Konstantin А. Anisimov

Postgraduate Student of the Chair of World History, Belgorod State University

Belgorod State University

(Belgorod, Russia,)

Sergey V. Yartsev

Doctor of Sciences (History), Professor of the Chair of History and Archeology

Tula State Lev Tolstoy Pedagogical University

(Tula, Russia)

DOI: https://doi.org/10.22405/2712-8407-2024-2-8-20

Abstract. The article deals with the issue of struggle between Illyrians, Celts and Thracians in the Middle Danube in the 3rd – 2nd centuries BC. According to Strabo and Appian, the hegemonies of the Triballi from Thrace, the Autariatae from Illyria and the Celtic tribe of Scordisci succeeded each other. However, the ancient authors do not give any chronological references. In order to understand the confusing and contradictory information of Strabo and Appian, it is necessary to use data from other authors, as well as clarify complex issues of historical geography. Based on the analysis of the available data of the ancient literary texts, the authors come to the conclusion that the Autariatae could conquer the Triballi for a short time only after the Galatian invasion of the Balkans in 280 – 279 BC. The appearance of the Scordisci in the Middle Danube was connected with this invasion. However, they did not become the dominant force in the region immediately, but as a result of their struggle with the Autariatae and Triballi. Based mainly on the confusing and contradictory data of the ancient literary texts, the authors specify the dates of the invasions and migrations of the participants of these events, and raise an issue of the Middle Danube tribes’ participation in the Carpathian-Danube region and Eastern Europe. peoples ethnogenesis.
Keywords: Triballi, Scordisci, Autariatae, Thracians, Illyrians, Celts, hegemony, Thrace, Illyria.

Full text of the article (PDF)

For citation: Anisimov, KA & Yartsev, SV 2024, ‘Struggle for Hegemony in the Middle Danube in the 3rd and 2nd Centuries BC’, Tula Scientific Bulletin. History. Linguistics, issue 2 (18), pp. 8–20, http://doi.org/10.22405/2712-8407-2024-2-8-20 (in Russ.)

References

1. Abramova, VV 2004, ‘Ardieyskoye tsarstvo (III – pervaya polovina II vv. do n.e.)’ (The Ardiaean Kingdom (3rd – first half of the 2nd century BC)), Voprosy germanskoy istorii, DNU publ, Dnipropetrovsk, pp. 244–251. (In Russ.)
2. Appian 2002, Rimskaya istoriya (Roman History), trans. S. P. Kondratyeva et al., AST publ, Ladomir publ, Moscow. (In Russ.)
3. Yarkho, VN & Gasparov, ML (eds.) 2000, Aristofan. Komedii (Aristophanes. Comedies), trans. A. I. Piotrovskiy, Ladomir publ, Nauka publ, Moscow. (In Russ.)
4. Arrian 1993, Pokhod Aleksandra (The Anabasis of Alexander), trans. M. Ye. Sergeyenko, MIF publ, Moscow. (In Russ.)
5. Vitkovskaya, MG & Gasparov, ML (eds.) 2003, Afiney. Pir mudretsov. V 15 kn. (Athenaeus.The Deipnosophistae. In 15 vols.), vols. 1-8, trans. N. T. Golinkevich; Nauka publ, Moscow. (In Russ.)
6. Athenaeus 2010, Pir mudretsov. V 15 kn. (The Deipnosophistae. In 15 vols.), vols. 9-15, trans. N. T. Golinkevich; Nauka publ, Moscow. (In Russ.)
7. Herodotus 2005, Istoriya (The Histories), trans. G. A. Stratanovskiy, Ladomir publ, Moscow. (In Russ.)
8. Gratsianskaya, LI 1988, ‘«Geografiya» Strabona. Problemy istochnikovedeniya’ (Strabo's ‘Geography’. Problems of source studies), Drevneyshiye gosudarstva na territorii SSSR : materialy i issledovaniya (The most ancient states on the USSR territory: materials and research ), Nauka publ, Moscow, pp. 6–175. (In Russ.)
9. Golubtsova, ES, Marinovich, LP & Frolov, ED (eds.) 1994, Demosfen. Rechi. V 3 t. (Demosthenes. Orations. In 3 vols.), vol. 2, Pamyatniki ist. Mysli publ, Moscow. (In Russ.)
10. Golubtsova, ES, Marinovich, LP & Frolov, ED (eds.) 1994, Demosfen. Rechi. V 3 t. (Demosthenes. Orations. In 3 vols.), vol. 3, Pamyatniki ist. Mysli publ, Moscow. (In Russ.)
11. Losev, AF (ed.) 1986, Diogen Laertskiy. O zhizni, ucheniyakh i izrecheniyakh znamenitykh filosofov (Diogenes Laertius. Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers), trans. M. L. Gasparov, Mysl publ, Moscow. (In Russ.)
12. Frolov, ED (ed.) 2021, Diodor Sitsiliyskiy. Istoricheskaya biblioteka. V 3 t. (Diodorus Siculus. Bibliotheca historica. In 3 vols.), vol. 2, Rubezhi XXI, Moscow. (In Russ.)
13. Frolov, ED (ed.) 2021, Diodor Sitsiliyskiy. Istoricheskaya biblioteka. V 3 t. (Diodorus Siculus. Bibliotheca historica. In 3 vols.), vol. 3, Rubezhi XXI, Moscow. (In Russ.)
14. Domaradski, M 1984, Keltite na Balkanskiya poluostrov, IV – I v. pr. n. ye. (The Celts on the Balkan Peninsula), Nauka i iskusstvo publ, Sofiya. (In Bulg.)
15. Frolov, YuP (ed.) 2012, Isokrat. Rechi. Pisma. Malyye atticheskiye oratory (Isocrates. Orations. Letters. Minor Attic Orators), Ladomir publ, Moscow. (In Russ.)
16. Kazakevich, G 2015, Skhidni kelti: kulturi, identichnosti, istoriografichni konstruktsii (Eastern Celts: cultures, identities, historiographical constructions), Nilan-LTD publ, Kyiv. (In Ukr.)
17. Kleymenov, AA 2016, ‘Makedonskoye napravleniye illiriyskoy ekspansii v kontekste migratsionnogo davleniya na Balkanakh pervoy poloviny IV veka do n. e.’ (The Macedonian direction of Illyrian expansion in the context of migration pressure in the Balkans in the first half of the 4th century BC), Tsivilizatsiya i varvarstvo. 5: Vyzovy destruktsii v labirinte migratsii varvarstva (Civilisation and barbarism. 5: Challenges of Destruction in the Maze of Barbarism Migration), Akvilon publ, Moscow, pp. 245–263. (In Russ.)
18. Kolosovskaya, YuK 1973, Pannoniya v I-III vekakh (Pannonia in the 1st–3rd centuries), Nauka publ, Moscow. (In Russ.)
19. Malevannyy, AM 1974, ‘Fanula Papazoglu. Srednjobalkanska plemena i predrimsko doba. Centar za balkanoloska ispitivanja, Sarajevo, 1969’ (Fanula Papazoglu. Central Balkan tribes and the pre-Roman era. Center for Balkanological Research, Sarajevo, 1969), Vestnik drevney istorii (Journal of Ancient History), no.4 (130), pp. 160–166. (In Russ.)
20. Malevannyy, AM 1997, Istoriya illiriytsev i rimskoy provintsii Illirik (History of the Illyrians and the Roman province of Illyricum), Lev Tolstoy publ, Tula. (In Russ.)
21. Tyulenev, VM (ed.) 2004, Oroziy Pavel. Istoriya protiv yazychnikov: (Paulus Orosius. Historiae adversus paganos), vols. 1-7, Izd-vo Olega Abyshko publ, St.Petersburg. (In Russ.)
22. Pausanias 2022, Opisaniye Ellady. V 2 t. (Description of Greece. In 2 vols), vols 1-2, trans. S. P. Kondratyev, Ast publ, Moscow. (In Russ.)
23. Pachkova, SP 2006, Zarubinetskaya kultura i latenizirovannyye kultury (Zarubintsy culture and The La Tène culture cultures), In-t arkheolog. NAN Ukrainy publ, Kyiv. (In Russ.)
24. Petkov, P 2017, ‘Km nyakoi problemi ot politicheskata istoriya na tribali, iliri i kelti prez III – I v. pr. Khr.’ (On some issues in the political history of Triballoi, Illyrians and Celts in the 3rd-1st century BC), Thracia 22. Sofia, pp. 35–58. (In Bulg.)
25. Pliny the Elder 2007, ‘Yestestvennaya istoriya’ (The Natural History.), book 4, On the Countries of Europe, trans. B. A. Starostin, Voprosy istorii yestestvoznaniya i tekhniki (Studies in the History of Science and Technology), no. 3, pp. 110–142. (In Russ.)
26. Polybius 2004, Vseobshchaya istoriya.V 2 t., (The Histories. In 2 vols), vol.1, trans. F. Mishchenko, AST publ, Moscow. (In Russ.)
27. Nefyodkin, AK (ed.) 2002, Polien. Strategemy (Polyaenus. Stratagems), trans. O. Yu. Vladimirskaya, Yevraziya publ, St.Petersburg. (In Russ.)
28. Pseudo-Aristotle 1987, ‘Rasskazy o dikovinakh’ (On Marvellous Things Heard), trans. N.A.Pozdnyakova, Journal of Ancient History, no.3-4. (In Russ.)
29. Scylax of Caryanda 1988, ‘Peripl obitayemogo morya’ (The Periplus of the Inhabited Sea), trans. F. V. Shelov-Kovedyayev, Journal of Ancient History, no. 1, pp. 253–256. (In Russ.)
30. Utchenko, SL (ed.) 1964, Strabon. Geografiya : v 17 kn. (Strabo. Geography. In 17 vols), Nauka publ, Moscow. (In Russ.)
31. Tacheva, M 1997, Istoriya na blgarskitezemi v drevnostta prezelinisticheskata i rimskata yepokha (History of Bulgarian lands in antiquity, the pre-Hellenistic and Roman eras), Universitet·sko izd-vo "Sv. Kliment Okhridski" publ, Sofiya. (In Bulg.)
32. Titus Livius 2002, Istoriya Rima ot osnovaniya Goroda. V 3 t. (History of Rome. In 3 vols) vol. 3, books 34-45, Ladomir publ, Moscow. (In Russ.)
33. Tkachuk, MYe 1999, ‘Getika, kotoruyu my poteryali (iz antologii khronologicheskikh razryvov’) (Getica that we have lost. (from the antology of chronological breaks)), Stratum plus Journal. Archaeology and Cultural Anthropology, no. 3, pp. 274–304. (In Russ.)
34. Photius 2013, ‘Miriobiblion. Cod. 92. Arrian. O sobytiyakh posle Aleksandra’ (Bibliotheca. Cod. 92.Arrian. Continuation), trans. D. V. Meshchanskiy, СимпоZий Συμπόσιον, https://simposium.ru/ru/node/10519 (In Russ.)
35. Sextus Julius Frontinus 1996, Voyennyye khitrosti (Strategemy) (Stratagems), trans. A.B. Ranovich, Aleteyya publ, St. Petersburg. (In Russ.)
36. Thucydides 1999, Istoriya (The History of the Peloponnesian War), trans. G. A. Stratanovskiy, Ladomir publ, Moscow. (In Russ.)
37. Shchukin, MB 1994, Na rubezhe er: opyt ist.-arkheolog. rekonstruktsii polit. sobytiy III v. do n. e. – I v. n. e. v Vost. i Tsentr.Yevrope (At the Turn of the Era: Experience of Historical and Archaeological Reconstruction of Political Events of the 3rd century BC – 1st century AD in Eastern and Central Europe), Farn publ, St.Petersburg. (In Russ.)
38. Shchukin, MB 1999, ‘Zabytyye bastarny’ (The Forgotten Bastarnae), Stratum plus Journal. Archaeology and Cultural Anthropology, no. 5, pp. 75–90. (In Russ.)
39. Aeneas Tacticus 1965, ‘O perenesenii osad’ (How to Survive under Siege), trans. V. F. Belyayev, Journal of Ancient History, no. 1, pp. 237–268, no. 2, pp. 215–243. (In Russ.)
40. Justin 2005, Epitoma sochineniya Pompeya Troga «Historiae Philippicae» (Epitome of the Philippic History of Pompeius Trogus), trans. A. A. Dekonskiy, M. I. Rizhskiy, Izd-vo S.-Peterb. un-ta publ, St. Peterburg. (In Russ.)
41. Aristides, PA 1986, The Complete Works, vol. 1. trans. Ch. A. Behr, Brill publ, Leiden.
42. Barbantani, S 2007, ‘The Gloryof the Spear. A Powerful Symbol in Hellenistic Poetry and Art. The Case of Neoptolemus “Of Tlos” (and Other Ptolemaic Epigrams)’, Studi Classici e Orientali, vol. 53, pp. 67–138.
43. Dio Chrysostom 1932, ‘The Second Discourse on Kingship’, Bill Thayer's Web Site, https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Dio_Chrysostom/Discourses/2*.html
44. Drnic, I 2020, ‘The scordisci - A story from the verge of the La Tène world’ in G. Pierrevelcin, J. Kysela (eds.) Unité et diversité du monde celtique. Acts du 42e colloque international de l’AFEAF (Unity and Diversity in the Celtic World. Proceedings of the 42nd AFEAF international symposium), 10-13 May 2018, Prague, S. Fichtl.publ, Paris, Prague, pp. 425–447.
45. Dzino, D 2010, Illyricum in Roman Politics, 229 BC–AD 68, Cambridge University Press publ, Cambridge.
46. Emilov, J 2015, ‘Celts’in J. Valeva, E. Nankov, D. Graninger (eds.) A Companion to Ancient Thrace, Wiley-Blackwell publ,. pp. 366–381.
47. Greenwalt, WS 2010, ‘Macedonia, Illyria and Epirus’ in J. Roisman, I. Worthington (eds.) A Companion to Ancient Macedonia, Blackwell publ, Oxford, pp. 279–305.
48. Vagalinski, LF & Rodway, S (eds.) 2010, ‘In Search of Celtic Tylis in Thrace (III C. BC)’, Proceedings of the Interdisciplinary Colloquium arranged by the National Archaeological Institute and Museum at Sofia and the Welsh Department, Aberystwyth University held at the National Archaeological Institute and Museum Sofia, 8 May 2010, Sofia.
49. Papazoglu, F 1969, Srednjobalkanska plemena и predrimsko doba (Central Balkan tribes and the pre-Roman era), Academija Nauka i Umjetnosti Bosne i Hercegovine publ, Sarajevo. (In Bosn.)
50. Tarn, WW 1913, Antigonos Gonatas, Clarendon Press publ, Oxford.
51. Tomaschek, W 1975, Die alten Thraker. Eine ethnologische Untersuchung. Nachdruck der Ausgaben 1893 und 1894, Biblio-Verlag publ, Osnabrück. (In Germ.)
52. Wilkes, JJ 1992, The Illyrians, Blackwell publ, Oxford.
53. Zippel, G 1877, Die römische Herrschaft in Illirien bis auf Augustus, Teubner publ, Leipzig. (In Germ.)