Olesia Zhdanovych

Olesia Zhdanovych

PhD (history), assistant of Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv.

ORCID: 0000-0002-2357-9399

DOI: 10.17721/2522-4611.2021.43.1

NOMADIC BARBARIANS IN THE ORBIT OF THE ECONOMIC INTERESTS

OF SASANIAN IRAN AND BYZANTINE EMPIRE

Abstract. The article is devoted to the role of nomads in the long-standing conflict between Sassanid Iran and the Byzantine Empire in the VI century. The purpose of the article is to analyze the participation of ancient Turks and Sogdians in the international politics of that period, as well as their place in the struggle for trade routes, markets and spheres of influence on the regions of transit trade. Menander Protector, describing the exchange of embassies between the Byzantines and the Persians, assigned a significant role in the international political and economic life to the Persians. On the other hand, in fragments of Menander's work, the nomadic factor appears to be one of the most important in the relations between the largest empires in that region. The Turks of the Great Turkic Khanate were the main arbiters between the two big countries. Menander's information about nomads is based on official documents of diplomatic missions, which he used to write his work. At the same time, his subjective view of Byzantine economic and foreign relations with Iran is important to us because Romans did not know about nomadic Turkic-speaking tribes in northern Eurasia. In the international politics of the region played some role also the territories of modern Ukraine, peoples and tribes that lived in our lands, in particular, the Slavs.

Key words: Turks. Byzantine, Sassanian Iran, Menander Protector.

Received by the editorial board: 4.11.2020

REFERENCES:

  1. Bury J.B. (1889). A History of the Later Roman Empire from the death of Theodosius Ito the death of Justinian. Vol. 2. Chapter XVI. New York.

  2. Dignas B., Winter E. (2007). Rome and Persia in late antiquity. Cambridge.

  3. Dimitroukas Ioannis (2008). The Trip of the Grate Persian Embassies to Byzantium During the Reign of Iustinian I (527-565) And Its Logistic. Byzantina Symmeikta. 18.

  4. Dodgeon M. (1991). The Roman eastern frontier and the Persian Wars, A.D. 226–363. London.

  5. Greatrex G., Lieu, S. N. C. (2002). The Roman eastern frontier and the Persian Wars, A.D. 363–630. London.

  6. Howard-Johnston J. D. (2006). East Rome, Sasanian Persia and the end of antiquity: historiographical and historical studies. Aldershot.

  7. Karapli K. (2005). Dάrac mia pόli-froύrio stin Άno Mesopotamίa (6oc-11 oc aiones) ["Daras", a fortress city in Upper Mesopotamia (6th-11th century), in Klitorion in memory of Nikos Economidis]. Klitόrion eίs mnimin Nίkoy Oikonomίdi. Athens-Thessaloniki [іn Greek].

  8. Lopez R. E. (1945). Silk Industry in the Byzantine Empire. Speculum. Vol. XX.

  9. (1829). Menander. Corpus Scriptorum Historiae Byzantinae. Ed. B.G. Niebuhrii. ParsI.: Dexippi, Eunapii, PetriPatricii, Prisci, Malchi, Menandri, Olympiodori, Candidi, Nonnosi et Theophanis Historiarum Beliquiae, Procopii et Prisciani Panegyrici [Menander. The collection of History of the Byzantine. Ed. B.G. Niebuhr. A.: Dexipp, Eunapy, Petr Patricy Prisc, Malch, Menander Olympiodor, Candid, Nonnos and Theophanes, history of Wars Procopy and Priscian Panegyricum]. Bonnae [in Latin].

  10. (1928). Stein. Innermost Asia. Oxford.

  11. (2008). The Cambridge History of the Byzantine Empire. 500-1492. Ed. By Jonathan Shepard. Cambridge University Press.

  12. (2002). The Roman eastern frontier and the Persian Wars, A.D. 363–630. London.

  13. Vedeler Marianne (2014). Silk for the Vikings. Oxford: Oxbow Books.

  14. (1990). Antonόpoyloc P. Pέtroc Patrίkioc. O Byzantinόc diplomάthic, axiomatoύchoc kai syggrafέac [Antonopoulos P. Petros Patrikios. The Byzantine diplomat, official and writer]. Historical Monographs. Athens [in Greek].

  15. Artamonov M. I. (1962). Istorija Hazar [The history of Khazars]. Leningrad [in Russian].

  16. Dashkov S. B. (2008). Cari carej – Sasanidy. Iran III-VII v. v legendah, istoricheskih hronikah i sovremennyh issledovanijah [Kings of kings - Sassanids. Iran III-VII c. in legends, historical chronicles and modern studies]. Moskva: SMI-AZIJa, [in Russian].

  17. Ierusalimskaja A. A. (1992). Kavkaz na Shjolkovom puti. Katalog vremennoj vystavki [Caucasus on the Silk Road.Catalogue of the temporary exhibition. St.Petersburg, State Hermitage museum]. Sankt-Peterburg. [in Russian].

  18. Ierusalimskaja A. A. (1975). Zapadnye tkani na Dal'nem Vostoke [Western fabrics in the Far East]. Kul'tura i iskusstvo Indii i stran Dal'nego Vostoka [Culture and art of India and the Far East]. Leningrad [in Russian].

  19. (1977). Istorija Irana [History of Iran]. Pod red. M.S. Ivanova. Moskva: MGU [in Russian].

  20. Kljashtornyj S.G., Savinov D.G. (2005). Stepnye imperii drevnej Evrazii [States and peoples of the Eurasian steppes]. Sankt-Peterburg, 2005 [in Russian].

  21. Lubo-Lesnichenko E. I. (1985). Velikij Shjolkovyj put' [The Great Silk Road]. Voprosy istorii [History guestions]. № 9. Р. 88-100 [in Russian].

  22. Lukonin V. G. (1987). Drevnij i rannesrednevekovyj Iran [Ancient and early medieval Iran]. Ocherki istorii kul'tury. Moskva: Nauka [in Russian].

  23. Ljuttvak Je. N. (2010). Strategija Vizantijskoj imperii [The strategy of Byzantine Empire]. Moskva [in Russian].

  24. Pigulevskaja N. V. (1946). Vizantija i Iran na rubezhe VI i VII vekov [Byzantium and Iran at the turn of the 6th and 7th centuries]. Moskva [in Russian].

  25. Pigulevskaja N. V., Jakubovskij A. Ju., Petrushevskij I. P., Stroeva L. V., Belenickij A. M. (1958). Istorija Irana s drevnejshih vremen do konca XVIII veka [History of Iran from ancient times to the end of the 18th century]. Leningrad. [in Russian].

  26. Chekalova A. A. (1999). Vizantija mezhdu derzhavoj Sasanidov i varvars'kimi korolevstvami Zapada v IV – pervoj polovineVII v. [Byzantium between the Sassanid state and the barbarian kingdoms of the West in the IV - first half of the VII century]. Vizantija mezhdu Zapadom i Vostokom. Opyt istoricheskoj harakteristiki [Byzantium between West and East. Experience of historical characterization]. Sankt-Peterburg [in Russian].