Military skill of the Rus and Slavs in the VI-X centuries. n

AND Ancient Rus' could not help but reflect the most important stages of history.

Rus' spent most of its existence in wars, which allowed it to accumulate vast experience in martial arts. Greek, Roman, Byzantine and Arab sources, as well as folk dances, rituals, symbols, and Slavic epics can tell us about the military traditions of the ancient Slavs and Rus'. It is believed that for the first time in Russian literature the military art of the Slavs is mentioned in “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign.” The roots of Old Russian military art are the military arts of the Proto-Slavic tribes. Of interest is the military affairs of the Slavs - Antes, Wends and Sklavens at the beginning of our era, when they conquered cities on the Balkan Peninsula, crossing the Danube River, which defined the northeastern border of Rome.

More detailed information about the wars of the Slavic tribes dates back to the 6th – 8th centuries, when the Slavs fought the Eastern Roman Empire. So, in 517, large forces of the Slavs invaded the Eastern Roman Empire. In 610, the Slavs besieged Thessaloniki from sea and land. In 623, a Slavic flotilla appeared off the coast of the island of Crete and successfully landed its troops there. The Slavic tribes were so skilled in military skill that the Byzantine monarchs even maintained guard detachments from Russo-Slavs.

In the VI century. Emperor Mauritius the Strategist characterized the Slavic warriors this way: “They can in no way be persuaded to slavery or subordination in their country. They are numerous, hardy, easily tolerate heat, cold, rain, nakedness, lack of food... The Slavic tribes... love freedom and are not inclined towards slavery or obedience, they are brave, especially in their own land, hardy... “Their young men are very skillful in using weapons.”
The Slavs, inferior to Rome and Byzantium in weapons and combat skills, were superior to them in skill of maneuver, use of terrain conditions, flexibility of tactics, operational reconnaissance and surprise attacks. They fought quite successfully both with the foot troops of the empire and with the cavalry. The Slavs learned to take impregnable fortresses using military tricks.

One can note the strength of the ancient Russian army, especially when solving defensive problems. Svyatoslav developed and developed the offensive strategy and tactics. He skillfully combined the use of a large army with maneuverable lightning-fast actions of the princely equestrian squad. Moreover, we can say that the strategy comes from him to beat the enemy on his lands.

According to Byzantine sources, the Russians preferred to fight on foot. They often went on boat trips. Horses were taken on a campaign mainly for the convoy, which was indispensable. The cavalry was not numerous; it consisted of the prince's squad. Princes and “light boyars” grazed herds of horses on free pastures for military needs.

The Slavs were aware of their military power in Europe. As an example confirming this fact, we can cite the message of the Slavic elders to the Avars, who demanded their submission, which came to us from Menander’s “History”: “Was that person born in the world and warmed by the rays of the sun who would subjugate our strength? It is not others who own our land, but we who are accustomed to owning someone else’s, and of this we are confident as long as there is war and swords in the world.” You can also recall the words of Svyatoslav, which he said to the Byzantine emperor Tzimiskes: “We ourselves will soon put up tents in front of the Byzantine gates, we will surround the city with a strong rampart, that he (Tzimiskes) will decide to enter into battle, we will meet him bravely, we will show him in practice that we are... brave warriors, defeating enemies with weapons."

We can conclude that courage and knowledge of military affairs were originally inherent in the Slavic tribes, they became traditional both for them and for their enemies. As confirmation of this thesis, we can cite the words of Svyatoslav, which he said to his warriors: “So, with the courage of our ancestors and with the thought that Russian strength has been invincible until now, let us fight courageously for our lives. We do not have the custom of fleeing to the Fatherland... we will not disgrace the Russian land, but we will lie down as bones, for the dead have no shame. Let's stand strong. I will go ahead of you, and if my head falls, then provide for yourself.” Traditions associated with openness and awareness of self-esteem have long begun to take shape. So, during his campaigns, Prince Svyatoslav Igorevich warned his enemies: “I’m coming against you.”

By revising military traditions You can't ignore weapons. At all times, combat with weapons has had a huge advantage over unarmed combat. Weapons were an obligatory part of the religious rites of ancient warriors, and the dance with weapons, depicting military movements, had a cult character and was passed on as knowledge from generation to generation, preserving the continuity of military traditions.
Weapons have a sacred value for warriors, which symbolizes the divine principle. Weapons are given as a gift to a young warrior at the age of majority. It is evidence of his matured state.

This assessment of the weapons of the Slavs was given by Procopius of Caesarea, a Byzantine chronicler of the 6th century, in his work “War with the Goths” he wrote about the weapons of the Slavs of that era: “The warriors’ shields are made of ox leather, light, and all weapons are light - spears made of strong wood, which they know how to make straight by steaming and bending, they make ordinary bows, and quivers for arrows are woven from straps that do not get wet, elbow-length swords and short knives, as well as scabbards for them are made skillfully... The iron is sonorous and such that our sword can chop, but it doesn’t jab itself... Against attacking enemies, they keep arrows in long closed quivers, poisoned with such a strong poison that if an arrow hurts your ear, you won’t have time to say goodbye to life...”

In Rus' since the 9th century. significant troops were gathered to carry out campaigns in the East and Byzantium. A heavily armed army of thousands was formed, equipped with all types of offensive and protective equipment. Thanks to the work and art of Russian artisans, Kyiv prince could supply his squad with a variety of weapons. The warrior knew how not only to use weapons, but also to repair them. The warrior's equipment included tools, in addition to various field purposes, intended for repairing weapons.
Swords with “amazing and rare” patterns, made by Russian blacksmiths, were in great demand and foreign markets: in Europe and Asia. Arab writer Ibn Khordadbeh in the middle of the 9th century. wrote: “As for the Russian merchants - they are a tribe of Slavs - they export otter furs, fox furs and swords from the far ends of Slavonia to the Rumean Sea.”

I would like to note the traditions found in military unions (using the example of “animal” unions and squads).
In general, military communities were almost always surrounded by an aura of strength and mystery. In order to get into them, it was necessary to undergo training, a series of tests and an initiation (dedication) procedure. Initiation into male warriors took place through certain steps, through which young men became full members of the tribe (community). One of the most important moments youthful initiation involved a ritual rebirth into totemic animals (wolf, bear, boar, elk, lynx), after which young people became members of the corresponding “animal” unions. Young warriors, choosing a certain animal as their totem, adopted its habits and techniques, which were then used in military affairs (for example, the “wolf tread” or the “bearish” slap).

All teenagers of the tribe, clan, during the period of introduction to the world of adults, lived “like wolves,” that is, separately from other relatives, they were trained in war and hunting, went into battle in the front ranks of the tribal militia and were considered to belong to the military brotherhood and formidable gods, and not community. “Wolf alliances” were fully preserved among the Slavs until the 7th century. The remnants of these rituals were reflected in the small princely squad.
The princely squad took shape during the era of the formation of the Old Russian state in the 10th – 11th centuries. It was divided into the older one, consisting of the “best”, “princely husbands”, or boyars (possessing great rage - courage), and the younger one - from the princely, boyar youths, who were recruited from 10 to 12 years old and initially performed the role of servants, in the military time - warriors, and then gradually took the place of the senior squad.
In the squads, training was complex and applied in nature. Warriors were trained in horse riding, archery, wielding a spear, sword, ax and other types of weapons. One of the forms of training was military rituals, for example, funeral games that were held on mounds during the burial of comrades (trizna). In addition to funeral feasts and general calendar holidays, the squad took part in fist fights at princely funs.

The military training of the vigilantes was very serious. They were skilled in any form of mounted and hand-to-hand combat, they could act in formation and in individual martial arts, wielding all types of weapons. What contributed to military initiation, which took place in several Circles (stages): First Circle– a test of physical and spiritual endurance, resistance to trials and torture. Second Circle there was a test with 3 elements: Fire, Water, Earth. The newcomer had to walk barefoot along the river of fire - a path of hot coals - and not burn his feet or at least show the appearance of pain. Severe burns and complaints indicated the insufficient strength of spirit of the initiate. The Water Test consisted of the ability to swim and hide for a long time in and under water. And finally, the Earth test. Here a person was placed in a hole, which was covered with branches, and he had to spend at least a day in it without food. Third Circle there was a test of actual military skill. Here the newcomer was forced to fight with experienced warriors, hide from pursuit, and catch up on his own. The battle was fought both with bare hands and with weapons. At the same time, they looked at how the newcomer withstands blows, how he endures pain, how dexterous he is and whether he succumbs to panic.

If the newcomer passed all three Circles with honor, then on the appointed day the whole squad gathered at the temple, where the priest performed the rite of Military Initiation over him. Here the young warrior was given a new name, which marked the new birth of a person. After the future warrior has proven his suitability, he takes an oath to the gods or the prince personifying divine power and makes a sacrifice. The newcomer was then rewarded with weapons, a horse, harness, clothing, and protective armor. All warriors were bound by military brotherhood and traditions of mutual assistance. As the chronicler testifies, they told Svyatoslav: “Where your head lies, there we will lay down our heads.”

I would also like to note the importance of martial dances and dances. Russian folk dance has always been closely connected with the life and customs of Russian people (birth, wedding, etc.), with the working agricultural year (sowing, harvesting, etc.), with the military component of life. Numerous vivid examples confirmed the sacred nature of martial dances. Byzantine historian 9th century. Leo the Deacon in “History,” describing the campaigns of Prince Svyatoslav, called the pagan warriors the children of Satan, who learned the art of war through dancing. It is quite possible that dancing served as the first system for accumulating military knowledge. Training was carried out either verbally or through demonstration of movements. Joint dance, simultaneity, tact - the conditions for uniting people. The philosopher Ribot said the following about this: “Dancing brings social benefits; it promotes coordination of movement, unanimity. It gives a given group of people unity, as well as the latter’s consciousness and visual perception. It serves as discipline, preparation for a general attack or general defense, a kind of military school...”

The purpose of the movements in the combat dance was both directly applied and conditionally combative, developing dexterity and coordination. To perform complex dance movements, dexterity and the ability to control one's body movements were required. This complexity of men's dances was a necessary condition for self-improvement and the development of dexterity for fighters; previously, all adult men possessed this skill to one degree or another. From time immemorial, the Russian people carefully guarded, selflessly and steadfastly defended their native land. Over the centuries, military traditions developed, determining the outcome of bloody battles and shaping the military affairs of the ancient Slavs and Rus'.

Bibliography:

Amelchenko V.V. Squads of Ancient Rus'. – M.: Military Publishing House, 1992. – 143 p.
Vorontsov A.V. Russian military valor. – Leningrad, 1959. – 55 p.
Grekov B. D. Kievan Rus. – Leningrad: Gospolitizdat, 1953, - 569 p.
Katorin Yu. Military glory of Russia. Encyclopedia. – M.: AST, St. Petersburg: Polygon, 2005, - 447 p.
Kirpichnikov A. N. “Armament in Rus' in the 9th – 12th centuries.” // “Questions of History”, No. 1, 1970.
Leo Deacon. Story; lane M. M. Kopylenko; Art. M. Ya. Syuzyumova; com. M. Ya. Syuzyumova; S. A. Ivanova; resp. Ed. G. G. Litavrin. – M.: Nauka, 1988. – 240 p.
Maksimov S. G. Russian military traditions. – M.: Veche, 2010. – 320 pp.: ill. – (Secrets of the Russian Land).

The Slavs usually went to war on foot, wearing chain mail, a helmet covering their heads, a heavy shield at their left hip, and a bow and quiver of arrows soaked in poison behind their backs; in addition, they were armed with a double-edged sword, an ax, a spear and a reed. Over time, the Slavs introduced cavalry into military practice. All Slavs had the prince's personal squad on horseback.

The Slavs did not have a standing army. In case of military necessity, all men capable of carrying weapons went on a campaign, and they hid their children and wives with their belongings in the forests.

Slavic tribes in the 6th century led a sedentary lifestyle, which is confirmed by the nature of their occupations and the structure of settlements, which were usually located in forests and swamps. These were fortifications consisting of dugouts with many exits, so that in case of an attack one could escape through one of the emergency passages. The Slavs also settled on rivers and lakes, where they built special houses - pile buildings. Thus, the settlements of the Slavic tribes were reliably sheltered and difficult to access, and therefore there was no need to build such fortress-type defensive buildings as, for example, were built in Ancient Egypt, in the Middle East, Greece and Rome.

The ancient Slavs knew how to make monoxyls - single-shaft boats, on which they went down the rivers to Pontus. Slavic warriors appeared on boats near Korsun in the Crimea, near Constantinople and even on Crete in the Mediterranean Sea.

According to the Byzantine historian Procopius, the clavins and antes were distinguished by their very tall stature and enormous strength, but this is how he described appearance ancient Slavs: “The color of their skin and hair is not very white or golden and not quite black, but still they are dark red.” Since ancient times, chroniclers noted the dexterity, endurance, hospitality and love of freedom among the Sklavins and Antes.

From the stories of Mauritius, as well as from other sources, we can conclude that the Slavs had a blood feud, which resulted in armed conflicts between tribes.

A feature of the development of the Slavic tribes was their lack of debt slavery; Only prisoners of war were slaves, and even they had the opportunity to be redeemed or become equal members of the community. It was patriarchal slavery, which among the Slavs did not turn into a slave system.

The Slavs had a tribal community that had land ownership. There was no private ownership of land even when the family began to receive a certain arable field, since arable land was periodically subject to redistribution. Pastures, forests, meadows, hunting and fishing grounds continued to remain communal property.

According to Procopius, “these tribes, the Sklavins and the Antes, are not ruled by one person, but since ancient times they have lived in the rule of people, and therefore happiness and misfortune in life are considered a common matter among them.” Veche (meeting of a clan or tribe) was supreme body authorities. The eldest in the clan (elder, hospodar) was in charge of affairs.

Already at the end of the 5th century, more or less significant associations of Slavic tribes began to emerge to repel enemy attacks or organize campaigns within the Eastern Roman Empire. The wars contributed to the consolidation of the power of the military leader, who began to be called a prince and have his own squad.

The social structure of the Slavs in the 6th century was a military democracy, the bodies of which were the veche or assembly of tribes, the council of elders and the prince - the military leader. Some military leaders entered service in the army of the Eastern Roman Empire. But the Slavic tribes settled on the Balkan Peninsula not as mercenaries, but as conquerors.

Mauritius noted that the Slavs had inter-tribal strife. “Having no head over themselves,” he wrote, “they are at enmity with each other; since there is no unanimity between them, they do not get together, and even if they do get together, they do not come to a single decision, since no one wants to give in to the other.” To fight the Slavs, Mauritius recommended taking advantage of their intertribal strife, pitting some tribes against others and thereby weakening them.

Byzantine politicians were very afraid of large political associations of the Slavs.

When the Slavs were threatened by external danger, the tribes forgot all their feuds and united for common struggle for independence. Speaking about the struggle between the Avars and the “Slavic people” at the end of the 6th century, Menander, a Byzantine, reported the answer of the Slavic elders to the leader of the Avars, who demanded that the Slavic tribes submit to him and pay tribute. “Was the man who would subjugate our power be born into the world,” asked the Sklavin elders, “and is he warmed by the rays of the sun?”

Eastern sources speak of the Slavs as a warlike people. Thus, the Arab writer Abu-Obeid-Al-Bekri noted in his writings that if the Slavs, this powerful and terrible people, had not been divided into many tribes and clans, no one in the world could have resisted them. Other eastern authors also wrote about this. Almost all Byzantine writers emphasized the belligerence of the Slavic tribes.

According to Mauritius, the Slavic tribes had squads that were staffed according to age - mainly with young, physically strong and dexterous warriors.

The number of those who fought was usually in the hundreds and thousands, much less often in the tens of thousands. The organization of the army was based on the division into clans and tribes. The warriors of the clan were led by an elder (elder); at the head of the tribe was a leader or prince.

Ancient sources noted strength, endurance, cunning and courage Slavic warriors, who also mastered the art of camouflage. Procopius wrote that the Slavic warriors “were accustomed to hiding even behind small stones or behind the first bush they encountered and catching enemies. They did this more than once near the Istr River.” During the siege of one of the Gothic cities, the Byzantine commander Belisarius summoned a Slavic warrior and ordered him to get the tongue. “And this Slav, early in the morning, made his way very close to the walls, covered himself with brushwood, and hid in the grass.” When the Goth approached this place, the Slav suddenly grabbed him and took him alive to the camp.

Mauritius reported on the art of the Slavs to hide in water: “They courageously withstand being in the water, so that often some of those remaining at home, being caught by a sudden attack, plunge into the abyss of the waters. At the same time, they hold in their mouths specially made, large reeds hollowed out inside, reaching the surface of the water, and themselves, lying supine at the bottom (of the river), breathe with their help; and they can do this for many hours, so that it is absolutely impossible to guess about their (presence).”

Regarding the weapons of the Slavic warriors, Mauritius wrote: “Each is armed with two small spears, some also have shields, strong, but difficult to carry. They also use wooden bows and small arrows soaked in a special poison, which is highly effective unless the wounded person first takes an antidote or (uses) other auxiliary means known to experienced doctors, or immediately cuts around the wound site so that the poison does not spread throughout the rest of the area. body parts". In addition to the bow and darts for throwing, which Mauritius spoke about, the Slavic warrior had a spear for striking, an ax, a reed and a double-edged sword.

In addition to the large shield, the Slavs had chain mail, which reliably covered and at the same time did not restrict the warrior’s movements in battle. Chain mail was made by Slavic craftsmen. During this period, the Normans' armor was made of leather with metal strips attached to it; Byzantine warriors had forged armor, which greatly restricted movement. Thus, the armor of the Slavs compared favorably with the armor of their neighbors - the Normans and Byzantines.

The ancient Slavs had two types of troops - infantry and cavalry. In the Eastern Roman Empire, under the ruler Justinian (c. 670-711), Slavic cavalry units were in service; in particular, Belisarius had Slavs serving in the cavalry. The cavalry commander was Ant Dobrogost. Describing the campaign of 589, the ancient historian Theophylact Simokatt reported: “Having jumped off their horses, the Slavs decided to rest a little and also give their horses a rest.” Thus, these data confirm the presence of cavalry among the Slavs.

During battles, the Slavs widely used surprise attacks on the enemy. “They love to fight their enemies,” Mauritius wrote, “in places covered with dense forest, in gorges, on cliffs; They take advantage of (ambushes), surprise attacks, tricks, both day and night, inventing many (various) methods. Having great help in the forests, they head towards them, since among the gorges they know how to fight well. Often they abandon the prey they are carrying (as if) under the influence of confusion and flee into the forests, and then, when the attackers rush at the prey, they easily get up and harm the enemy. They are masters of doing all this in a variety of ways they come up with in order to lure the enemy.”

Mauritius said that the Slavs were superior to “all people” in the art of crossing rivers. While serving in the army of the Eastern Roman Empire, Slavic troops skillfully ensured the crossing of rivers. They quickly made boats and used them to transport large detachments of troops to the other side.

The Slavs usually set up a camp at a height to which there were no hidden approaches. If necessary, to fight in an open field, they built fortifications from carts. Theophylact Simokatt told about the campaign of one Slavic detachment, which fought with the Romans: “Since this clash was inevitable for the barbarians (Slavs) (and did not foretell success), they, having made up carts, built a fortification of the camp from them and into the middle of this camp they placed women and children." The Slavs tied the carts, and it turned out to be a closed fortification, from which they threw spears at the enemy. The fortification of the carts was very reliable protection from the cavalry.

For a defensive battle, the Slavs chose a position that was difficult for the enemy to reach, or they built a rampart and set up abatis. When storming enemy fortifications, they used assault ladders, “turtles” and siege engines. In deep formation, with their shields on their backs, the Slavs launched an assault.

Although Mauritius said that the Slavs did not recognize the military order and during the offensive they moved forward all together, this, however, does not mean that they did not have a battle order. The same Mauritius recommended building a not very deep formation against the Slavs and attacking not only from the front, but on the flanks and from the rear. From this we can conclude that for the battle the Slavs were located in a certain order. “Sometimes,” wrote Mauritius, “they take a very strong position and, guarding their rear, do not give the opportunity to engage in hand-to-hand combat, or to surround themselves or attack from the flank, or go to their rear.”

If the Slavs repelled all attacks, then, according to Mauritius, there was only one remedy - to deliberately retreat in order to cause a disorganized pursuit, which would disrupt the battle formation of the Slavs and allow them to win a surprise attack from an ambush.

Beginning in the 1st century, Slavic tribes fought the armies of the Roman Empire. Ancient sources mention East Slavic tribes who fought the Roman conquerors. There is a message from the Gothic historian Jordan about the struggle of the Goths with the Antes in the 4th century. A detachment of Goths attacked the Antes, but were initially defeated. As a result of further clashes, the Goths managed to capture the leader of the Antes, Boz, with his sons and 70 elders and execute them.

More detailed information about the wars of the Slavic tribes dates back to the 6th-8th centuries, when the Slavs fought the Eastern Roman Empire.

By the beginning of the 6th century, the onslaught of Slavic tribes from across the Danube had intensified so much that the ruler of the Eastern Roman Empire, Anastasius, in 512 was forced to build a line of fortifications stretching 85 kilometers from Selimvria on the Sea of Marmara to Derkos on the Pontus. This line of fortifications was called " Long wall"and was located 60 kilometers from the capital. One of his contemporaries called it “a banner of impotence, a monument to cowardice.”

In the second quarter of the 6th century, Emperor Justinian, preparing to fight the Slavs, strengthened his army and built defensive structures. He appointed, according to Procopius, the head of the guard on the Ister River, Khilbudiya, who for three years in a row successfully defended the Danube line from attacks by Slavic tribes. To do this, Khilbudiy annually crossed to the left bank of the Danube, penetrated into the territory of the Slavs and caused devastation there. In 534, Khilbudiy crossed the river with a small detachment. The Slavs came out “all against him. The battle was fierce, many Romans fell, including their commander Khilbudiy.” After this victory, the Slavs freely crossed the Danube to invade the interior of the Balkan Peninsula.

In 551, a detachment of Slavs numbering more than 3 thousand people, without encountering any opposition, crossed the Ister River. Then, after crossing the Gevre (Maritsa) River, the detachment split into two detachments. The Byzantine military leader, who had large forces, decided to take advantage of this advantage and destroy the scattered troops in open battle. But the Slavs were ahead of the Romans and defeated them with a surprise attack from two directions. This fact shows the ability of Slavic military leaders to organize the interaction of their troops and carry out a sudden simultaneous attack on an enemy who has superior forces and is acting offensively.

Following this, regular cavalry was thrown against the Slavs under the command of Asbad, who served in the detachment of bodyguards of Emperor Justinian. The cavalry detachment was stationed in the Thracian fortress of Tzurule and consisted of excellent horsemen. One of the Slavic detachments attacked the Byzantine cavalry and put it to flight. Many Byzantine horsemen were killed, and Asbad himself was captured. From this example we can conclude that the Slavs had cavalry that successfully fought with the Roman regular cavalry.

Having defeated the regular field troops, the Slavic detachments began to besiege the fortresses in Thrace and Illyria. Procopius reported very detailed information about the capture by the Slavs of the strong coastal fortress of Toper, located on the Thracian coast 12 days' journey from Byzantium. This fortress had a strong garrison and up to 15 thousand combat-ready men - residents of the city.

The Slavs decided first of all to lure the garrison out of the fortress and destroy it. For this most of their forces lay in ambush and took refuge in difficult places, and a small detachment approached the eastern gate and began to fire at the Roman soldiers: “The Roman soldiers who were in the garrison, imagining that there were no more enemies than they saw, took up arms and immediately came out against them all. The barbarians began to retreat, pretending to the attackers that, frightened by them, they fled; The Romans, carried away by the pursuit, found themselves far ahead of the fortifications. Then those in ambush rose up and, finding themselves in the rear of the pursuers, cut off their opportunity to return back to the city. And those who pretended to retreat, turning their faces to the Romans, placed them between two fires. The barbarians destroyed them all and then rushed to the walls.” Thus the Topera garrison was defeated. After this, the Slavs moved to storm the fortress, which was defended by the population of the city. The first attack, insufficiently prepared, was repulsed. The defenders threw stones at the attackers and poured boiling oil and tar on them. But the success of the townspeople was temporary. Slavic archers began to fire at the wall and forced the defenders to leave it. Following this, the attackers placed ladders against the walls, entered the city and took possession of it. At the same time, archers and assault troops interacted well. The Slavs were sharp archers and therefore were able to force the defenders to leave the wall.

Of interest is the campaign in 589 by Peter, the military leader of the Byzantine Emperor of Mauritius, against the strong Slavic tribe under the leadership of Piragast.

The Emperor demanded quick and decisive action from Peter. Peter's army left the fortified camp and, in four marches, reached the area in which the Slavs were located; he had to cross the river. A group of 20 soldiers was sent to scout the enemy, moving at night and resting during the day. Having made a difficult night march and crossed the river, the group settled down in the thickets to rest, but did not set up any guards. The warriors fell asleep and were discovered by a mounted detachment of Slavs. The Romans were captured. The captured scouts spoke about the plan of the Byzantine command.

Piragast, having learned about the enemy’s plan, moved with large forces to the place where the Romans crossed the river and there secretly settled down in the forest. The Byzantine army approached the crossing. Peter, not suggesting that there might be an enemy in this place, ordered separate detachments to cross the river. When the first thousand people crossed to the other side, the Slavs surrounded them and destroyed them. Having learned about this, Peter ordered the entire army to cross, without dividing into detachments. On the opposite bank, rows of Slavs were waiting for the Byzantines, who, however, scattered under a hail of arrows and spears thrown from ships. Taking advantage of this, the Romans landed their large forces. Piragast was mortally wounded, and the Slavic army retreated in disarray. Peter, due to the lack of cavalry, could not organize the pursuit.

The next day, the guides who led the army got lost. The Romans had no water for three days and quenched their thirst with wine. The army could have died if not for the prisoner, who pointed out that the Helicabia River was nearby. The next morning the Romans approached the river and rushed to the water. The Slavs, who were in ambush on the opposite high bank, began to hit the Romans with arrows. “And so the Romans,” reports the Byzantine chronicler, “having built ships, crossed the river to grapple with the enemies in open battle. When the army was on the opposite bank, the barbarians immediately attacked the Romans in their entirety and defeated them. The defeated Romans began to flee. Since Peter was completely defeated by the barbarians, Priscus was appointed commander-in-chief, and Peter, removed from command, returned to Byzantium.”

Nowadays, when the whole world is trying to imitate the Americans, from uniforms to tactics and daily dry rations, our soldiers need to more often look into the rich treasury of Russian military traditions and use the centuries-old experience of Russian soldiers. No, I don’t call for putting on bast shoes, growing beards and picking up swords and bows. The main thing is to skillfully highlight and generalize those principles with the help of which they defeated a stronger and numerically superior enemy.

The foundations and philosophy of the Russian military school are set out in “The Science of Victory” by A. V. Suvorov. Unfortunately, not many modern commanders, as they say, get around to reading this book. But in order to see and understand the essence of the principles set forth by Suvorov in his immortal work, it is worth taking an excursion into the depths of centuries and see how the ancient Russians fought.

The land on which our distant Ancestors lived was rich and fertile and constantly attracted nomads from the east and nomads from the west. Germanic tribes, besides, our ancestors tried to develop new lands. Sometimes this colonization took place peacefully, but... often accompanied by hostilities.

Soviet military historian E.A. Razin in his book “History of Military Art” talks about the organization of the Slavic army during the 5th-6th centuries:
Among the Slavs, all adult men were warriors. The Slavic tribes had squads that were staffed according to age with young, physically strong and dexterous warriors. The organization of the army was based on the division into clans and tribes. The warriors of the clan were headed by an elder (elder), the tribe was headed by a leader or prince

Procopius from Caesarea in his book “The War with the Goths” writes that the warriors of the Slavic tribe “were accustomed to hiding even behind small stones or behind the first bush they encountered and catching enemies. They did this more than once near the Istr River.” Thus, the ancient author in the above-mentioned book describes one interesting case, like a Slavic warrior, skillfully using available means of camouflage, took the “tongue”.

And this Slav, early in the morning, got very close to the walls, covered himself with brushwood and curled up into a ball, hid in the grass. When the Goth approached this place, the Slav suddenly grabbed him and brought him alive to the camp.

They courageously endure their stay in the water, so that often some of those remaining at home, being caught by a sudden attack, plunge into the abyss of the waters. At the same time, they hold specially made large reeds in their mouths, hollowed out inside, reaching the surface of the water, and themselves, lying supine at the bottom of the river, breathe with the help of them; and they can do this for many hours. So it is absolutely impossible to guess their presence.

The terrain on which the Slavs usually fought was always their ally. From dark forests, river backwaters, and deep ravines, the Slavs suddenly attacked their opponents. Here is what the previously mentioned Mauritius writes about this:
The Slavs love to fight their enemies in places covered with dense forest, in gorges. on the cliffs, they take advantage of ambushes, surprise attacks, tricks, and day and night, inventing many different methods... Having a lot of help in the forests, they head towards them, since they know how to fight well among gorges. Often they abandon the prey they are carrying, as if under the influence of confusion, and run into the forests, and then, when the attackers rush at the prey, they easily get up and harm the enemy. They are masters of doing all this in a variety of ways they come up with in order to lure the enemy.

Thus, we see that the ancient warriors prevailed over the enemy primarily through the absence of a template, cunning, and skillful use of the surrounding terrain.

In engineering training, our Ancestors were also recognized specialists. Ancient authors write that the Slavs were superior to “all people” in the art of crossing rivers. While serving in the army of the Eastern Roman Empire, Slavic troops skillfully ensured the crossing of rivers. They quickly made boats and used them to transport large military detachments to the other side. The Slavs usually set up a camp at a height to which there were no hidden approaches. If necessary, to fight in an open field, they built fortifications from carts.

Feofinat Siompatt reports on the campaign of one Slavic detachment that fought with the Romans:
Since this clash was inevitable for the barbarians (Slavs) (and did not bode well for success), they assembled carts, built them into a kind of fortification of the camp, and placed women and daughters in the middle of this camp. The Slavs tied the carts, and it turned out to be a closed fortification, from which they threw spears at the enemy. The fortification of carts was a reliable defense against cavalry.

For a defensive battle, the Slavs chose a position that was difficult for the enemy to reach, or they built a rampart and created embankments.

When storming enemy fortifications, they used assault ladders and siege engines. In deep formation, with their shields on their backs, the Slavs launched an assault. From the above examples, we see that the use of terrain in combination with improvised objects deprived the opponents of our ancestors of the advantages that they originally possessed.

Many Western sources claim that the Slavs did not have a formation, but this does not mean that they did not have a battle order. The same Mauritius recommended building a not very deep formation against them and attacking not only from the front, but from the flanks and from the rear. From this we can conclude that for the battle the Slavs were located in a certain order. Mauritius writes:
... sometimes they occupy a very strong position and, guarding their rear, do not give the opportunity to engage in hand-to-hand combat, or to surround themselves or attack from the flank, or go to their rear.
The above example makes it clear that the ancient Slavs had a certain battle order, that they fought not in crowds, but in an organized manner, lined up by clans and tribes. The clan and tribal leaders were the commanders and maintained the necessary discipline in the army. The organization of the Slavic army was based on a social structure - division into clan and tribal units. Clan and tribal ties provided the necessary cohesion of warriors in battle.

Thus, the use of battle formation by Slavic warriors, which gives undeniable advantages in battle with a strong enemy, suggests that the Slavs only carried out combat training with their squads. After all, in order to quickly act in combat formation, it was necessary to practice this until it became automatic. Also, it was necessary to know the enemy with whom you would have to fight.

The Slavs could not only skillfully fight in the forest and field. To capture fortresses they used simple and effective tactics.

In 551, a detachment of Slavs numbering more than 3,000 people, without encountering any opposition, crossed the Ister River. An army of great strength was sent to meet the Slavs. After crossing the Maritsa River, the Slavs were divided into two detachments. The Roman commander decided to defeat their forces one by one in the open field. Having well-organized tactical reconnaissance and being aware of the enemy’s movements. The Slavs forestalled the Romans and, suddenly attacking them from two directions, destroyed their enemy.
Following this, Emperor Justinian sent a detachment of regular cavalry against the Slavs. The detachment was stationed in the Thracian fortress Tzurule. However, this detachment was defeated by the Slavs, who had cavalry in their ranks that was not inferior to the Roman one. Having defeated the regular field troops, our ancestors began the siege of fortresses in Thrace and Illyria.

Of great interest is the capture by the Slavs of the seaside fortress of Toyer, which was located 12 days’ journey from Byzantium. The fortress garrison of 15 thousand people was formidable force. The Slavs decided first of all to lure the garrison out of the fortress and destroy it. To do this, most of the soldiers lay in ambush near the city, and a small detachment approached the eastern gate and began to fire at the Roman soldiers.

The Romans, seeing that there were not many enemies, decided to go outside the fortress and defeat the Slavs in the field. The besiegers began to retreat, pretending to the attackers that, frightened by them, they fled. The Romans, carried away by the pursuit, found themselves far ahead of the fortifications. Then those in ambush rose up and, finding themselves in the rear of the pursuers, cut off their possible routes of retreat. And those who pretended to retreat, turning their faces to the Romans, attacked them. Having exterminated their pursuers, the Slavs again rushed to the walls of the city. Theuer's garrison was destroyed. From what has been said, we can conclude that the Slavic army had good cooperation between several units, reconnaissance, and camouflage on the ground.

From all the examples given, it is clear that in the 6th century our ancestors had perfect tactics for those times; they could fight and inflict serious damage on the enemy, who was much stronger than them, and often had numerical superiority. Not only the tactics were perfect, but also the military equipment. So, during the siege of fortresses, the Slavs used iron rams and installed siege engines. The Slavs, under the cover of throwing machines and archers, moved the rams close to the fortress wall, began to shake it and make gaps.

In addition to the land army, the Slavs had a fleet. There is much written evidence of their use of the fleet during military operations against Byzantium. The ships were mainly used for transporting troops and landing troops.

Over many years, the Slavic tribes, in the fight against numerous aggressors from Asia, the powerful Roman Empire, the Khazar Khaganate and the Franks, defended their independence and united into tribal alliances.

In this centuries-old struggle, the military organization of the Slavs took shape, and the military art of neighboring peoples and states arose. It was not the weakness of their opponents, but the strength and military art of the Slavs that ensured their victories.

The offensive actions of the Slavs forced the Roman Empire to switch to strategic defense and create several defensive lines, the presence of which did not ensure the security of the empire’s borders. The campaigns of the Byzantine army beyond the Danube, deep into the Slavic territories, did not achieve their goals.

These campaigns usually ended in the defeat of the Byzantines. When the Slavs, even during their offensive actions, met superior enemy forces, they usually avoided battle, achieved a change in the situation in their favor, and only then went on the offensive again.

For long campaigns, crossing rivers and capturing coastal fortresses, the Slavs used a boat fleet, which they built very quickly. Large campaigns and deep invasions were usually preceded by reconnaissance in force by large detachments that tested the enemy’s ability to resist.

The tactics of the Russians did not consist in inventing forms of constructing battle formations, to which the Romans attached exceptional importance, but in a variety of methods of attacking the enemy, both during the offensive and during the defense. To apply this tactic, a good organization of military reconnaissance was necessary, to which the Slavs paid serious attention. Knowledge of the enemy made it possible to carry out surprise attacks. The tactical interaction of units was skillfully carried out both in field battles and during the assault on fortresses. For the siege of fortresses, the ancient Slavs knew how to short term create all modern siege equipment. Among other things, Slavic warriors skillfully used psychological influence on the enemy.

So, in the early morning of June 18, 860, the capital Byzantine Empire Constantinople came under an unexpected attack by Russian troops. The Russians came by sea, landed at the very walls of the city and besieged it. The warriors raised their comrades on outstretched arms and they, shaking their swords sparkling in the sun, plunged the Constantinople citizens standing on the high walls into confusion. This “attack” had enormous meaning for Rus' - for the first time the young state entered into confrontation with great empire, for the first time, as events will show, presented him with its military, economic and territorial claims. And most importantly, thanks to this demonstrative, psychologically precisely calculated attack and the subsequent peace treaty of “friendship and love,” Rus' was recognized as an equal partner of Byzantium. The Russian chronicler later wrote that from that moment “the nickname Ruska land began.”

All the principles of warfare listed here have not lost their significance today. Have camouflage and military cunning lost their relevance in the age of nuclear technology and the information boom? As recent military conflicts have shown, even with reconnaissance satellites, spy planes, advanced equipment, computer networks and a weapon of enormous destructive power, you can bomb rubber and wooden dummies for a long time and at the same time loudly broadcast to the whole world about enormous military successes.

Have secrecy and surprise lost their meaning?

Let us remember how surprised European and NATO strategists were when, quite unexpectedly, Russian paratroopers suddenly turned up at the Pristina airfield in Kosovo, and our “allies” were powerless to do anything.

Legends and tales of the ancient Slavs, and subsequently historical chronicles, attributed the possession of skills and knowledge in military magic as epic heroes, and very real historical figures. Yes, Volga (The name Volga comes from Volkh, sorcerer - “magician, predictor”)knew how, according to legend, to turn into a beast, a similar rumor was spread about Prince Vseslav, who ruled the Polotsk land in the middle of the 11th century, and, probably, the chroniclers had no reason to doubt the truth of these rumors, since they mentioned his ability to turn into a wolf in "The Tale of Igor's Campaign".
The secrets of ancient military witchcraft were also possessed by the Kiev prince Svyatoslav, the uncle and mentor of Prince Vladimir Dobrynya, as well as the Zaporozhye Cossacks, Cossacks kharacterniki and Spasovtsy. According to some researchers, the kharakterniki owe their incredible victories even over an enemy many times superior in strength to their knowledge of combat magic: they could learn in advance about the enemy’s plans, move with supernatural speed, stay for a long time without harm to their health in extremely unfavorable, difficult conditions, deprive the enemy of strength and courage. IN martial art ancient Slavs actively used werewolfism, i.e. in battle, an experienced warrior could turn into almost any animal or monster. Now it’s hard to say whether they really could turn into animals or whether it was a massive hypnotic effect on the enemy... But something still happened!

Okiyan will raise a howl, It will rush onto the empty shore, It will splash in a noisy run, And they will find themselves on the shore, In scales like the heat of grief, Thirty-three heroes, All handsome young men, Daring giants, All equal, as if chosen, Uncle Chernomor is with them " . A.S. Pushkin, when writing his works, drew ideas from ancient documents. It is quite possible that there were some special units(special forces) among the ancient Slavic warriors....

Despite the fact that the famous heroes took many of the hidden secrets of combat sorcery with them to the grave, through the efforts of folklorists, researchers of antiquity and ancient magical traditions, it became possible to slightly fill this gap in knowledge modern man. The ancients understood perfectly well that a military clash or battle takes place not only at the level physical world, but also on a subtle, astral level, therefore only those who have taken care in advance to protect or strengthen the body of their astral double can count on victory even over an enemy superior in strength and numbers. And although the highest military magic, which made it possible to destroy an enemy at a distance with one effort of will or to completely transfer the fight to the astral space, was available only to professional high-flying magicians, there were many fairly simple rituals that made it possible to gain advantages over the enemy.

For example, the ability to create a weapon that gives a warrior great strength and allows him to emerge victorious from all battles was called “Kiy-Biy.” To create it, a warrior went into the forest or wasteland with his weapon on a dark moonless night and placed it under a large stone , covering it with oak and St. John's wort leaves on top. After that, he lit a fire not far from the stone and sat there all night long, and certainly with his back to the stone. The cry of a bird of prey or a wild animal, heard in the silence of the night behind the fighter's back, meant that the weapon was ready to battle. If this did not happen, the ritual was repeated again. Taking out the weapon from under the stone, the warrior said: “For protection and care, against any evil.”

In the arsenal of the Zaporozhye Cossacks, the Kharakterniki had a way of depriving the enemy of strength and courage at a distance, and this power passed on to the sorcerer himself. Is this not the secret of the inexplicable victories of the Cossacks from the point of view of military science, when a detachment of poorly armed, unprotected fighters could completely defeat the selected army of Polish knights? Mastering this technique is quite difficult and requires a certain level of psychic abilities. A warrior who wanted to gain the strength of the enemy had to clearly imagine him and imagine a fast and strong river flowing from the enemy. At the same time, it was necessary to say the words: “As the river flows, so do you, strength, flow from him to me.” Success depended on the vividness of the sorcerer’s imagination, on the realism and brightness of the mental image of the enemy he created and the power flowing from him. It should be noted that that similar witchcraft techniques are used today by almost all magicians and are integral part many rituals that are not at all related to war and weapons, and the ability to create a clear, expressive image of the desired result is one of the basic skills of any occultist.

A similar ritual was used in ancient times to gain strength before battle. On the eve of the battle, you should go to the spring, take water in your palms and drink it with the words: “I drink the water of strength, I drink the water of power, I drink the water of invincibility.” After this, you need to wipe your hands on the weapon, clearly imagining that you are endowing it with power and strength Then, turning his gaze to the sun, the warrior said: “As I see (name) this day, so grant me, Almighty God, to see the next one.”

Substantial part Slavic military magic refers to folk magic that attaches exceptional importance to the casting of a particular spell or the formal performance of any ritual action. This could probably give a tangible result if a person had innate psychic abilities or he firmly believed in the power of the ritual he was performing. There were hundreds of conspiracies intended for protection in battle, for gaining heroic strength and courage, animal agility and endurance, and in all of them there were invariably images and objects familiar to many from epics and folk tales: Alatyr stone, sword. The spell form also almost always remained unchanged, but, as mentioned above, one can hardly expect a tangible result from such rituals of village folk magic.

"...WHAT WILL YOU GET WITH THE SWORD."

The main weapon of the Slavs was the sword. It was wide, with wavy stripes on the blade and decorated with various designs. The father handed the weapon to the newborn son, saying: “Yours is the only thing you can get with the sword.” If the disputants were dissatisfied with the prince’s court, he told them: “Judge with the sword.” The Slavs usually took an oath on a shield and sword.

"LET BE A SHAME ON ME"

The Slavs were distinguished by courage, bravery, contempt for physical pain and such honesty that instead of an oath they said: “Shame on me.”

According to the Byzantine historian Procopius, the Sclavins and Antes were distinguished by their very tall stature and enormous strength, and here is how he described the appearance of the ancient Slavs: “The color of their skin and hair is not very white or golden and not quite black, but still they are dark. red." Since ancient times, chroniclers noted the dexterity, endurance, hospitality and love of freedom among the Sklavins and Antes.

From the stories of Mauritius, as well as from other sources, we can conclude that the Slavs had a blood feud, which resulted in armed conflicts between tribes.

According to Procopius, “these tribes, the Sklavins and the Antes, are not ruled by one person, but since ancient times they have lived in the rule of people, and therefore happiness and misfortune in life are considered a common matter among them.” The veche (meeting of a clan or tribe) was the highest authority. The eldest in the clan (elder, hospodar) was in charge of affairs.

Byzantine politicians were very afraid of large political associations of the Slavs.

When the Slavs were threatened by external danger, the tribes forgot all their feuds and united for a common struggle for independence. Speaking about the struggle between the Avars and the “Slavic people” at the end of the 6th century, Menander, a Byzantine, reported the answer of the Slavic elders to the leader of the Avars, who demanded that the Slavic tribes submit to him and pay tribute. “Was that person born,” asked the Sklavino elders, “and is the person warmed by the rays of the sun who would subjugate our power?”

According to Mauritius, the Slavic tribes had squads that were staffed according to age - mainly with young, physically strong and dexterous warriors.

Ancient sources noted the strength, endurance, cunning and courage of Slavic warriors, who also mastered the art of camouflage. Procopius wrote that the Slavic warriors “were accustomed to hiding even behind small stones or behind the first bush they encountered and catching enemies. They did this more than once near the Istr River.” During the siege of one of the Gothic cities, the Byzantine commander Belisarius summoned a Slavic warrior and ordered him to get the tongue. “And this Slav, early in the morning, made his way very close to the walls, covered himself with brushwood, and hid in the grass.” When the Goth approached this place, the Slav suddenly grabbed him and took him alive to the camp.

More detailed information about the wars of the Slavic tribes dates back to the 6th-8th centuries, when the Slavs fought the Eastern Roman Empire.

By the beginning of the 6th century, the onslaught of Slavic tribes from across the Danube had intensified so much that the ruler of the Eastern Roman Empire, Anastasius, in 512 was forced to build a line of fortifications stretching 85 kilometers from Selimvria on the Sea of Marmara to Derkos on the Pontus. This line of fortifications was called the “Long Wall” and was located 60 kilometers from the capital. One of his contemporaries called it “a banner of impotence, a monument to cowardice.”

The Slavs decided first of all to lure the garrison out of the fortress and destroy it. To do this, most of their forces lay in ambush and took refuge in difficult places, and a small detachment approached the eastern gate and began to fire at the Roman soldiers: “The Roman soldiers who were in the garrison, imagining that there were no more enemies than how many they saw, took hold of weapons, everyone immediately came out against them. The barbarians began to retreat, pretending to the attackers that, frightened by them, they fled; The Romans, carried away by the pursuit, found themselves far ahead of the fortifications. Then those in ambush rose up and, finding themselves in the rear of the pursuers, cut off their opportunity to return back to the city. And those who pretended to retreat, turning their faces to the Romans, placed them between two fires. The barbarians destroyed them all and then rushed to the walls.” Thus the Topera garrison was defeated. After this, the Slavs moved to storm the fortress, which was defended by the population of the city. The first attack, insufficiently prepared, was repulsed. The defenders threw stones at the attackers and poured boiling oil and tar on them. But the success of the townspeople was temporary. Slavic archers began to fire at the wall and forced the defenders to leave it. Following this, the attackers placed ladders against the walls, entered the city and took possession of it. At the same time, archers and assault troops interacted well. The Slavs were sharp archers and therefore were able to force the defenders to leave the wall.

Of interest is the campaign in 589 by Peter, the military leader of the Byzantine Emperor Mauritius, against a strong Slavic tribe led by Pyragast.

The madness of a bloody battle.

Much secret knowledge was passed down in oral tradition from father to son and was extremely rarely made public. Such knowledge, which until recently was kept in the strictest confidence, includes, for example, the development of the abilities and skills of a berserker. By the way, the etymology of the word “berserker” is still controversial in scientific circles. Most likely, it is derived from the Old Norse “berserkr”, which translates either as “bearskin” or “shirtless” (the root ber can mean “bear”, and “naked”, and serkr - “skin”, “shirt”).

The future berserker must develop and develop in himself a feeling of unity with nature, completely excluding the consumerist or barbaric attitude towards the world around him, so characteristic of modern man. You can master special psychotechniques for collecting energy from trees and wildlife, which will further enhance the feeling of an inextricable connection with all living things. The following training can be a good exercise for developing the skills of receiving energy from nature and increasing awareness of the harmony and strength reigning in living nature. You need to find a clearing in the forest, hidden from prying eyes, where the student can regularly come and spend several hours alone with the forest, freeing his thoughts from worries and worries. In the warm season, it would be a good idea to take off all your clothes during this time in order to make it easier for yourself to overcome the stereotypes imposed on modern man by civilization. The future berserker must take care of his clearing, treating it as a living creature.

All these preparatory exercises, despite their apparent simplicity and ease, are of great importance. Mastering the skills of a berserker is unthinkable without overcoming the consumerist attitude towards all living things that is so typical of modern man, without developing a sense of an inextricable connection with nature, which is almost completely lost by most people in our time. After these preparatory classes you need to choose an animal with which the practitioner will identify himself in the future and which will become his second self. You can choose several species (no more than three), and, contrary to popular belief, not only predatory mammals, but also birds and even insects. You need to try to observe the animal in its habitat, trying to get used to its image as much as possible. Now begins the most difficult part of all training - developing the ability to psychologically identify yourself with the animal, accompanied by a temporary shutdown of logical, rational thinking. Try to look at the world through your eyes animal, to live by its feelings and sensations. It is necessary to clearly and distinctly understand the difference between an animal and a person: an animal cannot control its actions, it is not capable of lying or being a hypocrite and is not capable of making long-term plans for the future. Avoid endowing the chosen image of an animal with human traits and thoughts , this can make it very difficult to enter the berserk state. Before falling asleep, you should completely concentrate on your animal, which will allow you to feel your merging with it in a dream.

After the student has mastered this exercise, you can move on to the most important part of the training - entering the berserker state. In the warm season, you need to retire to the forest and live the life of your animal for several days. The only thing you need to have with you is a small knife and a loincloth, preferably made from the skin or feathers of the chosen animal. These exercises have much in common with survival training in extreme conditions; one should eat only natural food, do without fire and all the amenities of civilization. But the main difference is that at this time you should completely identify yourself with the animal, imitate its habits, make sounds typical for it, completely turning off human thinking. Of course, these trainings should be carried out far from populated areas, otherwise the consequences of a collision with a civilized person can be very dire.

There are three degrees of depth of immersion in the berserk state. When entering the first degree, the student retains complete control over himself and his actions, but does not receive either the strength or dexterity of the beast in full. In the second degree of the berserker state, isolated glimpses of rational human thinking are retained, but the practitioner almost completely feels like an animal, gaining superhuman strength, agility and endurance. It is most difficult to maintain this state, and beginning berserkers either return back to a controlled degree, or, conversely, completely lose all human traits, reaching an absolute degree of identifying themselves with an animal. It is possible to be in this altered state of consciousness from several hours to several days, depending on the level of physical fitness, and after leaving it (the person finds himself lying on the ground in complete exhaustion), the berserker cannot remember anything that he did while being animals.

Further training boils down mainly to developing the ability to quickly enter a berserk state and remain in it. long time without losing complete awareness of what is happening and control over oneself. Having once managed to completely identify himself with the animal, the student will always be able to find an acceptable method for further developing these unique skills.

The Slavic warriors fought bravely, following the decisions made at the tribal meeting. Preparing to repel the impending aggression, they took an oath: to stand to the death for their father and brother, for the lives of their relatives.

Captivity among the Slavs was considered the greatest disgrace. The word of honor was valued very highly; it obliged warriors in any conditions to be faithful to their military brotherhood - the most ancient custom mutual assistance and assistance in battle.

Prince Svyatoslav, before the battle with the Greeks in 971, addressed the soldiers with the words: “We have nowhere to go, whether we want or not, we must fight... If we run, it will be a shame for us. So let’s not run, but we’ll stand strong, and I’ll go ahead of you: if my head falls, then take care of your own.” The warriors replied: “Where your head lies, there we will lay our heads.” In that brutal battle, ten thousand soldiers of Svyatoslav defeated a hundred thousand Greek army.

The military oaths of the Slavs were sealed with the name of the god Perun, since he was the patron saint of princes and warriors. While in a foreign land, warriors stuck their battle swords into the ground in honor of Perun, and in this place it became like his camp sanctuary.

Warrior culture Slavic peoples was and remains one of the unsolved mysteries of Russian and world history. The paradox is that even within the framework of a single concept, the skill of the Slavic warriors is often extolled to the skies, and the combat effectiveness of the Slavic army, and even the very fact of the existence of any kind of slender army, is called into question. military organization. Information and opinions about the weapons, tactics, and military-social structure of the Slavic army are ambiguous and contradictory.

The basis of the Slavic military system was local actions, and not the extermination of the enemy, correct tactics, planned seizure of territory and actions characteristic of standing armies and justifying their existence, therefore the task of military training was survival in battle: a duel, a group battle, a skirmish with a superior enemy of a single individual fighter, and then the coordinated actions of the detachment. While inferior to other peoples in armament and professionalism, the Slavs were superior to them in skill, use of terrain conditions, organization of reconnaissance, ambushes and surprise attacks, or avoidance of unwanted combat, all of which was designated by the term Scythian war. Superiority not in quantity, but in fortitude, endurance, the ability to endure hardships, to make do with little to achieve a big goal - this is the main core of the guarantee of victory in the military culture of the Slavic peoples.

Byzantine historians noted that the Slavs were “very tall and of enormous strength. Their hair color is very white and golden. When entering battle, most of them go at enemies with shields and javelins in their hands, but they never put on armor.” Further: “They are excellent warriors, because with them military science becomes a harsh science in every detail. The highest happiness in their eyes is to die in battle. To die of old age or from any accident is a shame, nothing more humiliating than which can be. Their look is more warlike than fierce.”

“Their greatest art is that they know how to hide in rivers under water. Often, caught by the enemy, they lie for a very long time at the bottom and breathe with the help of long reed tubes, the end of which is taken into the mouth, and the other is protruded to the surface of the water and thus hide in the depths. Anyone who even notices these pipes, without knowing such a trick, will consider them real. Experienced people recognize them by their cut or position, and then they press them to the mouth or pull them out, thereby forcing the sly one to float to the top.”

Military skill of the Rus and Slavs in the VI-X centuries. n

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