Russia In Depth: History from Ancient Times to the Present
Historically, Russia has been the home of many different peoples from many different ethnic backgrounds. However, the earliest Russian state, as well as the later empire and still later Soviet Union, all essentially centered about an original tribe of Indo-Europeans known as the Eastern Slavs.
In time, the Eastern Slavs fragmented into several other peoples and nations, including Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Poland, among others.
Beyond the Eastern Slavs, the history of Russia has been shaped by others, including various Baltic peoples, Byzantium (i.e., the Byzantine Empire), and the Mongols.
Centuries before the Eastern Slavs established their first major political entity (Kievan Rus’), the East European Plain, and especially the territory of modern day Ukraine, was inhabited by a variety of Indo-European and Indo-Aryan tribes (in addition to those making up the Eastern Slavs), including the Scythians (600BC to 200BC), Goths, Avars, Magyars and Huns (100 to 900AD).
Throughout the period referenced above, the Slavs, with varying degrees of success, managed to sustain a program of general expansion. Early evidence suggests that by the time they emerged as the dominant regional group – around 600AD – they were engaged in activities like beekeeping, fishing, trapping hunting, herding, and various other agricultural tasks.
Like other ancient peoples, the exact origin of the Slavic tribes is shrouded in mystery. The earliest available sources, especially sixth century Greek sources, describe these early Russians as being a hardy folk that lived a semi nomadic life. These early sources provide us with an idea of where the name Russia came from; the Slavic name for these people is given as Rus.
By the time they came to dominate the Eastern European Plain they had already split into three distinct branches: the southern, eastern and western.
Since this is a history of Russia, our main focus should be on the Eastern Slavs, who settled along the shores of the Dnepr River and spread along the river’s valley to occupy the territory east of Moscow and west of the Dnestr and Bug rivers (in Moldova and Ukraine, respectively).
During the 8th and 9th centuries, many Slavic tribes – mainly in the east – were forced to pay tribute to a Turkic speaking people who professed – at least nominally – Judaism – the Khazars of the Volga and Caucasus regions.
In 860 the Russians sailed down the Dnieper River, crossed the Black Sea and made first contact with the Byzantine Empire. In the beginning, contact was in the form of armed raids, in short order, however, Russian princes returned to Constantinople to trade. The Russians brought furs and slaves with them for trade. In return, they received fabrics, wine, weapons, fruit and jewelry.
In the ninth century, the Varangians, Scandinavian warriors and merchants, established a foothold in Eastern Slav territories.
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