I updated the list above (and in fact even many more Slavic tribes could be added to that list).
When it comes to Croats (Hrvati), there were Horohoati / Chroates already in Persian and Greek sources. Hellenistic sources place them in Arakhosia (region called Harahvati in the Avestan language).
Later there were also Choruatos - mentioned as living near Caucasus and near eastern banks of the Black Sea.
And Serboi are mentioned for example by Pliny the Elder (born 23 AD, died 79 AD), as a tribe living in the region of Caucasus.
I did not mention Bulgarians, because this story is well-known (unlike Serboi, Chroates, etc.).
But Bulgars is a Turkic name. While Serboi, Chroates and Zicchi were Scytho-Sarmatian names.
As you know, Sarmatians (who previously conquered Scythians) were defeated and decimated by Huns.
After that defeat Sarmatians lost their language. Except for Ossetians, among whom Sarmatian language survived until this day.
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Dudlebes - East Slavic tribe in South-Western Ukraine (later conquered by Avars), from name Teudlaibaz / Dietlib, which is a Germanic name.
Regarding Croats - another theory is that this ethnonym is from personal name Horvatos
Regarding Serbs - another theory is that this ethnonym is from word sierb / pasierb (stepson)
When it comes to this "sierb / pasierb" ("stepson") theory - it isn't very convincing to me.
It is hard for me to imagine entire nation of stepsons.
There was also a Slavic word "charwaty" (plural) meaning "warriors". But also "ruotsi" initially meant "sailors" in Medieval Finnish language.
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Some (other) tribes names of which suggest that they were mixes of Slavic tribes with previous populations:
Forsderenliudi (Fors-deren-Liudi) - probably a mixed Slavic-Germanic tribe
Osterabtrezi (Oster-Abtrezi) - probably a mixed Slavic-Germanic tribe
Epta Radici (Epta-Radici) - in English "Seven Clans", a confederation of seven South Slavic tribes, it had a Greco-Slavic name (Epta Radici).
In names of these tribes words "Liudi", "Abtrezi" and "Radici" are Slavic words, while other words are Germanic and Greek (Epta).
Another example is the dualistic tribe (two names) of Heveldi-Stoderani:
- Heveldi-Stoderani (also Hevelli / Hehfeldi / Haefeldan / Heveldun) - name originating partially from Germanic Heruli
Heveldi-Stoderani is another example of a dualistic name (see above). One tribe, two names - Germanic (Heveldi) and Slavic (Stoderani).
According to Thietmar of Merseburg:
http://hbar.phys.msu.ru/gorm/chrons/thietmar.htm#IV|
"(...) Inperator autem a Romania discedens nostras regiones invisit et accepta
Sclavorum rebellione Stoderaniam, quae Hevellun dicitur, armato petens milite, incendio et magna depredacione vastavit et victor Parthenopolim rediit (...)"
And here Helmold writes that name of Slavic Heveldi / Hevelli / Hehfeldi originates from Ancient Heruli:
"(...) Sunt et alii Slavorum populi, qui inter Odoram et Albiam degunt longoque sinu ad austrum portenduntur,
sicut Heruli vel Heveldi, qui sunt iuxta Habolam fluvium et Doxam, Leubuzi et Wilini, Stoderani cum multis aliis. (...)"
Helmold mentions Heveldi vel Heruli as one of Slavic tribes, but he mentions Stoderani as another Slavic tribe.
However - other authors describe Heveldi-Stoderani as one tribe. Probably two tribes united and merged into one tribe.
Another tribe which had a dual name were Glomaci-Daleminci:
Glommi (also known as Glomaci-Daleminci)* - Slavic tribe mentioned in Anglo-Saxon poetry (there is also river Glomma in Norway):
http://books.google.pl/books?id=BW4...AbqlYCYAg&ved=0CCkQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false
From Thietmar of Merseburg:
"provinciam quam nos Daleminci vocamus, Slavi autem Glomaci vocant."
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Other Slavic tribes with (this time less probably, but possibly) non-Slavic or partially non-Slavic names:
- Wagri - one of Medieval West Slavic tribes (member-tribe of the Obotrites confederation)
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Check also here:
http://historum.com/european-histor...tribes-nations-possibly-non-slavic-names.html
http://historum.com/european-histor...ons-vikings-47.html#post1788475?postcount=462
http://historum.com/european-history/69009-prussians-16.html#post1788296?postcount=155
BTW - 19th century German propaganda e.g. claimed that Poland became 100% depopulated during the Migration Period, and then populated from the East. It was supposed to justify German "Drang Nach Osten" and Bismarck's policies - as "regaining Ancient Germanic lands" from not rightful owners.
However, as prof. W. Godłowski writes, it was a decrease by ca. 66% (i.e. to ca. 1/3 of previous level), not a total depopulation.
Modern genetic research only confirms population continuity (although it doesn't mean that Slavic language was spoken in Ancient Poland).
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German chronicler Adam of Bremen wrote that Slavic (not "Polish-born Norse") merchants were visiting Birka - a trading base in Scandinavia.
Abraham ben Jacob wrote that West Slavic trade was reaching as far as Rus and Constantinople.
Abraham ben Jacob lived during the 10th century and he travelled to West Slavic countries, later describing them in his work.
Here is for example an excerpt from his account, concerning the Czech Kingdom during the 900s, in Czech translation:
http://aba.wz.cz/zprava_ibrahim_ibn_jakuba_o_slovanech.php
And below is my English translation from Polish translation of one part of that excerpt:
"(...) When it comes to the country of Boleslaus*, it extends from the city of Prague as far as the city of Cracow, which is a 3 weeks long travel. And then it extends very far up to the border of the country of Turks**. The city of Prague is constructed largely of stone and chalk and is the biggest market city in all [Slavic] countries. To this city come people from the city of Cracow, from Rus and from all of Slavdom with trade goods, but also people from the land of Turks, Jews and Turks and Muslims with many trade goods, with various coins, and they bring with them slaves, pewter and various hides. This country is the best of all countries of the North and the richest when it comes to means necessary for life. Here for one pfennig you can buy so much wheat, that one person will have enough for entire month, and for one pfennig you can buy enough barley for a horseman for a 40 nights long travel, and you can buy also 10 hens for one pfennig in this country. In the city of Prague people produce saddles, harnesses and thick shields, which are used in this country. In this country of Czech people also weaved fabrics (munaidi-lât) are produced, thin like nets, and they are not using these fabrics for anything meaningful. Price of these fabrics is constant: 10 fabrics for one phennig. They are using these fabrics as a form of payment while trading and while accountig for between themselves. They are using them as a form of deposit of capital. These fabrics are considered treasures and expensive products can be bought for them, such as: wheat, horses, gold, silver and other products. What is interesting, inhabitants of Czech Kingdom are brown and dark-haired, while blond-type is less frequent among them. (...)"
*Boleslaus:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boleslaus_I,_Duke_of_Bohemia
**Explanation of "Turks" from Abraham's account by a user from Hungary:
Tulun said:
Just a correction, Abraham ben Yacob mentions Turks, Muslim and Jewish merchants coming from the land of Turks (=Hungary) to Prague, but here as in most Arabic (ben Yacob wrote in Arabic) and in Byznatine sources of the time "Turk" meant Hungarian, and Turkey was Hungary if in Central Europe. It is also clear from the source as he describes the length of Boleslav's land from Prague to Krakow is 3 weeks journey and borders on its full length with the land of Turks (=Hungary). the Turkey of Asia Minor didn't exist that time of course.
In another part of his account, Abraham ben Jacob described West Slavic wooden steam baths, which they call
"al-istba" (izba).
Here English translation:
Abraham ben Jacob said:
(...) They [West Slavs] are specially energetic in agriculture. Their trade on land and sea reaches to the Rus and to Constantinople. Their women, when married, do not commit adultery. But a girl, when she falls in love with some man or other, will go to him and quench her lust. If a husband marries a girl and finds her to be a virgin, he says to her, `If there were something good in you, men would have desired you, and you would certainly have found someone to take your virginity’. Then he sends her back, and frees himself from her. The lands of the Slavs are the coldest of all. When the nights are moonlit and the days clear, the most severe frosts occur. The wells and ponds are covered with a hard shell of ice, as if made of stone. When people breathe, icicles form on their beards, as if made of glass. They have no bath-houses as such, but they do make use of wooden huts for bathing. They build a stone stove, on which, when it is heated, they pour water. They hold a bunch of grass in their hands, and waft the steam around. Then their pores open, and all excess matter escapes from their bodies. This hut is called al-istba. Their kings travel in great carriages, on four wheels. From the corners of the carriage a cradle is slung on chains, so that the passenger is not shaken by the motion. They prepare similar carriages for the sick and injured. The Slavs wage war with the Byzantines, with the Franks and Langobards, and with other peoples. (...)
Izba (Polish-English dictionary):
http://en.bab.la/dictionary/polish-english/izba
Thietmar of Merseburg described Slavic temple in Radegost (Radogoszcz), one of political or / and religious centres of the tribe of the Redari:
Thietmar said:
"(...) There is, in the land of the Redari, a gard triangular in shape and with three gates leading to the inside, called Radegost. (...) Two of the gates are always opened for the people who enter. The third one, from the East side, is the smallest one and opens to a small pathway that leads to a nearby fearsome-looking lake. Within the gard there is a single temple, built masterfully from wood and resting on the fundaments made of horns of wild animals. Its inner walls are adorned with the images of pagan gods and goddesses – which are, as one can notice by looking at them closely – sculptured wonderfully, from wood, while inside the chamber there are statues of gods, made by human hand, with helmets and armours – each with his own name engraved. The first one is called Svarozic*, and he is the subject of a particular worship among the pagans. There are also many banners stored in there, which they never take, except for war expeditions, and then they are carried by foot warriors. For protection of all of this, the natives have appointed special priests. (...)"
*Svarozic = Slavic god of fire.
More about West Slavic religion and oracles (in English):
http://sms.zrc-sazu.si/pdf/02/SMS_02_Slupecki_Zaroff.pdf
And here (in German):
http://www.folklore.ee/Folklore/vol42/pommern.pdf
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Regarding the escape of followers Sviatopolk the Damned to Poland in year 1019 (which I described on previous page of this thread).
Sviatopolk for the first time fled to Poland already in 1016 - to ask Bolesław for help.
Later Sviatopolk came with the Polish army during the intervention in 1018 (see previous page) and then fled again in 1019, but was killed.
This excerpt below describes the events of 1016, when he fled to Poland for the first time (to ask Poles for help):
The Chronicle of Novgorod said:
(...) [There was] a fight at Lyubets, and [the sons of Vladimir] won; and Svyatopolk fled to Lyakhi*. And at that time Yaroslav was keeping many Varangians in Novgorod, fearing war; and the Varangians began to commit violence against the wives of the townsmen. The men of Novgorod said: 'We cannot look upon this violence,' and they gathered by night and fell upon and killed the Varangians in Poromon's Court; and that night Knyaz* Yaroslav was at Rakomo. And having heard this, Knyaz Yaroslav was wroth with the townsfolk, and gathered a thousand soldiers in Slavno, and by craft falling on those who had killed the Varangians, he killed them; and others fled out of the town. And the same night Yaroslav's sister, Peredslava, sent word to him from Kiev, saying: 'Thy father is dead, and thy brethren slain.' And having heard this, Yaroslav the next day gathered a number of the men of Novgorod, and held a veche* in open air, and said to them: 'My beloved and honourable druzhina*, whom yesterday in my madness I slew, I cannot now buy back even with gold.' And thus he said to them: 'Brethren my father Volodimir is dead, and Svyatopolk is Knyaz in Kiev; I want to go against him; come with me and help me.' And the men of Novgorod said to him: 'Yes, Knyaz, we will follow thee.' And he gathered 4,000 soldiers: there were a thousand Varangians, and 3,000 of the men of Novgorod; and he went against him. (...)
*Lyakhi - Poles, Poland
*Knyaz - Prince
*veche - assembly
*druzhina - company, retinue
