A New Chronicle of the Russian Royal Family

Author: Wang Zhonghe
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-05-01
Features: Novgorod means "new city" in Russian. In the mid-9th century, the Slavs of Novgorod were often troubled by invasions from surrounding tribes and weary of internal conflicts. Families and tribes were constantly at odds, and it seemed that justice no longer existed among them. To maintain social stability, they sought to establish a state, but several attempts failed. In the end, they sent three envoys to the Norse tribe known as Rus, asking them to come and govern. Read the excerpt: Geographically speaking, the ancestors of the Russians originated from the Pontic steppe on the northern coast of the Black Sea. This area is rich in grass and water, with a climate suitable for nomadic peoples. Earlier, the Cimmerians lived here, a branch of the Indo-European race mentioned by the ancient Greek poet Homer in his epic. However, little is known about their origins and way of life. Around 700 BC, they were driven away by the Scyths.