Member of an Indo-European people, speaking
closely related Slavonic languages. Their
ancestors are believed to have included the
Sarmatians and Scythians. Moving west from
Central Asia, they settled E and SE Europe
during the 2nd and 3rd millennia BC. There
are now three groups: Eastern (Russians,
Byelorussians, and Ukrainians); Western
(Poles, Czechs, Slovaks, and Sorbs or Wends)
and Southern (Serbs, Croats, Slovenes,
Macedonians, and Bulgars). By the 7th century
AD they were the predominant population of E
and SE Europe. During the 9th century they
adopted Christianity, and in the course of
the Middle Ages were expelled from E Germany.