Khan Asparuh - (06) - Nemesis of the Roman Empire, Part 2

[sornyota]

you all are wrong you whites and nigers piece of trash mightiest is lord ghenghis khan he and his children and grandchildren rule the world

[NikeBG]

@sornyota Of course. They not only ruled the world, but also the Moon and Mars. They would've even taken the Sun, if it wasn't for those Tengri-damned solar kamikaze winds!

[Pomaori]

@vasil21 No but you clearly appear to be one if you think that just because the Eastern empire outlasted the western empire that it was more developed than the western empire

[vasil21]

@Pomaori Apparently you have no knowledge of medieval European history start reading more and than come back to discuss. A small example Constantinople had close to a million people and was widely know as queen of cities due to its unrivaled wealth at a time when cities in Western Europe consisted of Roman ruins and huts. Rome itself was reduced to fewer than 30,000 inhabitants. This situation prevailed for most of the medieval period.

[Pomaori]

@vasil21 I wasn't referring to the Byzantine empire at all i was talking about Rome pre- barbarian invasion. The whole reason why constantinople and the remnants of the eastern empire were so successful was because it was governed under Roman law and ideology - Rome set the blueprint for the Byzantine empire to succeed. Ruins and huts ? Really Davinci was crafting works of genius from a Run down hut ? History is for accuracy not nationalist fervour

[NikeBG]

@Pomaori, if you use one more insult, I'll block you.

And, btw, it's a generally accepted fact that up until the 13th century, South-Eastern Europe and Byzantium in particular were noticeably ahead of the Western European factions in pretty much everything. The 13th c. was the turning point when the West started overpowering the East.

[arrowakano]

why dont they have these movies dubbed in english pleeeeeaaaasssse

[NikeBG]

@arrowakano This one in particular has an English-dubbed version, produced by the Warner Bros - it's called "681 - Glory of the Khan", a much shortened version (3 movies reduced to 1) and with a pretty bad quality.

[arrowakano]

@NikeBG thanks bud i love ancient historical pieces and it seems like europe has the most specialy medeivel just wish i could understand them all

[arrowakano]

@NikeBG thanks bud i'll look it up

[Sixb0nes1]

@arrowakano watch?v=YRqVgGvW6Vc

[NikeBG]

@arrowakano Btw, I've recently finished translating (to English) the subtitles for the three movies and a link to them can be found in the video description.

[DimboTel]

I am Bulgarian but for the sake of civilization it probably would have been better if the Byzantines had tried to accomodate and integrate Asparukh's Bulgars rather than fight them outright

[alexamada]

"The barbarians! They're coming in our rear!"

lol

[fobos28]

I've heard but Byzantine in its history, eat a lot more afraid of us

Have you heard Kaloyan Romeo killer

[Nadiaang]

East roman empire = Byzantia = crapy empire

Bulgaria = Barbarians = powerful army

[NikeBG]

@Nadiaang Except that Byzantium wasn't really a crappy empire, especially when comparing it with the other European "powers" of the day. ;)

[Michaellxxx]

@NikeBG And what about Mike of Bermondsey

[NikeBG]

@Michaellxxx I'm sorry, I don't quite follow you. Please, explain!

[AzmasterA]

@Nadiaang

Are you on crack? every heard of Basil the Bulgar-Slayer?

[NikeBG]

@AzmasterA If we're going to compare people from later periods, we could then also mention Tsar Simeon the Great or Tsar Kaloyan the Roman-Slayer. And don't forget that Basil had it easier thanks to Phokas and Tzimiskes. ;)

[Nadiaang]

@AzmasterA go read some history he's not Basil his name is Vasil ,and we're talking about different ages here Khan Asparuh lived and ruled 680 - 700 and the so calld Bulgar-Slayer neraly 300 years after.And somthing more if the people killd by that man were really bulgarian why is there now a country Macedonia at the same place ??

[NikeBG]

@Nadiaang Basil is the English form of his name, the original Greek one would be transliterated as Basileios.

As for the last sentence - because of 19th/20th century propaganda and political interests, combined with the popular at the time rise of nationalism throughout Europe and especially the Balkans?

[vaskobs]

@AzmasterA and .......... kanasubigi Krum which makes a glass of wine from the head (skull) of the Byzantine Emperor Nicephorus first and kills 50,000 of its army to me larger demonstration effect of this will make the head of the emperor of the late Roman Empire wineglass has mockery

[ilejovcevski79]

@Nadiaang

The Eastern Roman Empire was De facto center of culture, science and military power during the dark ages, and probably the only part of the civilization still standing in Europe. However the 7th and 8th century AD were pretty hard on them. They had civil wars and a long conflict with the Sassanid Persia (which they eventually won) that left them exhausted in both manpower and finance. And then the Arabs invaded, so the Bulgars i guess just filled the power vacuum...

[Wolfen443]

Wow, what an epic movie, it beats history and classic detail wise all the western cgi enhanced crap.

[gbgyf]

Very good movie ! Thanks for the subtitles.

Best regards from Romania, brothers !

[totherai]

on entire warfare games ive chosen NEMESIS ROMAN EMPIRE and im always satisfied with this game..

[NikeBG]

It's a good game indeed. :)

[ioan4o94]

The Film is Great...Every Bulgarian must watch it because it's very good and real film,not like today's Crap !

[realistromeo]

2:00 nice translation

[vasil21]

HornedWarGamer the "roman times" and their knowledge,science etc.existed long before and long after the arabs came out of Arabia.After all:

Roman kingdom 753 BC - 509 BC

Roman Republic 509BC - 27 BC

Roman Empire 27BC - 395

Western Roman Empire 395Ad - 476AD

Eastern Roman Empire 395AD - 1453AD

Roman statehood in one form or another 753BC - 1453 AD

Arab Caliphates - 7th century AD - ?

[HornedWarGamer]

ok i see i was wrong im sorry my mistake ;)

[vasil21]

Western scholarship tends to neglect the East because people there think the Western Europe was as powerfull back then as it is now but the truth is that it was poorer and less developed then the East and especially less than the Eastern Roman Empire.

[Elitecataphract]

well, that's true from about 476-1400's, but back in the Roman times, Europe was far more advanced than the Persians and other Eastern tribes

[vasil21]

Sorry ,under East I meant the European Southeast and Eastern Mediterranean in general - the Eastern Roman Empire, Bulgaria, the Arabs because we were talking only in European context. Otherwise I agree with what you are saying.

[HornedWarGamer]

thats not true in the roman time the arabian folk was far ahead on the whole world they already got math and all kinds of things whit the human body and stars so i conclude the arabic folk was far more advanced

[NikeBG]

Not entirely true. The Arabs gained those advances only in Byzantine times, as they "inherited" part of the knowledge which the Byzantines preserved and which the Western Europeans didn't. So only in those times the Arabs were more advanced than the Western Europeans. While in (early) Roman times they were just a bunch of desert-dwellers.

[Melegorm]

Thank you for this! There are very few depictions of Byzantine troops on film, and it's refreshing to see. Interesting project. Perhaps the Bulgarians also made a movie about Kalojan?

[NikeBG]

There is an old movie about Kaloyan from the 60s, probably the earliest Bulgarian historical movie, but it's also very rare and rather hard to find.

[Melegorm]

Glad to hear that a movie was actually made though - Western scholarship tends to neglect the East, at least before the Crusades. Thanks for replying and keep up the good work!

[NikeBG]

I found only one clip of the old Kaloyan movie: watch?v=H1jk_eCEySU . Otherwise, there was an episode about him in a new history show last Saturday, with a computer animation showing the battle of Adrianople from 1205: watch?v=zQ3Zzq9byOI (from 03:04 to 05:47), though it's not much.

[Jigov]

yea... and when the cursaders ( thos who destroyed Byzantion) came in bulgarian lands, they felt the power of our Tzar and ''runned like a dogs down the hill'' it was all abou money, like today. dont forget that, they robbed Konstantinopol that was their mission, to rob.

[abokwu]

1:59...."the barbarians are coming in our rear"?

Really?

[aeonflux67]

Damn.......thats just so Greek its hilarious.

[mathiyus]

i lol'd

[KillerOfDa]

lol k,aslong as ur no racist im happy :D

[KillerOfDa]

are u christian? or muslim ?(im also muslim)

[NikeBG]

Christian.

[KillerOfDa]

Chechnya,or grozny :D

[KillerOfDa]

i am born at caucasia,also if the north caucasia is one of the bulgarians homeland

then u shoud possible know that there is war vs russia

[NikeBG]

You mean Georgia or Chechnya?

[KillerOfDa]

hey emm u know alot about russian language also i see,do u know caucasia?

[NikeBG]

I don't know Russian (though, as every Slav, I can understand some of it, especially in written form), but I know the Caucasian mountains, yes. The North-Caucasian region is one of the homelands of the ancient Bulgars, so...

[KillerOfDa]

yeah thats treu,also,nice

[KillerOfDa]

ok,thx men,also how do u know that luch of this movie?

[NikeBG]

Google + it's one the most popular Bulgarian movies (and since I'm Bulgarian, it's normal for me to know about it).

[KillerOfDa]

the title of this movie hehe

[NikeBG]

The original Bulgarian movie is called "Khan Asparuh" (Хан Аспарух), while the shortened English version of WarnerBros is called "681 - Glory of the khan".

[KillerOfDa]

hows this called in english language?

[NikeBG]

How's what called?

[KillerOfDa]

nice subtitling,also nice video

[rangerdgd1]

Looks like every person in  the whole country was in this movie

[pavelvddd]

BULGARIA ABOVE ALL !!!

[vessobesso]

Chemical war lol... good that USA was not existing, they could attack us for posession of weapons for mass destruction ; )

[Wulle90]

Is this Russian or Bulgarian language ?

[vessobesso]

pure bulgarian, both are slavic - quite similar but diferent (as spanish and french for ex.)

[saske96]

or spanish and italian

[dimiccc]

LoL

[Wrs3000]

go guys in the tight armor!!!!!!! you rule!!!! kill them all!

[kubikmaster]

the dream of all gal, a guy in tight armor, ..not the guys you want your daughters to hang out with

[irishhunbrit]

no the dude is right, bavaria comes from the word avaria an archaic form of the word,just western scolars and the like, dont like to give hungarians and their brethren any credit,truth is they settled all over europe,britain,france spain,switzerland,italy.and guess what u all descend from us.

[spa05akw]

Bavaria comes from the word Bulgaria!!!

[Slawnikowic]

Bawaria comes from Awaria- ziemi Awarów. Bulgaria comes Bulgars. Bulgars comes from Wolgars. Wolgars comes from river Wolga.

[NikeBG]

Actually, no. I can't speak about the etymology of "Bavaria" (or "Bayern", for that matter), but while there are probably half a hundred etymologies for "Bulgar", the old one that it comes from Volga has long been proven wrong - it's the name of the river Volga that comes from Bolgar. While Bolgar/Bulgar itself could mean many things, from "mixed people", through "rebels" to "settled people" (while the latter seems to be the most supported by additional facts).

[Merlkir]

Bavaria isn't from Avars either. "One theory of the etymological origins of the name "Bavarian" is that Bai(o)arii was derived from Bai(a)haim (Boiohaemum in Latin), which is thought to be equivalent with the land of the antique tribe of the Boii and modern Bohemia"

so...Boii. Just like my country - Bohemia ;)

It makes sense since Bavaria wasn't the country of Avars, the germans and slavs living there mostly fought Avars.

[spa05akw]

- Bavara is same as Bulgaria. Don´t argue here on this cause the German proffesors did write about Bavarians being Bulgar descendants, and they can explain it. If you are better professor than these Germans, then send me real sources that says otherwise. Don´t send me hearsayings or coffe-shop history fair-tells.

[NikeBG]

Once again I repeat that Bavaria does not come from Bulgaria, at the very least because there's quite a linguistic difference between those two. And "German professors" haven't written about Bavarians being Bulgars, it's just one who presented a new hypothesis, not even an actual theory.

[spa05akw]

Ok. And what about the other theries? I can also call them hypothesis.

[NikeBG]

The theory is a hypothesis which has some actual arguments and fact in its favour. Thus f.e. both the ideas for Turkic and Iranic origin of the Bulgars are theories, because they both have some factual arguments in their favours, while f.e. the Ugric idea is still mostly a thesis. And all three are not a "law", since none of them is fully accepted by the academical society. But, yes, you're right - most "theories" today are usually just theses which are often presented as "facts".

[spa05akw]

2. And don´t forget that in Southern Germany there existed big Bulgar Reish dissolved around 650 AD. This Land was not recognized by Rom or Byzantium. But later Danube Bulgaria was recognized by Byzantium as independant country in 681 AD. Furthermore, Bulgars and Avars were same people and for some time were in the same Khaganate.

[NikeBG]

There was also no "big Bulgar Reich" in Southern Germany - there were many Bulgars in Pannonia, present-day Hungary, which were under Avar domination. Around 630 some of them fled to Bavaria, where most of them were treacherously slaughtered by Dagobert and the survivors fled again to the their relatives among the Lombards in Italy.

[spa05akw]

- With all respect, I do believe more German scientists - not you. I don´t think your theory is correct and those of the German scientists not correct. Tell that to them not to me. Tell them also that they are stupid and don´t understand history. By the way, I don´t know you, but are you historian or professor? Secondly, in our Swedish History Encyclopedia says exactly what I said. I prefer to believe in public books than people from the street, whoever it is. Don´t take it personally.

[NikeBG]

Tell me who exactly those "German scientists" are and I'll tell it to them. Because I can tell you a whole number of Bulgarian and non-Bulgarian scholars, basically everyone who's worked on medieval Central Europe, and they'll all tell you the same - the Bulgars were in Pannonia, not Germany.

[spa05akw]

- That is true that they were in Pannonia. I am not a big fun of Bulgars being in Southern Germany, but I will live the possibility open and will research on this issue. I am not convinced and where is fire there is a glow. It is not most important to me, but important Bulgar history as a whole and their doings in both Europe and Asia.

[NikeBG]

F.e. let's start with one of our best archaeologists, the late Rasho Rashev. In his book about the archaeological remains of "The Bulgars in the V-VII c." he speaks about a number of remains in Hungary, a few eventual ones in Italy and that's all it.

[spa05akw]

- Bulgars were not few. What is few is archeological findigs. Same goes for Thracians. There is still a lot to be discovered.

- This Rasho is not the only one archeologist on this earth and neither was not yet born in those times. You have to study parallell old chronicles and other things. Besides, archelogists do not have Monopol on interpretation of archeological findings.

- Rasho cannot proof that these 8000 slayed were exactly Bulgars.

[NikeBG]

- Thracian findings are quite quite quite a lot. Bulgar findings are also pretty much in the areas they lived - Old Great Bulgaria, Danube Bulgaria, Pannonia etc.

- Rasho Rashev was the best modern Bulgarian archaeologist and I might say he did his job very professionaly. And don't forget - history is not a precise science, while archaeology is.

- Exactly, that's what he says - it's just a thesis. And the only one about the Bulgars in that area. No other Bulgar remains are left there.

[spa05akw]

- Yes, there are. Budapest were two Bulgar fortresses. There are also other Bulgar remnats. Read the Hungarian professor Geza Feher on Proto-Bulgarians. There are more things left in Hungary. Besides, Hungarian language itself has Proto-Bulgarian words - mostly in military, economic and agricultural sphere.

[NikeBG]

- Yes, I've read Geza Feher, though his works are a little bit old by now.

- And archaeology is precise exactly because it categorizes what is available, material and can be see in the smallest details. While history is the one that speculates about it and creates most of the many many theses.

[spa05akw]

- Old, but not lies. He also talks about physical gods/remnants that are not worse than the goods taken from the earth.

- In smallest details "Thracian script", for example, was decoded by no archeologist, but by Dr. Guide.

- I am talking about books that can refer to true sources. Those who speculate or gives suggestions, they also tell so and the reader knows about it.

[NikeBG]

"Dr." Guide (actually Stefan Gaidarski) is a charlatan, sectarian occultist and is no scientist at all (he's supposedly a medical doctor, although only by "title"). And he hasn't decoded anything, unless how to draw followers to his so-called Thracian Church (where he's a High Priest, of course).

[spa05akw]

- No archeology can describe who were for example Scythians, Huns, Etruscans, etc, and who was who during the great migrations, if we don´t have written documents by those who witnessed in life or old historians who knew more than we.

[NikeBG]

Actually archaeology does differentiate between Scythians, Huns, Etruscans etc. and anyone who has read some actual and serious archaeological reports (not publicistic essays in an easy-to-read style for the masses) about these cultures knows so.

[spa05akw]

- Archeology is not precise without witness from old times cause it is not always written to whom exactly it belongs. There are Thracian gods in Scandinavia and no archeologist can say that Thracians were Scandinavians too.

[NikeBG]

Oh, and there's also one other funny connection between Bulgaria and Sweden (especially for the more aggressive Iranists) - they say there's a Varnu in Bactria and Varna in Bulgaria, so that would certainly show a connection between the Bulgars and the Bactrians/Balharans. But there's also a Varna mentioned in the Heimskringla, in Sweden. Why doesn't anybody think the Bulgars were Swedish then (or vice versa)? ;)

[spa05akw]

- Interesting. As far as I know the Pamirian theory is speculative and not waterproof. Ethymology without grammar, etc, is not any proof. Words can be borrowed. Oh, yes. There are some who says that Scandinavians came from Bulgaria. And some Swedish historians claimed that Sweeds were Scythians or red-haired Thracians. I also heard that Sweds came from Asia with Türks and that is why they han runnic alphabet.

[NikeBG]

Yes, it's highly speculative and definitely not waterproof indeed, that's why it's still just a theory. And I've also heard the thesis that some Thracians or proto-Thracians might have migrated to Scandinavia and become the Geats there. As for the Scythians - I think that was more or less what the Heimskringla said about it, IIRC. But, of course, it's also rather speculative and not even a theory, just a thesis.

[spa05akw]

- Are you, or archeologists, sure that there are no more undiscovered gods under the surfice? No. We have to follow written documents as well and logic explanations. Archeologists cannot tell you everything because there always will be new findings. Then we should make a closure on history and close the boutique (History as a school subject).

[NikeBG]

The only possible connection in this area is in the monastery cemetery near the church "St. Florian" near the river Lorch in Austria, the border between the Franks and Avars, where 6000 skeletons have been found and is presumed they might be of the 8300 Bulgars that were slain by Dagobert before the other 700 fled to Italy.

So, sorry, but I do trust secure archaeology more than the theses of *one single* historian. Especially when all other historians disagree.

[NikeBG]

P.S. Those 6000 skeletons were discovered and re-buried in 1879 and no special (archaeological) examinations have been made, so even that connection is, according to Rasho Rashev, just a hypothetical thesis, until new research is eventually made on them.

[spa05akw]

- You forgot to mention "slain while they were sleeping"! I red that, but has nothing to do with the other Bulgars.

- As you put it presumed 8300, not a law. And not exactly archeological proof.

- Many Bulgars with Longobards colonized Italy. There are about 4 miljon Italians of Bulgar origin. Not that little.

- Pannonia (Hungary) was populated by Huno-Bulgars, before Magyars came.

[NikeBG]

- Yes, that's why I said "treacherously slaughtered" - there's a character limit here, so I can't go into too much details.

- 9000 Bulgars went to Dagobert, 700 survived. Common math shows 8300 were slain.

- Yes, there were actually several waves of Bulgar migration to the Langobard lands in Italy.

- Yes, Pannonia was populated with Avars, Slavs and Bulgars before Bulgars conquered it and then Magyars conquered it from them.

[spa05akw]

- Magyars didn´t conquer Bulgars as a whole united army. These were Bulgar remnants who prefered to stay in Pannonia. That is why it was easy for Magyars to assimilate them. This Part of the world was not recognized by Rom or Byzantium as any organized Bulgar nation. So Magyars didn´t conquer pannonian Bulgaria, but different remnats, like Avars, Bulgars and Slavs, and some others.

[NikeBG]

I'm not sure what you mean, but Danubian Bulgaria, which after 805 included Pannonia, was recognized by Byzantium at least since 681. And I think later on it was recognized by Rome too - either during Boris I's negotiations with Pope Nicholas or during the eventual imperial coronation of Tsar Simeon by a papal legate (the latter being an arguable event, not a certain one).

[spa05akw]

- Magyars never conquered Tzar Simeon, for example. Transylvania was also within Bulgarian territory, but not for long, and was not consolidated. And nowhere is written that Magyars conquered Balkan Bulgaria from where they ruled. Magyars tried but were pushed away to what is called now Hungary. There were Bulgar remnants that fell under Magyars.

[NikeBG]

Actually they did - the Magyars first invaded Dobrudzha region and Moesia during the time of Tsar Simeon, he then allied with the Pechenegs and together they stroke a devastating blow to the Magyar settlements and thus forced the Magyars to flee to the west where they settled in Pannonia in what is now Hungary, which was until then under Bulgarian control (and which is testified by Hungarian sources as well).

[Doomseeker2]

be quite. The british are the desendents of Celts, Romsns, Saxons, Angles and Jutes never Bavarians.

[Merlkir]

:D you're funny. Seriously, if you've been taught this crap, Hungary has some wicked propaganda in schools. Read some real history.

[irishhunbrit]

U dont obviously know ur ass fro ur elbow,dont bother replying to me if u know nothing of history.Thieving czech gypo!

[Merlkir]

:D it's amazing, it truly is. How blinded someone can someone become by a nationalist propaganda. Not only your theory of hungarian origins of every nation doesn't make sense, it's just plain stupid. And you're calling me gypo...which I guess is a short for gypsy? yeah..well, we czechs are all gypsies, sure. :D Dude, I'm as white as a white people get. What exactly did I steal from you then since I'm a thief as well?

[coolwerwolf]

world is bulgaria the glob is bulgaria and greece hahaha

[NWM11Bravo]

id love to go back into this time with just 1 division of modern day soldiers with the latest weapons and technology......with access to ammo and rations via stargate LOL.

id rule the world

[zelda6991]

i know that would be awsome

[spa05akw]

What is you point?

[furion1234]

No just you on your own with a mini gun with unlimited ammo, you'd rule the world i swear.

[Oleerkilass]

no, somenone wuld shote a arow in his head.

[Tavi13]

guys get this through your head!!.. it was never called "the Byzantine Empire".. It was called "Imperium Romanorum" by the empires inhabitants of greeco roman origin.. thus it is more correct to reffer to it as the Eastern Roman Empire.. the last of the romans and true successors of the old roman empire!!

[NikeBG]

And later - Basileia ton Romaion, yes.

[legioVmacedonica]

is this byzantine empire? or byzantine empire fighting against mongols hordes?

i don't understand slave language.

[NikeBG]

The Byzantine Empire fighting against the Bulgar-Slavic union. The Mongols would arrive around 7 centuries after the time-period of this movie. There's an English translation in the video description box (in the right).

[cska]

aryan glory

[batbaian79]

velika Bylgariq!

[truthforgod]

the romans wernt in the byzantine empire in the 6th century just greek and other troops

[NikeBG]

Yes, the Romans weren't in the Byzantine empire since a "Byzantine empire" never existed in actual history, except in historical works (for the conveniency of modern historians). While in real the country was called "Roman Empire" and its people - "Romans".

[heathenss]

The Turk ethic group is formed about 5-6 centurie. The chronists are talking for Bulgaryans ages before this. For example in Second centurie there was a Bulgaryan state in Europe.Third centurie a Latin chronist writes "...Ziezi ex quo Bulgares..." and s.o.

It's well known that the Communists are dirtty pigs. So repeating this stupid teories, you help the commies in their work.

* And interesting how a "nomad turk ruler" could become a Caesar to the Roman empire :)

[cyclopse001]

JUST WATCH OK!!!!

[airboy52]

Khan Asparuh one of big Turk.Bulgarians thaks a lot for that great movie.could you tell me where can i download full movie?

[bigdaddy1869]

even if the actors are horrible..the old movie are awesome

[vasil21]

What are you arguing about?

[petiadinova]

bulgaria forever

[Morran09]

What year was the Battle? If it were after 210 B.C the Armour is very very wrong at the Roman Side...

[NikeBG]

Considering that, as it says in the video description, the English name of the movie is "681 - the Glory of the Khan", the two fighting sides are the Romans and the Bulgars and that the Byzantines are carrying the labarum on their shields, I believe it's quite obvious that the battle is around 681 AD, quite long after 210 BC. And what exactly is wrong in the armour, if I may ask? Perhaps you're a better historian than all else, who've graduated history...

[Morran09]

Some of the Romans in the Movie were Niggers, And The Romans were not Niggers x)

Just Auxilia, But they had a bad Armour...

[NikeBG]

Excuse me? Most of the Romans in the movie were soldiers from the Bulgarian army. And although I've heard that there were people from Africa who trained with our special forces at those times, I seriously doubt that anyone of them took part in the pictures.

[Morran09]

Yes, But the Romans were Totally White People! LoL! It's so easy!

[NikeBG]

You should first clarify what Romans are you speaking of! The citizens of Rome or the Roman subjects? As both are Romans and yet both can be not only white, especially the subjects from the African provinces. And this is if I assume that you're speaking about the early imperial period.

And, second, I already said there aren't any black people in the movie, except one single commander.

[Norguy77]

The Bulgarians know how to Defend a Fortress =)

[Norguy77]

they look like a compinasion of Seljuk hun and ottoman for me

[ruladrise]

HUNGARIAN BULGARIANS ROMANIANS ITALIANS FRENCH Expecially Germans every 200. ppl have Hunnic (turkic) DNA

[NikeBG]

You forgot the Jews, the Eskimos and the Marsians, which are all the same anyway! ;)

[goldmarker]

Yeah right! You wish!

[NikeBG]

This was ironic sarcasm, if you haven't noticed... ;)

[spa05akw]

Southern Germany was Bulgarian. In Swedish book it says that Great Bulgarian Kingdom in Southern Germany was dissolved in 650 AD. Maybe that is why. Germans of Bulgarian origin are called Bavarians. Bulgarians became Bavarians because of phonetic reasons.

[NikeBG]

You probably mean Samo's kingdom around the region of Moravia, Slovakia and Austria, which dissolved around 658 and has nothing to do with the Bulgarians (there might have been some Bulgar tribes under Avar authority though).

[spa05akw]

I don´t know anything about Samo´s Kingdom. I just repite what I red and it says litterarely Bulgarian Kingdom in Southern Germany. I was rather surprised. There is something else. I have some papers that iluminate the word Bavar and bulgar. I can send you the text if you give me your e-mail adress.

[Ballowall]

wow thats crazy

[WarlordZike]

Hahaha! lol! the horsemen used a dirt road with tire threads to escape! hahaha so ancient! the barbarians and romans had cars back then!

[klemaks]

communist are the hell..you see!

[mehnnan]

Is it true that the ancient Bulgars were actually Asian nomads from the steppes of Central Asia?

[mehnnan]

I also noticed that the tent shown at 00:17 looks like a Mongolian/Central Asian yurt.

[NikeBG]

The movie is based on the old theory for the Turkic origins of the proto-Bulgarians and thus, in this movie, they are indeed depicted as such. However, most modern historians suggest more of an Iranic-Turkic origins of the ancient Bulgars...

[centrum99]

Bulgarians were in fact Hunnic (Turkic)-Sarmatian mixture

Asparuh = Aspa-rauka ("he, who has many horses")

The few Y-haplogroup studies that are available for Bulgarians don't show any presence of Turkic C3-lineages, but they also aren't especially rich in Slavic R1a1. The majority of Bulgarians thus derives its origin from the old Thracian base.

[NikeBG]

Actually, Asparukh is usually translated as "The White Horseman", not "He, who has many horses". And Asparukh is only one of the many variations we know of his name - Asparhruk, Isperikh, Espererikh, Ispor etc. ;)

And genetical researches are indeed contradicting a lot to the official historiography and that's probably why they're used so rarely by the historians...

[Merlkir]

..and why they are so often used by crazy nationalists :D like Albanians, Makedonians and other goons who believe that Greeks are from subsaharan Africa. ;) People are weird sometimes.

[OliverNero]

they speak like indians but this movie is awesome even though its classic. The number of army was realistic

[DollyPT]

lol, barbarians.

[ROYALNOZGUL]

im 200 lbs lol

[lekotar]

It was a hard job doing such a movie back when there were no special fx and harsh political censorship watching over your head.

[NikeBG]

Which one? The movie is on Bulgarian, if that's what you ask...

[blackxs1987]

What is the language they speak?

[todorbb]

But this film was made when I was not born... I havent seen any western moovie from that time with Bizantic uniforms...

[todorbb]

The bulgarians are with 100% realistic costumes... I i am not sure for the bizzantians...

[Skaglio]

it seems a great movie but the roman costumes are simply ridiculous -.-