Echoes of the Battle near Βερόη in 1121 or 1123 in Old Norse Literature
Echoes of the Battle near Βερόη in 1121 or 1123 in Old Norse Literature

Summary/Abstract: Byzantine historians Ioannis Kinnamos (1143-?) and Niketas Choniates (around 1150-1214) tell about what both of them believe to be the last battle between the Emperor and the Pechenegs (alias Patsinaks). The battle took place in the area of Beroe (Stara Zagora) in 1121 or 1123. We find an echo of the tradition about the battle also in Old Norwegian literature – first in a poem written by a skald dated 1152/1153 and later in Heimskringla by Snorri Sturluson and other texts. It is obvious that in Scandinavia the information about the battle came from Scandinavians that lived in Byzantium around the year 1150. Both Byzantine historiographical literature and Norwegian skaldic and saga literature on the battle at Beroe use oral sources. It is interesting that Scandinavian literature is nearer to the historical events than Byzantine literature. The time of the Vikings (until 1050) is often considered to be the most important period in the relations between Byzantium and Scandinavia. The literary "echo" of the battle at Beroe is evidence of close contacts also at the time after the Viking period.

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