From Prehistory to Slavic Arrival

Deep prehistory in Slovakia is evidenced by stone tools from c. 270,000 BCE found near Nové Mesto nad Váhom. A significant find is a Neanderthal cranium from Gánovce. The Upper Paleolithic is famously represented by the "Venus of Moravany" (c. 22,800 BCE), a figurine carved from a mammoth tusk. The Neolithic era saw the rise of farming communities, with major settlements in caves like the Domica cave.

During the Iron Age, Celtic tribes, notably the Boii, built fortified settlements (oppida) in places like Bratislava and Devín. They minted silver coins known as Biatecs, which represent the first use of writing in the region. In northern Slovakia, the distinct Púchov culture emerged, blending Celtic, Dacian, and local influences, known for its advanced crafts and fortified hill-forts.

While most of Slovakia remained outside the Roman Empire, its southern border was the Danube River, which formed the Limes Romanus. Roman military camps like Gerulata (Rusovce) and Kelemantia (Iža) were established. The most famous marker of Roman presence is an inscription on the castle rock in Trenčín from 179 CE, commemorating a victory over Germanic tribes during the Marcomannic Wars.

In the 5th and 6th centuries CE, following the turmoil of the Migration Period, Slavic tribes began to settle in the fertile river valleys of the region. These early agricultural communities established the linguistic and cultural foundations for the first Slavic political entities and, eventually, the Slovak people.