The term Venedes is used in a number of ancient texts, starting with Tacitus, to describe an ethnic group living (presumably) in Central Europe. The exact identity of the Venedes is hotly debated, and most of the theories put forward surrounding them are controversial.
According to one theory, the Venedes are simply the same as the people now called Slavs. According to another theory, however, the Venedes were a distinct group, either indigenous to the area or simply a separate wave of immigrants. Those who see the Venedes as a separate group generally claim that the Venedes eventually merged with the Slavs, forming the modern Slavic ethnicity. Some, however, believe that the modern Slovenians are the direct descendents of the Venedes, and are not (as commonly claimed) Slavic.
The linguistic study of the term "Venedes" is similarly controversial. Some see it as being linked to the name "Slovenia", and some also claim a link to "Venice" (which is adjacent to Slovenia). Other hypotetically related names or variations are "Wends", "Veneti", "Veneds", "Venetkeni", "Venetkini", "Venedi", "Vinedi", "Vendi", "Venethi", "Sclavi", "Sclavini", "Sclaveni", "Slovonici", "Slobenoi", "Wenets", "Venets" and "Wenetes".
Interestingly, the name for Russia in Finnish is Venäjä (Vene in Estonian) which is believed to be derived from the name of Venedes. It appears ancient Finns knew distant Venedes well enough to recognize their linguistic ties with Eastern Slavs. It has been seen as a proof of direct contacts between ancient Fennic and Slavic peoples.
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