Historian Dr Vytas Jankauskas says he has found evidence that Lithuania was first mentioned in historical records in 451 – more than half a millennium earlier than previously believed. The claim is based on a manuscript housed in the Vatican Apostolic Library, according to Jankauskas.
Lithuania’s first mention in written sources is currently held to be 1009, in a story of Saint Bruno in the Annals of Quedlinburg that refers to a place “Litua”.
Jankauskas, however, claims he has found a much earlier reference. The historian identified the word “Lituam” in a 14th-century manuscript by Paolino Minorito of Venice, which compiles information from now-lost earlier sources. The reference appears in an account of Attila the Hun’s campaign in Italy.
“The context of the source is very brief. We know it was inserted into the story of Attila’s expedition to Italy, which took place in 452. One year prior, Attila reportedly sent spies to four parts of the world: Cologne, Zadar, Lithuania, and the Don River region,” Jankauskas said.
He acknowledged that the claim stems from a later group of sources and requires further study, but suggested it could be supported by archaeological and linguistic evidence from Lithuania.
“Initial research indicates the Venetian tradition is primary, and Venice may hold the original account of Lithuania. In other words, we now have a basis to investigate where, how, and when Lithuania was mentioned. This allows us to speak about Lithuania before the mention associated with Saint Bruno,” Jankauskas said.
However, senior researcher Darius Alekna of the Institute of Cultural Research cautioned that the claim is speculative. “There are many reasons why we cannot say this mention predates others by half a millennium. This is just a hypothesis based on a single text,” he said.
Artūras Dubonis, senior researcher at the Institute of History, added that the source has been known previously. “The geographical context does not indicate Lithuania. The text mentions the Danube basin, the city of Zadar, Cologne, and the so-called Litva – but this refers to the Leitha River basin in present-day Austria and Hungary, not Lithuania,” Dubonis said.
Jankauskas stressed that the discovery is preliminary and further research is needed to confirm its significance.
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