OBSERVAŢII PRIVIND PREZENŢA RĂZBOINICILOR AVARI ÎN PODIŞUL TRANSILVANIEI ÎN PERIOADA SECOLELOR VII-VIII
NOTES ON THE PRESENCE OF AVAR WARRIORS IN THE TRANSYLVANIAN PLATEAU DURING THE 7th-8th CENTURIES

Summary/Abstract: The political domination of the Avars in Transylvania was confined to the center of the Transylvanian Plateau (bend of the River Mureş, between Câmpia Turzii and Teiuş), extending also to the Târnave Basin, territories where the Avar cemeteries cluster. Mureş Valley connected this centre of power with Pannonia (Fig. 2). Large territories from Transylvania, like the northern part of the Transylvanian Plateau as well as the piedmont areas of the Carpathian Arch remained outside the “borders” of the Empire. In this context, a series of extensive Avar military expeditions can be supposed during the fourth and fifth decades of the 7th century in order to conquer Transylvania. The military campaigns were aimed at solving several issues: 1. The conquest, abolishment or only the control of the Gepidic centers of power from Transylvania, still active in the first half of the 7th century; 2. The repression of the supposed Slavic uprisings from Transylvania; 3. The establishment of an Avar centre of power in the middle of the Transylvanian Depression with a distinct aim of effectively controlling the salt reserves in the centre of the Transylvanian Plateau. A single Avar military centre existed in the Transylvania, positioned in the area of the River Mureş bend. It had the status of a province “Aul” and it was subordinated to the Avar khagans from Pannonia (Fig. 2). They exercised a direct control over the centre of Transylvania via personal representatives. They were elite warriors, accompanied in Transylvania by their military retinues, as well as by bands/units of common fighters from the Avar army.

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