A HISTORY OF THE SWEDISH PEOPLE Where did the Swedes come from? There are numerous eo ra!

hica" studies# archaeo"o ica" findin s# historica" accounts and written e$idences which confirm much of Scandina$ian histor%& 'ost of the written histor% (e ins after )** AD& There is stron e$idence that Swedish !redecessors were an a ressi$e refu ee +(oat,!eo!"e+ who first came from the ancient cit% of Tro%& Located in northwest Asia 'inor -!resent,da% northwest Tur.e%/# the ruins of Tro% were disco$ered in 012*& Tro% -or Troi/ e3isted o$er 4*** %ears# and was .nown as a center of ancient ci$i"i5ations& Its inha(itants were .nown as Tro6ans -or Thracians/ in the !eriod (e innin a(out 7*** 89# which (e an (% an +in$asion of sea !eo!"es+ accordin to the E %!tians& The Tro6ans were ear"% users of iron wea!ons# and rode horses& E$idence shows the cit% of Tro% suffered throu h se$era" wars with :ree. and E %!tian armies& Tro% was fina""% "aid in ruins a(out 0;)* 89 (% the :ree.s# "ea$in the cit% com!"ete"% de$astated# which is $erified (% the fact that the cit% was $acated to a(out 2** 89& Remainin a(out 2* %ears after the war# an estimated 7*#*** Tro6ans<Thracians -ca""ed Dardanoi (% Homer# Anato"ians (% others/ a(andoned the cit% of Tro%# as to"d (% $arious sources -Etruscan# 'ero$in ian# Roman and "ater Scandina$ian/& The stories corro(orate the fina" da%s of Tro%# and descri(e how# after the :ree.s sac.ed the cit%# the remainin Tro6ans e$entua""% emi rated& O$er ha"f of them went u! the Danu(e ri$er and crossed o$er into Ita"%# esta("ishin the Etruscan cu"turethe dominatin inf"uence on the de$e"o!ment of Rome# and then (att"in the Romans for re iona" dominance& The remainin Tro6ans# main"% chieftons and warriors# a(out 0;#*** in a""# went north across the 8"ac. Sea into the 'are 'oetis or +sha""ow sea+ where the Don ri$er ends -9aucasus re ion in Southern Russia/# and esta("ished a .in dom a(out 00=* 89# which the Romans ca""ed Sicam(ria& The "oca"s named these Tro6an con>uerors the +Iron !eo!"e+# or the Aes& The Aes -a"so Aesar# Aesir# ?sir or Asir/ (ui"t their famous fortified cit%Aes ard or As ard# a"so descri(ed as +Tro% in the north&+ @arious other sources co""a(orate this# sa%in the Tro6ans "anded on the eastern shores with their su!erior wea!onr%# and c"aimed "and& The area (ecame .nown as Asa"and -Land of the Aesir/ or Asaheim -Home of the Aes/& 'an% historians .new the Aesir !eo!"e as the Thraco,9immerians# since the Tro6ans were of Thracian ancestr% -c"ic. here for Thracian ori ins/& The% were .nown to the Romans as Thirasians& The :ree.s ca""ed them Thracians and "ater Tra6ans# the ori ina" !eo!"e of the cit% of Troas -Tro%/# whom the% feared as maraudin !irates& Histor% attests that the% were indeed a most sa$a e race# i$en o$er to a !er!etua" state of +ti!s% e3cess+# as one historian !ut it& The% are a"so descri(ed as a +rudd% and ("ue,e%ed !eo!"e+& Russian historian Aicho"as L& 9hiro$s.% descri(es how the Thraco,9immerians arri$ed in this re ion# and how the% soon dominated the "ands a"on the eastern shores of the ri$er Don& These !eo!"e were ca""ed Aes "oca""%# accordin to 9hiro$s.%# and "ater the Asir& E$idence that the Aesir were Tro6an refu ees can (e confirmed from "oca" and "ater Roman historica" sources# inc"udin the fact that the inner !art of the 8"ac. Sea was renamed from the 'are 'aeotis to the +Iron Sea+ or +Sea of Aeso$+# in the "oca" ton ue& The name remains toda% as the Sea of A5o$# an in"and sea in southern Euro!ean Russia# connected with the 8"ac. Sea& The Asir were .nown for their fi htin with iron wea!ons& The% were .nown and feared for their warshi!s# as we"" as their ferocit% in (att"e# and

>uic."% dominated the northern trades# usin the Don ri$er as their main route for tradin with the !eo!"e of the far north& The Asir !eo!"e dominated the area around the Sea of A5o$ for near"% 0*** %ears (efore mo$in north around B* 89& The time of their e3odus from the 9aucasus re ion# and their arri$a" at the 8a"tic Sea in Scandina$ia# has (een su!!orted (% se$era" scho"ars and modern archaeo"o ica" e$idence& As to"d (% Snorri Stur"uson -a 07th centur% Aordic historio ra!her/ and confirmed (% other e$idence# the Asir fe"t com!e""ed to "ea$e their "and to esca!e Roman in$asions (% Pom!eius and "oca" tri(a" wars& The a ressi$e war,"i.e Indo,Euro!ean nomadic Tro6an Asir tri(es came north# mo$in across Euro!e# (rin in a"" their wea!ons and (e"on in s on the ri$ers of Euro!e in their (oats& The Asir were di$ided into se$era" rou!s that in successi$e sta es emi rated to their new Scandina$ian home"and& Enterin the 8a"tic Sea re ion# the% sai"ed north to the Scandina$ian shores# on"% to meet stu((orn :ermanic tri(es& The !rominent :ermanic tri(es in the re ion were the :utar# a"so .nown as the :uta# :utans# :otarne or :oths (% Romans& These :ermanic tri(es were a"read% .nown to the Asir# as trade with the 8a"tic areas was we"" esta("ished !rior to 0** 89& The immi ratin Asir had man% c"ans# and the most !rominent were their Eri" warriors or the +Eri"ar+ -meanin +wi"d warriors+/& The Asir sent Eri"ar north as seafarin warriors to secure "and and esta("ish trade& The c"ans of Eri"ar -a"so ca""ed Car"ar# Eru"s or Heru"s (% Romans/ ena("ed the Asir c"ans -"ater ca""ed S$iar# S$ea# S$ear orS$ioner (% Romans/ to esta("ish sett"ements throu hout the re ion# (ut not without constant (att"es with the :oths and other immi ratin :ermanic tri(es& The Heru"s e$entua""% made !eace with the :oths who ru"ed the re ion& The S$ear !o!u"ation f"ourished# and the Heru"s and :oths formed a !owerfu" mi"itar% a""iance of we"",.nown seafarers& The Heru"s then# radua""% returned to their ancestra" "and# (e innin in the ;nd centur% AD after the% (ui"t a f"eet of =** sai"in shi!s# and terrori5ed a"" of the "ands and !eo!"es of the 8"ac. Sea and !arts of the 'editerranean# e$en the Romans& The% were the !re,@i.in s& In the 7rd centur% -;)2 AD/ the Heru"s contro""ed a"" of the Roman,occu!ied 8"ac. Sea and !arts of the eastern 'editerranean& There are se$era" accounts a(out how the Heru" warriors returned to ra$a e the shores of the 8"ac. Sea and the 'editerranean# a"one and to ether with the :oths& The Romans noted that +the Heru"s# a Scandina$ian !eo!"e# to ether with the :oths# were# from the 7rd centur%# ra$a in the 8"ac. Sea# Asia 'inor and the 'editerranean&+ The Romans ca""ed the Scandina$ian re ion +Thu"e+# whi"e :ree.s .new it as +Scandia+# and others ca""ed the area +Scand5a+& The term Scandia comes from the descendants of Ash.ena5 - randson of Aoah in the 8i("e/& Dnown as the As.aeni# the% were first !eo!"es to mi rate to Aorthern Euro!e# namin the "and Ascania& Latin writers and :ree.s ca""ed the "and Scand5a or Scandia -now Scandina$ia/& The :oths are considered one of the descended tri(es of those first sett"ements& The first time Thu"e -Scandina$ia/ was mentioned in written documents was in the 0st centur% -2B AD/ (% the Roman citi5en P"inius senior& He wrote a(out an is"and !eninsu"a in the north !o!u"ated (% +S$eonerna+ or +S$earnas+ !eo!"e# a"so ca""ed Suetidi & Later in B1 AD the "earned ci$i" ser$ant 9orne"ius Tacitus wrote a(out Aorthern Euro!e& Tacitus writes in the Latin (oo. :ermania a(out tri(es of +Suiones+ or +S$iones+ in Scandina$ia# who "i$e off the ocean# sai"in in "ar e f"eets of (oats with a !row at either end# no sai"# usin !add"es# and stron # "o%a"# we"",armed men with s!i.es in their he"muts& He wrote# +And thereafter# out in the ocean comes # S$iones -a"so +S$ionernas+ or +S$ioner+/

!eo!"e# which are mi ht% not on"% in man!ower and wea!onr% (ut a"so (% its f"eets+& He a"so mentions that +the "and of S$ionerna is at the end of the wor"d&+ In the ;nd centur% -a(out 0;* AD/ the first ma! was created where Scandina$ia -8a"tic re ion/ cou"d (e $iewed& :ree.,E %!tian astronomer E eo ra!her Pto"emaios -Pto"em% of A"e3andria/ created the ma! and at the same time wrote a eo ra!h% where he identified se$era" different !eo!"e rou!s# inc"udin the +:otarne+# +Heru"s+# +S$ear<S$iar+ and +Finnar+ who "i$ed on !eninsu"a is"ands ca""ed +Scandiai+& Durin the +Roman Iron A e+ -0,4** AD/ e$idences are con$incin for a "ar e 8a"tic seafarin cu"ture in what is now Sweden# Fin"and and Estonia& The Romans were im!ressed with the war,"i.e Heru"s# and recruited them to fi ht in the Roman Arm%& 8% the =th centur%# the Heru"s were in reat demand as so"diers in the Roman Im!eria" :uards& Heru" factions were ma.in sett"ements throu hout Euro!e# fi htin and (att"in e$er%where the% went& In the "ate =th centur%# the Heru"s formed a state in u!!er Hun ar% under the Roman ru"er 9Fsar Anastasius -4B0,=01 AD/& Later the% attac.ed the Lom(ards# (ut were (eaten# accordin to :ree.,Roman author Pro.o!ios# (orn at the end of the =th centur%& He was a "aw%er in 9onstantino!"e and from the %ear =;2 !ri$ate secretar% to the 8%5antine mi"itar% commander 8e"isarius on his cam!ai ns a ainst the Ostro oths& Pro.o!ios sa%s (% the ear"% )th centur% -a(out =*=/# the remainin Heru" state in u!!er Hun ar% was forced to "ea$e& Some of them crossed the Danu(e into Roman territor%# where Anastasius a""owed them to sett"e& Historians mention that the remainin !art of the Heru"s sai"ed northwards# (ac. to Thu"e to reunite with their S$ear (rethren& E$idence of their e3istence durin this time !eriod can (e found on the fre>uent a!!earance of runic inscri!tions with the name Eri"aR +the Heru"+& Pro.o!ios noted that there were 07 !o!u"ous tri(es in Thu"e -the Scandina$ian !eninsu"a/# each with its own .in & He said# +A !o!u"ous tri(e amon them was the :oths# ne3t to where the returnin Heru"s sett"ed+& Pro.o!ios a"so mentions that +the Heru"s sent some of their most distin uished men to the is"and Thu"e in order to find and if !ossi("e (rin (ac. a man of ro%a" ("ood& When the% came to the is"and the% found man% of ro%a" ("ood&+ The Heru" (rou ht with them a few Roman customs# one (ein the Cu"ian ca"endar# which is .nown to ha$e (een introduced to Scandina$ia at this time# the ear"% )th centur%& When the Heru"s returned to 6oin the S$ear in Scandina$ia# the S$ear state with its !owerfu" .in s sudden"% emer es& The% (ecame the dominant !ower and wa ed war with the :oths# winnin ru"e o$er them& 8% the midd"e of the )th centur%# the first a"",Swedish .in s emer ed& This ro%a" d%nast% (ecame immense"% !owerfu" and dominated not on"% in Sweden (ut a"so nei h(orin countries& :othic historian Cordanes writes of the Suehans -S$eGhan/ of Scandina$ia# with fine horses# rich a!!are" and tradin in furs around )=* AD& The Swedish nation has its roots in these different .in doms# created when the Din of the S$enonians-S$ears/ assumed .in shi! o$er the :oths& The word Sweden comes from the S$enonians# as S$eri e means +the rea"m of the S$enonians+& The En "ish form of the name is !ro(a("% deri$ed from an o"d :ermanic form# S$etheod# meanin the Swedish !eo!"e& The ne3t S$ear con>uests (e an in the ear"% 1th centur%& 8% 27B AD the S$ear and :oths dominated the Russian waterwa%s# and to ether the% were ca""ed @ar%a ans or @aran ians# accordin to written records of the S"a$s near the Sea of A5o$& Li.e their ancestors# the S$ear "i$ed in "ar e communities where their chiefs wou"d send out maritime warriors to trade and !"under& Those fierce

warriors were ca""ed the @aerin ar# which "itera""% meant +men who offer their ser$ice to another master+& We "ater .now them (% their !o!u"ari5ed name# the@i.in s& The% often na$i ated the E"(e ri$er# one of the ma6or waterwa%s of centra" Euro!e& To the east of the E"(e the% were .nown as @aran ians# and west of the E"(e the% were ca""ed @i.in s& Thus (e ins the era .nown as the @i.in A e# 2=*,0*)) AD& Once a ain the S$ear (e an returnin to the !"aces of their ancestors# sai"in ri$ers which stretched dee! into Russia# esta("ishin tradin stations and !rinci!a"ities& @i.in s ne$er ca""ed themse"$es @i.in s& Hn"i.e @aran ian# the term @i.in !ro(a("% ori inated from Fran.ish chronic"ers who first ca""ed them +@i.$er6ar+ -tra$e"ers (% sea/# Aordic in$aders who attac.ed the cit% of Aantes -in !resent,da% France/ in 147 AD& The word +$i.+ means (a% or f6ord in O"d Aorse# and "ater meant +one who came out from or fre>uented in"ets to the sea+& @i.in and @aran ian e$entua""% (ecame s%non%mous# meanin +someone who tra$e"s or is !assin throu h#+ whether merchant# mercenar%# or marauder& Their acti$ities consisted of tradin # !"underin and ma.in tem!orar% sett"ements -see @i.in Routes/& Finnish !eo!"es referred to the Swedish $o%a ers as Ruotsi# Rotsi or Rus in contrast with S"a$ic !eo!"es# which was deri$ed from the name of the Swedish maritime district in H!!"and# ca""ed +Ros"a en+# and its inha(itants# .nown as +Rods.ar"ar+& Rods.ar"ar or Roths.ar"ar meant +rowers+ or +seamen+& Those Swedish con>uerers# sett"ed in Eastern Euro!e# ado!ted the names of "oca" tri(es# inte rated with the S"a$s# and e$entua""% the word +Rusi+# +Rhos+ or +Rus+ came to refer to the inha(itants& The Ara( writer I(n Dustah wrote that Swedish @i.in s were (ra$e and $a"iant# utter"% !"underin and $an>uishin a"" !eo!"e the% came a ainst& Later# the Ara(ic di!"omat I(n Fad"an# whi"e $isitin 8u" ar -8u" aria/ durin the summer of B;;# saw the Swedish @i.in s -Rus/ arri$e# and he wroteI +Ae$er (efore ha$e I seen !eo!"e of more !erfect !h%si>ueJ the% were ta"" "i.e !a"m trees# ("onde# with a few of them red& The% do not wear an% 6ac.ets or .aftaner -ro(es/# the men instead wear dress which co$ers one side of the (od% (ut "ea$es one hand free& E$er% one of them (rin s with him an a3e# a sword and a .nife&+ Their descri!tions are are simi"ar to the dress# armor and (att"e st%"e of @i.in Gs Tro6an warriors ancestors& The @i.in s inc"uded man% tri(es and .in doms from around the 8a"tic Sea# inc"udin the S$ear from Sweden# the Aorde from Aorwa%# the Danes from Denmar.# the Cutes from Cute"and -now !art of Denmar./# the :oths from :ot"and -now !art of Sweden/# the A"ands from K"and -now !art of Fin"and/# the Finns from Fin"and# and others& The S$ear @i.in s tra$e"ed !rimari"% east to the 'editerranean -what is now Russia and Tur.e%/# where the% had (een returnin re u"ar"% since "ea$in the re ion B** %ears ear"ier& Su(se>uent @i.in raids and e3!editions co$ered areas dee! into Russia# the 'idd"e East# Euro!e and America# endin in the 00th centur% -a(out 0*)) AD/ after the introduction of 9hristianit% around the %ear 0*** AD& Dudo of Saint Luentin# a Aorman historian# wrote (etween 0*0= and 0*7* AD +The Histor% of the Aormans+ where he ca""ed the @i.in s +crue"# harsh# destructi$e# trou("esome# wi"d# ferocious# "ustfu"# "aw"ess# death,dea"in # arro ant# un od"% and more monstrous than a"" the rest&+ When 9hristianit% ended the @i.in A e# .in shi!s and !ro$inces of Sweden com(ined to form one countr%& The dominant .in durin the @i.in A e was from the Eri. fami"% of H!!sa"a& One of the first Swedish monarchs in recorded histor% was O"of S.ot.onun # a descendant of the

Eri. fami"%& O"of and his descendants ru"ed Sweden from a(out BB= to 0*)* AD& SwedenGs first arch(isho! arri$ed in the 0;th centur% -00)4/