To commemorate the 1400th anniversary of the formation of Samo’s Empire, Slovak Post will release a special postage stamp issue. The author of the design, painter Igor Piačka, has developed several motifs here. In the foreground is the figure of Samo holding a Frankish sword in his hand. Scholars, both domestic and international, agree that the Frankish merchant Samo probably traded in Frankish swords, which were a greatly sought-after commodity in the Slavic territories of the time. The raised sword, in turn, symbolises the determination of Samo to lead the Slavs in their revolt against the Avars and, subsequently, the Franks...