In order to trace the way of the Balts to the Black Sea, it is necessary to understand where these roads could lead to, who are the Balts, although it is clear from the very name of these peoples that they were directly related to the Baltic Sea. Obviously, this collective name in ancient times refers to the ethnic groups that inhabited the shores of this body of water. “The Baltics. People of the Amber Sea ”is the name of the book dedicated to the history of these peoples. Under this "cabinet" term dozens of nationalities fall - Prussians, Estia, Golyad, Curonian, Zemait and others.
Paths that existed before Rurik
The Black Sea, belonging to the basin of the Atlantic Ocean, through the Bosphorus and Dardanelles is connected with the Mediterranean, which, in turn, is connected with the Atlantic and Indian oceans.
It can be concluded that the routes laid along this sea connect a number of countries, and for the penetration of the
peoples of the north in India they are shorter than the envelope of Europe from the west. Since ancient times, this sea has been called inhospitable, Pont Aksinsky. This name was obtained due to the difficulties of navigation and the sharp hostility of the tribes that inhabited the shores of this reservoir. Nevertheless, the astronauts achieved their goals, and Hercules safely accomplished his exploits.
The paths of the Baltic states to the Black Sea were laid long ago, because trade was the main component in the development of ancient states. Of course, the Balts could fall into the Black Sea from the Mediterranean. But it was easier, faster and cheaper to reach the banks of Pontus by river and land, and then by sea make its way to Byzantium and further.
One of these roads was "from the Vikings to the Greeks." There were other ways, partly passing along the rivers of Europe, partly by land. Then along the Black or Mediterranean seas they connected the north with the south. Merchants found the best paths for goods in demand. From the north they brought furs, amber, ship ropes from walrus bone, raw iron and much more. From Byzantium, which had the highest level of development, books and icons, silk, wine and spices were brought. The "Golden Age" of the Balts falls on the II-V centuries of our era. At the very beginning of its heyday, the Balts resold their goods to the neighboring Germanic tribes, who sent them (mainly amber) further south. The way it was called - amber.
From the Baltic to the Mediterranean
The ways of the Baltic to the Black Sea led primarily to Byzantium or to the colonies on the northern shore of the Black Sea, and then through the straits to Rome and Greece. Or by water and land routes to the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, and then through the Bosphorus to the Black.
The most famous amber roads leading to the Mediterranean were such as the land and water route from the mouth of the Elbe along the German Weser with a westward turn, near modern Paderborn, to the Rhine, which reached Basel. Here again began the land to the banks of the Rhone, through which goods fell into the Mediterranean Sea.
The second popular road was overlooking the Gdansk Bay. Further along the rivers Vistula, Varta, Morava to the Danube to Vienna, then by land to the shores of the Adriatic. These ancient amber traffic facilitated the delivery of sunstone to many countries of the world since prehistoric times. Amber was found in the pyramids of Egypt and ancient Greek burials.
Amber ways
Later, when the Baltic routes to the Black Sea were established (warlike tribes were tamed, agreements were reached on the safety of goods), goods began to be delivered faster.
It should be noted that the Balts themselves (Prussians in the first place, since it was this tribe that inhabited the most amber-rich shores of the Baltic Sea) did not process or extract sun stone - they collected gifts thrown out by the waves. Moreover, they were surprised at the high cost of amber, which, as it moved away from the Baltic, was valued higher and higher. In ancient times, the center of sunstone processing was the city of Aquileia in Ancient Rome. Using amber routes leading to the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, merchants were forced to enter Constantinople through the straits. In general, there were a lot of roads connecting the Baltic with the Black Sea later.
Where on the water, where the drag
The ways of the Balts to the Black Sea were so adjusted that one of the ancient historians mistakenly claimed that these seas were connected by a strait. Of all the roads, there are three most popular.
The first was along the Vistula, San, Dnieper. The second - according to the Neman and the tributaries of the Dnieper, it was called "from the Vikings to the Greeks." The third road was laid and developed in the III – V centuries along the Neva and Dnieper. It should be noted that all of them were water and land, that is, some sections of the path were overcome either by drag (they dragged the ship along the logs), or the goods were transferred to land delivery vehicles.
Later, canals were dug at the site of the isthmuses. All the routes leading from the Baltic to the Black Sea first led to the Dnieper, then, bypassing the dangerous Dnieper rapids, to Pont Aksinsky. Later, many goods of the north were delivered by these roads, but initially, most of the cargo was amber, which is why they were called amber.
Further, using the Black Sea shipping lanes, goods were delivered to Byzantium, the capital of which was located on the shore of this sea, or to colonies founded by the ancient Greeks, located mainly on the northern shore of the Black Sea. The fact that, despite the dangers, the roads connecting the Black Sea with the Mediterranean have been mastered since time immemorial, including the legends and myths of ancient Greece.