(The Huns of Justinian: Byzantium, Utigur and Kutrigur)

Abstract: The Roman historians Procopius and Agathias recorded the details of Roman diplomacy with two groups of nomadic peoples on the Pontic steppe in the mid-6th century C.E.: the Utigur and Kutrigur Huns. The article focuses on two episodes from these histories: the settlement of 2,000 Kutrigur Huns in the Balkans in 551 C.E., recorded by Procopius, and the infamous raid against Constantinople of the Kutrigur Zabergan in 559 C.E. In both episodes attention is drawn to the motivations of the chieftains who chose to raid the Roman territory, settle within it, or make war on each other at Rome’s behest. The article demonstrates that contrary to the common notion that these raids were most devastating to Rome’s Balkan territories, in reality the effects of Roman diplomacy wreaked far greater havoc on the societal stability of the Kutrigurs and the Utigurs and paved the way for their conquest by the Avars in the following decade.

Authors: Ricci, Joseph

DOI: 10.17846/CL.2013.6.1.1-9

Publication order reference: Joseph Ricci, PhD. Candidate; History Department, Princeton University; email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Source: Konštatínove listy, 2013, vol. 6, number: 1, pages: 1-9 (PDF file)

Key words: KUTRIGURS, UTIGURS, JUSTINIAN, 6TH CENTURY C.E., STEPPE NOMADS, BALKANS, CONSTANTINOPLE, PROCOPIUS, AGATHIAS, BYZANTIUM, BYZANTINE EMPIRE, ROMAN EMPIRE, ROME, WARFARE, DIPLOMACY

Language: ENGLISH