Ardagast

Who is Ardagast?

Ardagast or Radogost was a 6th-century South Slavic chieftain under King Musokios.

Menander Protector writes about Ardagast in his works, and he is mentioned in the Strategicon of Maurice.

The Slavs who plundered Greece in 577 may have been under Ardagast leadership.

After a treaty was concluded in 584 between Bayan I and Emperor Maurice, Ardagast raided Thrace penetrating as far as the Long Wall, the Slavs suffered defeats only twice, at Erginia river and Ansinon neighbourhood of Hadrianople by Comentiolus. The Slavs were later driven out of Astica region.

The raid in Thrace in 585 prompted Emperor Maurice to deal with the Slavs - sending an army with commander-in-chief Priscus and infantry commander Gentzon to cross the Danube at Dorostolon and surprise attack the Slavs in their own territory. The Army arrived at the Slavic camp at midnight, surprising the Slavs who fled in confusion, Ardagast fell on a tree stump and was almost captured, but luckily he was near a river and eluded the attackers.

Priscus sent lieutenant Alexander across the Helibakion to find Slavs who were hiding in the woods and swamps, they failed to burn out the people hiding, but a Gepid Christian who was associated with the Slavs deserted and showed a secret passage after which the army easily captured the Slavs, who according to the Gepid, were spies sent by King Musokios that just heard about the attack on Ardagast.