What traditions were combined with Greek to provide foundation for Russian culture?

Question by Michaelloves: What people’s traditions were combined with the Greek Byzantines to provide foundation for Russian culture?

Answers and Views:

Answer by Prof Scott
This is an oddly worded question in that the Greek Byzantines never ruled over Russia, but I believe the answer your teacher wants is Slavic and possibly also Nordic-Viking. Slavs were the largest population and language group in Eastern Europe, but around the Year 1000 they accepted (or were compelled to accept) Viking warlords as their rulers. This Viking ruling class never was a very large population, but they founded Russian cities like Kiev and Novgorod, gave “Russia” its name (from the Scandinavia “Rus”), and also provided numerous first names common in Russia even today.

Byzantine missionaries converted the Russians to Orthodox Christianity and provided the Russian language with the Cyrilic alphabet. But that was about it.

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