Eilif Thorgilsson and the Mercenary Wends in the Byzantine Army in the Second Half of the 1020s
Journal: Античная древность и средние века
Year: 2024

This article attempts to define the ethnic background of the mercenary troop of certain “Vandals,” who, according to the Annales Barenses, were a part of the Byzantine army under the command of Orestes who acted in Southern Italy in the second half of the 1020s. The chronology of sources suggests the identification of these “Vandals” as Wends, or Polabian Slavs. The author assumes that this troop probably originated from the Obodritic tribal union, which established close military and political