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The path from the Varangians to the Greeks is ... The detailed way from the Varangians to the Greeks: description, cities, rivers

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

Waterways are the forerunners of the land roads

In those times, the description of which is contained in the Tale of Bygone Years - the oldest chronicle of which the author is attributed to the St. Savior of Kiev, Nestor the Chronicler, - roads in our understanding of this word were not yet. But as the development of trade relations required constant travel, alternative routes of communication were rivers, which are very rich in Europe.

It was on these waterways that the merchant's boats moved, filled with the goods they delivered to neighboring countries. Over time, travelers began to give preference to certain, most convenient routes for themselves, from which already formed certain trade routes, the movement of which with every decade became more intense.

The longest trade route

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

One of such highways was the trade route from the Varangians to the Greeks, described in detail by the chronicler Nestor. It is considered the most extensive of all known sciences. Its length only over the territory of ancient Rus was about 2850 kilometers, and it ran not only along rivers and lakes, but also partly by land, where rooks had to be dragged.

From the harsh Baltic to the shores of sunny Hellas

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

The beginning of a long journey

It is generally believed that he took his origin on Lake Malaren, located on the territory of modern Sweden. On the island, located in its center, and to this day there is a settlement called Birka, which in ancient times was a major shopping center, where goods were brought from all over Scandinavia, and where brisk trade was going on. This is evidenced by the ancient coins of different countries, found during the recent archaeological excavations.

From there, the ladies loaded with goods left the Baltic (Varangian) Sea and moved to the island of Gotland, which also represented a major trade hub, whose inhabitants extracted considerable profits from commercial operations, and therefore welcomed the guests cordially. Having made a number of intermediate trade transactions and replenishing stocks, the merchants, following along the Baltic coast, entered the mouth of the Neva and, climbing it, fell into the Ladoga Lake.

From Ladoga open spaces to Novgorod

It should be noted that the way from the Varangians to the Greeks was an extremely difficult and dangerous enterprise. Not only the sea sections of the road, but also the river and the lake, harbored many dangers. Already at the beginning of the journey, overcoming the Neva rapids, we had to pull the boats to the shore, and dragging them for a considerable distance, which required considerable strength and endurance. As for Ladoga, notorious for its sudden storms, it sometimes concealed a mortal danger for travelers.

Further, describing the detailed route from the Varangians to the Greeks, the chronicler informs that from the Ladoga Lake caravans of the ships were climbing along the Volkhov River and, having reached Novgorod, the first major Russian city that met on their way, they lingered for a long time. Some merchants, unwilling to continue the further path and thereby experience the fate, having sold their goods in the Novgorod markets and bought a new one, turned back.

On the way to the Dnieper

Those who were eager to enrich themselves on the sunny shores of the Mediterranean, continued their journey. Leaving Novgorod, they climbed the Volkhov and, having reached Lake Ilmen, followed up the lava flowing into it. Then the merchants stayed in the boat among the bales with the goods, it seemed an opportunity to stretch their legs: having passed Lovat, they had to pull their ships ashore and, using logs, drag them to the shore of the Western Dvina.

At its old-fashioned shores, trade resumed, and here to the Scandinavians, Slavic merchants joined in a multitude, also in search of profits headed for the cities of the Mediterranean. All of them were facing new hardships ahead of them, as there was a pedestrian crossing between the basins of the Western Dvina and the Dnieper, where they were on their way, coupled with the same dragging of dry but loaded ships.

Trade in the cities of the Dnieper

Once in the waters of the Dnieper, on the shores of which they were met by such large cities as Smolensk, Chernigov, Lyubich and, finally, the mother of Russian cities - Kiev, the travelers received a worthy reward for all their works. In each of them there was a brisk trade, due to what the sold goods were replaced again bought, and voluminous merchant wallet acquired pleasant roundness.

Here, as in Novgorod, part of the travelers completed their journey and from there they returned home with a new load. Only the most desperate followed, for in those ancient times the way from the Varangians to the Greeks was, in fact, a challenge to fate, so many unexpected and unpredictable people could expect brave souls.

Way beyond the sea

Their further adventures began immediately at the Dnieper rapids, which in those years represented a serious danger to navigation, as the boats had to be hauled along the shore, where ambushes of nomads were already waiting for them, and the shots of their arrows were heard whistling. But even those who managed to safely pass through these ruined places and reach the Black Sea could not breathe a sigh of relief, ahead of them, new dangers awaited them.

But now, having reached, at last, the opposite shore, the fate-preserving merchants found themselves in the rich and drowning in the luxury capital of Byzantium - Constantinople, which Slavs used to be called Tsargrad. Here, in the noisy and many-voiced markets, the imported goods were sold with profit, giving way to new supplies.

Crown of labors and homecoming

The path from the Varangians to the Greeks, the description of which we find at Nestor the Chronicler, continued further through the waters of the Mediterranean Sea. He led those who managed to avoid storms, fevers, or meetings with pirates who were running on water, in blessed Rome, as well as other rich cities in Italy and Greece. This was the end point of the journey - the result of months of work. However, it was too early to thank fate for its benevolence-an equally dangerous return journey was ahead.

To return home and enter the homeland, the merchants across the Mediterranean withdrew their caravans to the Atlantic and, skirting the entire coast of Western Europe, reached the Scandinavian coasts. Trying to minimize the risk and moving as close as possible to the shore, they stopped in all the major coastal cities, where they also conducted their endless purchase and sale. Thus, the path from the Varangians to the Greeks, a brief description of which became the topic of this article, went around the whole of Europe and ended at its starting point.

Assortment of merchant goods

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

The inhabitants of Novgorod generously supplied the market with fur of fur-bearing animals, honey, wax, and most importantly - wood, cheap and affordable in their territories and extremely scarce in the south. Since the way from the Varangians to the Greeks passed through a large number of cities and even countries with different features of the economy, the range of goods was constantly changing.

Common, as a rule, was that the merchants were beginning their journey, thoroughly filling the boats with the original gifts of the Baltic countries: weapons, amber and wood. And returned - loaded with spices, overseas wines, books, expensive fabrics and jewelry.

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

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

On the domestic life of the Old Russian state, he exerted influence, connecting two of its major centers, such as Novgorod and Kiev. In addition, thanks to such a firmly established route of merchant caravans, each nearby city was able to freely sell the products distributed in its edges. This most favorably influenced the economy of the country as a whole.

The trade road that has become the road of war

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

As an example, you can bring Prince Oleg, nicknamed the Prophet and widely known for the immortal poem of Alexander Pushkin. In 880, using the already famous river route, he and his team managed to reach Kiev and seize it.

Having subordinated to himself all the towns that met on the way, the prince thereby united the majority of the Slavic lands. Thus, the path from the Varangians to the Greeks, briefly described by the chronicler Nestor, played a significant role in the creation of a unified Russian state.

Further, in 907, Prince Oleg, using the same waterway, made his historic trip to Byzantium, seized Constantinople and, having beaten his own shield on its gates, concluded a number of profitable trade and political agreements.

The same route in 941, making a military campaign, reached the shores of the Bosphorus, his successor - Prince Igor. In addition, you can recall the names of Prince Svyatoslav, nicknamed for his military talent by the Old Russian Alexander the Great, Alexander Nevsky and many others, who skillfully used the water way, broken through by the merchant class.

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