It means that both this waterway and the importance of Russian communication routes in general were recognized in ancient times. The chronicler knew well which countries the waterways connected Rus' with. He says that the way is to reach the Varangian Sea: “follow that sea even to Rome, and from Rome come along the same sea to Constantinople, and from Constantinople come to the Sea of Pontus, into which the Dneir River flows. The Volga flows from the same lake to the east and flows seventy years into the Khvaliskoe Sea. The Darkness can go from Rus' along the Volz to the Bolgars and to Khvalis, and to the east to the lot of Simov; Varangians, and from the Varangians to Rome, from Rome to the tribe of Hamov” 39).
From the above-mentioned sketch it is quite clear that in ancient times they knew well not only the country along the route to the Russian territories, but they also knew well the distant countries of the West and East with which Rus' was connected along these routes.
The Dvina and Dnipro, with their tributaries, move closer to the Volga. You can point out a large number of districts in the Smolensk region, bringing its central part - Podnfirovye - to the Volga region. Thus, the tributary of the Dvina Mezha, through its tributary Obsha, approaches slightly
37) Ish., 4. 38) See “Essays”. 39) Ip., b. 4.
SER
there is a portage with the Lusa, a tributary of the Osuga, and this last one flows into the Vazuza, a tributary of the Volga. Or you can point to the Luchesa, a tributary of the Mezhi, separated by a small portage from the Osuga. Finally, the Dzpra Osma tributary comes close to the Ugr, a tributary of the Oka. In general, connections between the center of Smolensk land and the Volga could be extremely numerous.
The Dvina could connect with the Volga through the lake. Zadene, which is separated by a short portage from Lake Volzheky. Foam “0).
From the Dnepropetrovsk region Fzdili to the lands of Rostov to Smolensk, through which Vladimf Monomakh walked, and through the land of the Vyatichi; The last route connected Yuev proper with the Volga region. On this way there are mountains. Fool, then move on to Smo- | to the Lena princes, then to the Chernihiv princes; In this city, a living tribute was taken from the traded merchants (Certificate of Rostislav Mstislavich). The path passed along the Desnz, its tributary Bolvf, which approaches the Ugra, a tributary of the Oka 41). Zee
The Dnepropetrovsk region connected with the West. By the Bug, a large and convenient path that followed the tributary of the Dnepropetrovsk River of Pripyat. We will talk about him as much as we can find in the sources. So, in 1188 Roman sent his wife from Galich to Vruchy on Pinsk 42). Stryjkovsvy says that Yaroslav, after the death of Mieczyslaw, went to Poland, and sent part of the troops by boats to Podlasie 43).
In general, numerous campaigns of the first princes to the Lyash land and to Yatvyagov were undoubtedly carried out by this waterway.
40) Barsov, “Essays”, p. 26. 41) See “Instructional Vlad. Mon.” to Laurel. years. Barsov "Essays". r. 28, Korsakov, “The Seas and Growth,” book, p. 58, Belyaev, r. 17. Bagal'y, “The History of the S'Everskaya Land, r. R. 381.
No. | it. | The territory and cities of the Smolensk Principality before the beginning. XIII Art.
We have determined the common ethnographic border of the lands of Krivichi and Dregovich; Now let us turn to a more precise definition of the political boundaries of the principalities formed by the named tribes.
The Dregovichi formed a special principality already under Saint Vladimir, with the main city of Turov; They were also inhabited to the west in the Beresteyskaya land in the region of the middle reaches of the West. Buga. The Polotsy Krivichi stood out even earlier than this time; behind them they formed a separate principality, which ate the death of Yaroslav the Wise, and Smolensme Yorivichi. Thus, three principalities were formed already in the early era: Smolensk, Polotsk and Turov. The original chronicle, in its geographical outline, briefly defines the position of the named tribes. She says about the Dregovichi that they sat between Pripyat and Dvina; The Krivichi sat on the upper reaches of the Dnieper, Dvina and Volga, and some of them settled on the river. Canvas.
Even a quick glance at these photo-written works reveals all their incompleteness and uncertainty. When studying subsequent information, with the help of other indicated photographs of cities, it is possible to determine the political boundaries of the named principalities with greater accuracy.