Cambridge Ancient Hi.. - Index of

720 23. the balkans and greece 420,602
Towards the end of Justinian’s reign, a new tribal group entered Roman
horizons – the Avars, who were introduced to the Roman commander in
Lazica by the Alans, an approach which indicates that they were currently
located near the Caucasus; although displaced westwards by the rise of
Turkish power in the central Asian steppes, they appear to have had a formidable
military reputation, analogous to that of the Huns. Justinian welcomed
them as recruits to the trans-Danubian diplomatic game, rewarded
them with presents, and encouraged them to attack tribes hostile to the
Romans; Bulgar and other Hunnic tribes were crushed, and the Antes were
plundered. 63 These successes increased Avar strength and confidence, so
that they extended their control west from the Caucasus towards the
Danube, but their power was still modest, since Justinian was able to keep
the Danube defended against them, and at Justin II’s accession the new
emperor rebuked Avar envoys in public without provoking immediate
retaliation. Avar involvement in a new round of strife between Lombards
and Gepids led to the departure of the former to Italy, the subjugation of
the latter, and the acquisition of the whole of Pannonia, which henceforth
constituted the Avar homeland. New recruits and military successes, on the
Danube and against the Franks, allowed the Avars to create a federation, a
successor to that of Attila and with comparable strengths and weaknesses.
Baian, the Avar Chagan, dominated through terror an increasing number
of subject groups such as Kotrigurs, Gepids, Slavs and even a unit of
Romano-natives; archaeological investigations in Hungary have discovered
cemeteries of Avars or subject groups, the Avars being equated with
Mongol-type burials. 64 Symbols of power and gifts for patronage to followers
were important to the Avars, and these were extorted from the Romans
as diplomatic gifts or payments for peace; the Chagan’s pretensions might
be enhanced by imperial robes, whose export to northern barbarians was
prohibited in later centuries. 65
From 568 the Avars disputed possession of Sirmium with the Romans,
who had only recently recovered the city from the Gepids. In the early 570s,
before the outbreak of war in the east, the Romans could force the Chagan
to retire from the city walls without reward, even if they were defeated in
battle. But the transfer of resources away from the Balkans, especially after
Tiberius recruited a large army there in 574/5, weakened defences along the
Danube. The first to take advantage were Slavs near the lower Danube who
were probably prompted by a desire to escape from the encroaching power
63 Menander fr. 5.1–3; Kollautz and Miyakawa (1970) i.134–47.
64 Mirac. S. Dem. ii.284–6; László (1955); Lengyel and Radan (1980) 408–16; Kollautz and Miyakawa
(1970) i.184–99.
65 Theophylact i.3.8–13; Menander 12.5.56–68; Michael the Syrian xi.21; Constantine
Porphyrogenitus, De Administrando Imperio 13. Germanen part 6 for illustrations of the wealth of burial
treasures.
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