So they crossed over against them, but finding them massed together, not scattered abroad as on the previous occasion, not merely did they achieve nothing but actually suffered the most frightful reverse. “And so, when according to custom the garrison was once more dispatched from Salona, not the same men as before but others, they too decided to do what their predecessors had done. They therefore decided to bide their time and in this way to discover the whole.” Now when the Avars came back from their military expedition and learnt from their losses what had happened, they were confounded, but know not from what quarter this blow had come Falling suddenly upon them, therefore, they made them prisoner, and returned unmolested, carrying off this booty to Salona. So they crossed, and found only the women and children of the Avars, the men and youths being on a military expedition.
“On one occasion, therefore, they decided to cross over and investigate who they were that had their abode there. The men of Dalmatia who went there every year would often see the beasts and men on the far side of the river.” For the Avars had their haunts on the far side of the river Danube, where now are the Turks , and led a nomad life. Now, every year a force of cavalry from the other cities of Dalmatia used to collect at, and be despatched from Salona, to the number of a thousand, and they would keep guard on the river Danube, on account of the Avars. Near Spalato is a city called Salona, built by the Emperor Diocletian Spalato itself was also built by Diocletian, and his palace was there, but at Salona dwelt his nobles and large numbers of the common folk. All this area was under the rule of the Romans, and this province was the most illustrious of all the provinces of the west however, it was taken by the nations of the Slavs in the following manner. In olden times, therefore, Dalmatia used to start at the confines of Dyrrachium, or Antibari, and used to extend as far as the mountains of Istria, and spread out as far as the river Danube. “They, then, who are inquiring into the taking of Dalmatia also, how it was taken but the nations of the Slavs, may learn of it from what follows but first of all its geographical position must be told. For this reason we are giving, for the benefit of all who come after us, a plain account both of these matter and of certain others worthy of attention, so that the resulting good may be twofold.” “If knowledge be a good thing for all, then we too are approaching it by arriving at the knowledge of events. Chapter 50 – the story of the Peloponnesian Slavs – the tribes of the Milingoi and Ezeritai.Chapter 49 – the story of the Slavs around Patras.Chapter 41 – the story of Svantopolk of Moravia.Chapter 36 – the story of the Slavic Pagani who were also known as the Arentani.Chapter 35 – the story of the Diocletians (which also mentions the Croats).Chapter 33 – story of the Slavic Zachlumi (including a reference to a Byzantine patrician who came form the unbaptized tribe of who dwell on the Vistula and are called “Litziki”).Chapter 32 – story of the Serbs and their arrival and dealings with the Croats and Bulgarians.Chapter 31 – another story of the Croats’ arrival.