King Constantine Porphyrogenitus, in his work “De Administrando Imperio” around the year 950, writes the following regarding the origin of the Serbs:

“Serbs in the Byzantine language is a word that denotes slaves, and in that language the word ‘serbula’ usually refers to the footwear of slaves, and the word ‘serboulianous’ refers to those who wear cheap, peasant clothing. The Serbs received this name after they became slaves of the Byzantine emperor.”

Similarly, Archbishop Giljeljmo Tirski (1139–1186), in his document called “Monumenta Montenegrina”, wrote:

“…and all these people have their origin from those who live in that region, sent into exile, condemned to cut marble and dig ore, and this is where their name comes from the word for slavery — ‘servitutis’ …”