people), Quod Tantum EST REGNUM UT EO CUNCTAE GENTES SCLAVORUM EVERTAE SINT ET ORIGINEM SICUT AFFIRMANT DUCANT" 17. Obviously, there was a name close to the Greek Σπόροι (which is probably a reduction in βοσπόροι - the names of the famous kingdom on the coast of the Sea of \u200b\u200bAzov), but it is impossible to consider that here it is about Serbs, it is impossible, since it is too few grounds for this. The ancestors of historic Serbs never lived behind the Azov Sea. The word "Serbs" ( sERBI)nowhere is not witnessed as the common name of all Slavs, and the form " sorb.", Which was allegedly the original form of the Greek word σπόροι, in ancient sources about the eastern Serbs there are 18.

We still have to consider only one general genuine and ancient name, namely the name sloven, Slovenia (form of a certain number; in the singular - Slovenia). This name is found in history for the first time at the beginning of the 6th century at Pseudo-Caesar Naziansky 19, then around 550, repeatedly at the proof and Jordan and, finally, in later historians. The approval is not devoid of the probability that this name is also found at Ptolemy in the list of tribes of Sarmatia. The name Σουοβηνοί (geogr., Vi.14.9), used by the author, is really very close to Slavic form slovenia, And it can be assumed that Ptolemy borrowed him from some source, not even knowing, of course, it was for the people and what was his attitude towards the Venedates, living in the west of Sarmatia 20.

Explaining the word "Slovenia", FR. Mikloshich suggested that it was used first to designate only those Slavs, who were moving in the 6th century to the south (Slovenians, the Dafa Slavs and future Bulgarians), and that it allegedly only in the next centuries was distributed to all Slavs. However, it has already been proven to me that this name from the VI century marked all the Slavic tribes. It meets not only of those Slavs that penetrated then to Italy, Istria and the Balkan Peninsula, but also in the Slavs who lived in the center of Russia (Suavi in \u200b\u200bJordan, Get., 250, not to mention the Σουοβηνοί, referred to by Ptolem). Finally, we meet this name in the VII century in the Czech Republic (Samo Rex Sclavinorum at Fredegara) and in the pool (Surba Gens Ex Genere Sclavinorum, Sclavi Cognomento Winadi, Ibid., Chron., IV.48, 68), and in the VIII century on The Baltic Sea coast (Einhard, Ann. Franc., 782, 789; Ann. Alem., 790). In the earliest Slavic written documents since the beginning of the IX century, the general term "Slovensk language" is used to designate the Slavic language; There are also "Slovenian tribe", "Slovenian people," (" slavic tribe."," All Slavic people "). Finally, the fact that derivatives from the word "Slavyan" are preserved everywhere, testifies in favor of the initial widespread meaning of this name. From the 9th century, Novgorod Slovenia is known in Russia, the Slovinka, living and today at the mouth of the Vistula, Slovinka in Carinthia and Slovaks in Slovakia. Albanians called Serbian and Macedonian Bulgarians Skja, Skjeji, that is, the Slavs.

The name "Slavs" of Slavic origin, however, we are unknown, oddly enough, nor his etymology, nor its initial meaning. Along with the forms of σκλαυηνοί, στλαυηνοί, Sklaveni, Stlaveni, formed directly from the "Slovenia" form, in Latin and Greek, there are brief forms of σκλάβοι, σθλάβοι, sclavi, stlavi, sclavi, stlavi of unknown origin. They probably arose under the influence of the end - Slav, which is often found in their own names. Brief forms are already known in the 6th century, and starting from the VIII century they are very common in written documents.

Based on the specified brief forms (as well as the Russian term "Slavs"), the origin of the name "Slavs" before the beginning of the XIII century began to be associated with the word "glory" and translate it as "Gloriosi", "ίίνετοί". This interpretation was held until the XIX century, and the famous Slavic poet and the archaeologist Ya. Kollar supported him with his authority. Another interpretation, no less ancient, witnessed at the beginning of the XIV century, connects the name of Slavs - Slovenia with the concept of "word" and translates it as "Verbosi, Sermonales, όμογλόττοι".

This explanation adopted such outstanding researchers as I. Dobrovsky and P. Shafarik. The latter relied, in particular, to a similar fact, namely, that the Slavs called the neighboring people, whose language they did not understand, the word "Germans" (the only number is "German", derived from "Mal", "Some"). Although this second hypothesis had a large number of supporters, nevertheless, most modern linguists reject her on the grounds that the Slavic suffix - she, - EPGP, - Janin always points to belonging to a certain locality and that, therefore, the name Slovenia should have been educated from the name of the area (word?), the names that, unfortunately, is not found anywhere.

So, the origin of the name of Slavs remains unexplained. However, we know that the carrier appears at the beginning of our era as a powerful people, settled in a huge territory between the hangout and gums: "Natio Populosa Per Immensa Spatia Consedit" - wrote about him in the VI century Jordan 22. Currently, it is also known that this numerous people appeared in Europe not during this period, but lived there has been published in close cooperation with other Indo-European peoples. Now this provision is recognized in science and does not need proof, as 100 years ago, when Shafirik wrote his "antiquities" to prove mostly the antiquity of the Slavs, in which some Germans doubted 23.

1 For details, see "Slav, Star.", I, 221, as well as in the present, book, p. 176 and cl.
2 Herod., Iv.17-18 and 53-54.
3 ibid, iv.83-98 and 118-143.
4 See below, p. 38-39.
5 Czech researcher Ya. Paisker outlined his views in several works, such as "Die Alteren Beziehungen der Slaven Zu Turkotataren und Germane" (Berlin, 1905); "Neue Grundlagen der Slavi-Schen Altertumskunde; Vorbericht "(Stuttgart, 1914); "The Expansion of Slavs" (Reprinted from the Cambridge Medieval History, II, 1914). Cm. Critical summary published by me in the "Archive of Slavic Philology" (1909, p. 569) called "J. Peiskers Neue Grundlagen Der SL. Altertumskunde "and" Revue des Etudes Slaves "(II, 1922, s. 19-37) called" DES Theories Nouvelles Dej. PEISKER SUR LES ANCIENS SLAVES ", as well as article J. Janka" On Stycich Starych Slovaniis Turkotatary A Germany Heldiska Jazykozpytneho "published in the" Herald of the Czech Academy "(XVII, 1908, p. 101) and in Wórter Und Sachen magazine ( 1, p. 109).
6 See "źivot ST. Slov. ", I, s. 162; III, p. 135, 146 and words, and articles cited in the previous note.
7 const. Porphyr. De ADM. Imp., 2.
8 on the part of the linguists there were quite a few objections, especially against the assumption that the terms of the Malko and the Twilight were borrowed. Professor of Slavic Philology V. Yagich considers their Slavic (see the work of I. Yanka, cited above).
9 cm. Pomp. MELA, III.5, 45. Wed PLIN., II. 170. 10 Herodotes (III. 115) and Hesiod ("Hes. Fragm", ed. Marckscheffel, 355), Skylax (s. 19), Skymnos (p. 19), knew this legend. See also Berger, Geschichte der Wissenschaftlichen Erdkunde Der Griechen (I, C. 29).
11 The form "Vend" (VEND) was probably the initial form; The common form "Vened" (Vened) emerged in Greek and Roman literature, apparently, under the influence of well-known names of Adriatic Venetov. 12 Lord., Get, V.34, XXIII. 119.
13 cm. Criticizing these theories M. Fasmera and K. Buga (M. Vasmera A K. Bugy, Rocznik Slawistyczny, IV.3, p. 189).
14 See above, p. 27.
15 For example, Vindana, Vindalum, Vindonissa, Vindeleia, Vendovera, VindoBrie, Pennovindos, Vindobala, Vindolana, Vindomova, Vindogladia, Vindogara in Gaul and Brittany; Vindelici, Vindonianus Vicus, Vindobona, Magiovindus, VENDIDORA IT.P. in Easternalpian lands. Cf. D'Arbois de Jubainville, "Les Premiers Habitants de L'Europe", II, s. 264, 294. Etymology of Word Words, Vindos Unclean (Vindos - "White"?). The remaining possible interpretations of this word, see "Slov. Star. ", I, s. 201. There is also Slavic etymology. First, the first is the root of Vent - "Great", the old Slavonic form of a comparative degree "Vętsij" is "greater." 16 RGOSOR., V. G. III. fourteen.
17 See above, p. 24.
18 It appears only in the sources of the VIII century ("Slov. Star", II, p. 487; III, p. 114) and only to designate Polands Surbs (Sorabi in Annals Einhard, 782, 806, 822, and Surba in Annals Fredega, IV.68).
19 Dialogi, 110 (MIGNę, Patrologia GraaCa, 38, 847). Cf. Mtillenhoff, Deutsche Altertumskunde, 11.347, 367.
20 more ancient mentions are not. A. Pododin considered decent attention in this regard two named - Stlabonius Fuscinus ("Corpus Inscr. Lat.", 111.4150) and M. Slavus Putiolanus (ibid., III, adding, p. 1958); Both are very dubious. 21 In conclusion, Roswadovsky calls a number of rivers names in Poland and Russia formed from the form of "Slav" and "Words", and suggests that the river existed, called words or glory, or at least a swampy terrain, called "Word", and the people Favorited in this area, he received the name of the "Slope" from him. These rivers names are formed allegedly from the root of "y / eat" - meaning "pouring" (water), "clean". Milan Budimir expresses the same opinion (Zbornik A. Beliće, Vyu1egas1, 1921, p. 97-112, 129-131).
22 Lord. V.34.
23 See "Cesky Casopis Historicky", I, 1895, p. nineteen.

Herodotus is a resident of ancient Greece, "Father of History". Greek became the author of the first-lived treatise "History" to this day, in which the customs of the peoples existing in the fifth century were described in detail in the fifth century, as well as the move greco-Persian Wars. Proceedings of Herodotus played an important role in the development of ancient culture.

We have reached two key sources of information about life path Herodotus: Encyclopedia "Court", created in the second half of the 10th century in Byzantium, and the texts of the historian himself. Some data in these sources are contradictory.

Herodota bust

The generally recognized is the version that Herodotus was born in Galicarnassa in 484 to our era. This ancient city Posted on the territory of the historic area "Kariya", on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in Malaya Asia. The city of Galicarnas was founded by Dorians, the settlement of the Carians (and Doriians, and the Carians are representatives of the main ancient Greek tribes located nearby).

The future ancient Greek historian was born in an influential and secured family of Lixis. In the youth of Herodotus participated in the political life of the people. He joined the party who set the goal to overthrow the tyrannic ruler of the League, was expelled, for some time he lived on the island of Samos.

Then Herodotus went to prolonged and numerous travels. He visited Egypt, Babylon, Malaya Asia, Assyria, Northern Black Sea, Gellesponte, and traveled the Balkan peninsula from Macedonia to Peloponnese. During travel, the historian did sketches for his subsequent creation.

In the forty-age, Herodota settled in Athens. At that time, he was already read by representatives of the highest layers of the urban society excerpts from his "history", which gave researchers the opportunity to conclude that the sketches were written back during travel. In Athens, the historian met and became close to the supporters of Pericla - the commander and a speaker, whom one of the founders of democracy in Athens is considered. In 444 to our era, when Sibaris was founded on the site of the destroyed city greek colony Fouri, he participated in the restoration of the settlement from the ruins.

The science

Thanks to Herodotus, science has enriched in the fundamental essay of "History". This book cannot be called historical research. It represents an interesting narration of the curious, sociable, gifted man who visited many places and has an extensive knowledge of contemporaries. In the "History" of Herodotus, several components are combined:

• Ethnographic data. The historian gathered an impressive amount of information on traditions, customs, features of life of various tribes and peoples.
• Geographic information. Thanks to the "history", it became possible to restore the outlines of the ancient states as of the fifth century to our era.
• Naturally historical materials. Herodotus included data on historical events in the book, whose witness he managed to become.
• Literary component. The author was a gifted writer who managed to create an interesting and fascinating story.

In total, the composition of Herodotus includes nine books. In this case, the essay is customary to divide into two parts:

1. In the first part, the author talks about Scythia, Assyria, Libya, Egypt, Babylonia and a number of other states of that time, as well as on the elevation of the Persian kingdom. Since in the second half of Labor, the author assumed a story about the numerous Greek-Persian wars, in the first part he sought to trace the milestones of the historical struggle between Hellenes and Barbarians. Because of the desire for such unity, the interconnectedness of the presentation of Herodotus did not include all the materials in the work that he was remembered from traveling, but cost limited number. In his work, he often expresses a subjective point of view on certain historical realities.
2. The second part of Herodota's labor is a chronological story about a military confrontation between Persians and Greeks. The narration ends in 479 to our era, when the Athenian troops were besieged and took the Persian city of the sister.

When writing his book, Herodotus paid attention to the pleasures of fate and the envy of the Divine Forces in relation to the happiness of people. The author believed that the gods constantly interfere in the natural move historical events. He recognized the fact that personal qualities political figures Also are the key to their success.

Herodotus condemned the rulers of Persia for their audacity, for the desire to violate the existing procedure for the device of the world, in accordance with which the Persians should live in Asia, and Ellina - in Europe. In 500 BC, an Ionian uprising was held, due to which ancient Greece was involved in a bloody war. This event the author characterizes as a pride manifestation and extreme inconsistency.

The structure of "History" Herodota

• The first book is "Clio". It tells it about the start of discord between the barbarians and the Hellennas, the history of the ancient country of Lydia is given, the story about Athenian politics and sage Solon, Tirana Pissistrate, the history of mussels and Sparta. In this book, Herodotus mentions the Scythians in the context of confrontation with the Cimmerians, and also talks about the war between Massagets and Persians.
• The book is the second - "EVTERPA". In this part of the work, the historian decided to talk about the history of Libya and Egypt, about pigments and nasamons, about the ancient Egyptian pharaohs. Here Herodotus outlined the legend of how Psammetih I determined that Frigians are the most ancient people in the world.
• The third is the "waist". It provides information about Arabia and India, about the Greek Tirana Polycrat, and also describes the conquest of Egypt to the Persian king Cambis, about the uprising of the magicians, the conspiracy of the Seven and the anti-Persian uprising that happened in Babylon.

• The fourth book is "Melpomen." Here the author described the peoples of Scythia, Frakia, Libya and Asia, and also outlined him the information about the campaign of the Persian Tsar Daria against the Scythians of the Black Sea region.
• The book is the fifth - "Terraticor". This book focuses on the events of Greco-Persian wars. If in previous volumes the author assigned a lot of pages under the description of the ethnographic features of peoples, then here he talks about Persians in Macedonia, about the Ionian uprising, about the coming of the Persian governor of Aristagora in Athens and Athenian wars.
• The book is the sixth - "Erato". Key events from those described - sea battle "Battle of Lada", the capture of the Carian ancient Greek city of Mileta, the campaign of the Persian commander Mardonia, the campaign of the Persian commander of Artafren and Datis.

• The book is the seventh - "Polhymy". It is about the death of Darius and the Additional Xerxes (Darius and Xerxes were persian kings), about the attempts of Xerxes to conquer Asia and Europe, as well as about the iconic battle of Persians and the Greeks in the Gorge Fermopyl.
• Book of the eighth - "Uranius". This material describes the sea battle in artemism, the sea battle with Salamin, the flight of the Kerks and the parish of Alexander in Athens.
• The book is ninth - "Callieopa". At the end of the monumental labor, the author decided to tell about the preparation and course of the battle in the payments (one of the largest battles of the Greco-Persian wars, held on land), the battle of Mercale, as a result of which the Persian army caused a crushing defeat, and the siege of the sess.

The "History" of this ancient Greek thinker is also called "Music", since each of its nine parts, Alexandrian scientists decided to call the name of one of the music.

In the course of work, Herodotus used not only his memories and his own attitude towards events, but also was guided by the memories of eyewitnesses, entries of oracles, materials of the inscriptions. To reconstruct each battle as accurately as possible, he specially visited the place of battle. Being a supporter of Pericla, he often sings the merit of his kind.

Despite the faith in the divine intervention, the subjective approach and the limitation of funds for information in antiquity, the author did not reduce his whole job to fight the battle of the Greeks for his freedom. He also tried to determine the causes and consequences to which their victories or defeat were given. Herodotus History has become an important milestone in the development of world historiography.

The success of the work of the historian is due not only to the fact that in one work he collected many facts about the peoples and events of his time. He also demonstrated the high art of the narrator, bringing his "story" to the epic and making it a breathtaking story for both contemporaries and new time for people. Most of the facts set forth in the book were subsequently proven during archaeological excavations.

Personal life

Herodot's biography reached this day only in the form of fragmentary information, in which it is impossible to find data on his own family of a scientist, whether his wife and children have. It is only known that the historian was an inquisitive and sociable person, easily condensed with people and knew how to show amazing perseverance in finding historically reliable facts.

Death

Herodotus allegedly died in 425 to our era. The place of its burial is unknown.