Jak malá byla Marobuda říše? Prameny k rozsahu Marobudem ovládaného území a jejich interpretace / Wie klein war das Marbod-Reich? Die Quellen zur Ausdehnung des von Marbod beherrschten Gebiets und ihre Interpretation

Abstract

How Small Was the Maroboduus Empire? Sources on the Extent of the Territory Ruled by Maroboduus and Their Interpretation. The article discusses the scope of the “Maroboduus Empire”, which is traditionally described as a vast power structure in central Europe at the beginning of the first millennium. However, the demarcation of its size and borders is based on just a few ambiguous mentions in antique written sources. The article points out that existing ideas on the Maroboduus domain are inconsistent with archaeological knowledge. The author critically evaluates written and archaeological sources and existing attempts to demarcate the empire, reaching the conclusion that its territory can most probably be connected with the lowlands in the northern part of the Bohemia. This area represented the permanent core of the Maroboduus Empire, to which additional Germanic tribes from outside the Bohemian Basin could have joined, although these were likely temporary and impermanent alliances. The Maroboduus Empire apparently never represented a stable (pre)state entity with permanent and respected borders.