Who Were the Rus’?
With the conflict between Russia and Ukraine raging on, many are wondering what caused the fighting. Are the Ukrainian and Russian people different? Who first inhabited the lands of northeastern Europe, and how did the distinct nations of Ukraine and Russia come to be? The story begins with a group of people known as the Kievan Rus’.
Who were the Kievan Rus'? Where did they come from, and how did they shape the medieval history of Eastern Europe? Join Matt in Season 2 of the podcast, where he explores the lands of Russia and Ukraine and the peoples who have inhabited them over the centuries.
Click on the images for maps, pictures, and more supplementary materials for each episode.
Episodes
Introduction
In this episode, Matt introduces the topic for this season and takes care of some housekeeping. We lay down some ground work for early migrations in northeastern Europe, and address some questions and misconceptions that weigh on this topic.
A Long Time Ago
The ancient peoples of the area now known as Ukraine and Russia left no written records of their own. Because of this, we have to rely on outside sources. Ancient writers call the inhabitants of these lands by many names: Venethi, Scythians, Rus’, Sarmatians, Slavs, and more. In this episode, Matt sorts through some written accounts and tries to piece together which names belong to which groups. We start to answer the question: where and how did the peoples of this area live?
Slavs, Sarmatians, and Varangians, Oh My!
Episode 1
Continuing to explore the ancient and medieval source material for the elusive Rus’, in this episode we dive into some of the firsthand accounts of interaction with people from northeastern Europe. The writing of Ibn Fadlan offers a detailed report of a Rus’ funeral he witnessed that bears striking resemblance to the viking boat burials of Scandinavia and elsewhere. So how “Viking” were the Rus’? Find out in this episode.
Bury Me in My Boat
Episode 2
Episode 3
Did you ever wonder why Catholicism extends to Poland but no further east? The answer has nothing to do with religion, and everything to do with the power politics of the early medieval period. In this episode we look at interactions between the pagan Rus' and their Christian neighbors to the west, and the efforts of Christian missionaries to convert them.
Right Religion
Episode 4
Who Do You Trust?
As we conclude the first half of this season, we take a look at some of the controversies and plot holes in our story. Reckoning the often contradictory written sources with the archaeology, we sketch the history of the first generations of Rus' leaders. After this episode, we'll be taking a break for the holidays. In the new year, we'll be back to continue the story of the Rus' in later centuries.