Justinian and the Early Days of the Slavs. Remarks on Florin Curta’s Theory Cover Image

Justynian i początki Słowian. Uwagi na temat teorii Florina Curty
Justinian and the Early Days of the Slavs. Remarks on Florin Curta’s Theory

Author(s): Stanisław Turlej
Subject(s): History
Published by: Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Jagiellońskiego
Keywords: Polish history; general history; ancient history; medieval history; modern history; contemporary history; political history; military; economic and social history

Summary/Abstract: Carried out by Florin Curta in his work The Making of the Slavs and repeated in subsequent publications, the entire reconstruction of the historical situation in the Balkans under the rule of Justinian I does not refl ect the reality of the period. Overestimating the role of barbarian invasions and the lack of a critical analysis of the description presented in the 4thbook of De Aedifi ciis by Procopius of Caesarea resulted in an artifi cial depiction of the situation on the imperial territories in the fi rst half of the 6thcentury. Drawing on an episode connected with Chilbudius’s expeditions to the north bank of the Danube and an excerpt from Justinian’s 11thNovella devoted to Aquis, Curta „discovered” Justinian’s political activities that the ruler never actually undertook, i.e. the aggressive policy towards barbarians or burdening bishops with land security responsibilities. The analysis of historical sources present in Curta’s works is merely a tool since it is used only to prove the thesis that the beginnings of the Slavs by the Danube were an outcome of Justinian’s building activities

  • Issue Year: 137/2010
  • Issue No: 1
  • Page Range: 11-19
  • Page Count: 9
  • Language: Polish