The Slavs in the 6th century North Illyricum Đorđe Janković,
Faculty of Philosophy, Belgrade* In the immediate surroundings
of Vranje, several early Byzantine fortresses have been
discovered, whose abandonment is linked to the Hun (Kutrigur)
attacks in 539 and 544 A. D.; the same holds more or less true
of other fortresses in southern Dardania and Macedonia Secunda.
The fortresses in adjacent southern provinces were abandoned in
571-586. With the help of late Early Byzantine fibulae we can
determine the provinces that lasted until the beginning of
Emperor Heraclius’s reign (610-641) in which, or along whose
borders, also lived Slavs, i.e. Serbs. On the basis of written,
archaeological, and topographic data, perhaps from as early as
the mid 6th century, the Serbs, and possibly the Antes, i.e.
Russians, lived in the upper Southern Morava – Pčinja –
Bregalnica – Lepenac area. Key words: Early Middle Ages, Serbs,
Slavs, Russians, Antes, Byzantium, Vranje. * This article is a
result of work on the project “Jablani