Mutual Influences of Norman and Slavic Military Traditions. “Wolf Warriors” in the Kyivan Rus’ Army during the Great Wars of the 960s—970s AD

• Main Author: Anton Bondarenko
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: RIUS 2020-07-01
• Series: Українознавство
• Subjects: київська русь; святослав ігорович хоробрий; військовий тотемізм; воїн-звір; «воїни у вовчих шкурах»; берсерк; вовк-перевертень
• Online Access: http://journal.ndiu.org.ua/article/view/204718

The article analyzes the tradition of “beast warriors”, specific military ritual associations, in the army of Kyivan Rus during the campaigns of the Kyivan Prince, Sviatoslav I the Brave in the 960s–970s AD. The article states that in the 10th century, the peoples of Northern and Central Europe had factions of “wolf warriors”, which stood out as a specific type of infantry and were involved in the most important combats. Legends about werewolves in the Slavic epics and descriptions of berserkers in the Scandinavian sources are analyzed. The intrusion of Normans into the territory of Kyivan Rus, and their participation in the Russo-Khazar and Russo-Byzantine wars of 964–972 is studied. The interactions between Slavic and Scandinavian military traditions, which are reflected in the archaeological findings of the ancient warriors’ equipment, are considered. Thus, scabbards of swords with specific images of birds (falcons) and predatory animals, as well as ritual rhyton horns form an example of the interaction of military totem cults and customs between the Slavic and Scandinavian traditions in the 10th century. The “beast-warrior” customs of Kyivan Rus troops’ combat style and the actions of separate assault detachments during the Balkan War of 971 (972) AD, mentioned in the Byzantine chronicles, are described in detail. The “beast-warrior” customs of Rus’ units and the actions of “wolf warrior” detachments in Prince Sviatoslav’s army were based on the totem fighting customs of the Slavic and Scandinavian tribes, as well as their mutual influence due to the involvement of Norman military contingents into the Rus’ army during the Great Wars of the 960s and 970s.