THE SCENE: In this remarkable example of early internationalism, the rulers of medieval Russia (Kiev) and Byzantium entered into a treaty to rescue any of each other’s citizens who had fallen into slavery.
THE TEXT: From this time forth, if a prisoner of either nation is in durance either of the Russes or of the Greeks, and then sold into another country, any Russ or Greek who happens to be in that locality shall purchase the prisoner and return the person thus purchased to his own native country. The purchaser shall be indemnified for the amount thus expended, or else the value of the prisoner’s daily labor shall be reckoned towards the purchase money. If any Russ be taken prisoner by the Greeks, he shall likewise be sent back to his native land, and his purchase price shall be repaid, as has been stipulated, according to his value.
– Tales of Bygone Years, Nestor, 12th Century AD
