Troian

Troian. A deity of the ancient Slavs who was worshiped in Kyivan Rus’. He is mentioned alongside Khors, Perun, and Veles in old Ukrainian literature. His place in mythology has never been adequately explained. Some scholars believe that he was the god of the moon, night, and building (Serhii Plachynda), of the sun (Ya. Borovsky), and of war (Mykola Andrusiak). Bohdan Kravtsiv claimed he was the highest deity in ancient Ukraine. Other scholars deny the existence of such a deity and hold that the name belongs to the Roman emperor Trajan (Ya. Hamza) or to the triumvirate of Rus’ princes—Iziaslav Yaroslavych, Vsevolod Yaroslavych, and Sviatoslav II Yaroslavych (Stepan Pushyk).