Nomads and Empires
Charting the history of the Eurasian steppe, including the Scythians, the Gokturks, and the Mongols.
Episodes
Introducing the Nomads and Empires podcast. Here, we talk about the structure, major themes, and important considerations of this show.
In this episode, we explore the geography of the eastern Eurasian steppe, an area encompassing modern day Mongolia and southeastern Siberia.
We examine the geography of the western and central Eurasian steppes and assess major trends and summarize historical developments.
Today, we look at the historiography of the Eurasian steppe and address the complexities, problems, and major historical trends of academic research in this part of the world.
We explore the prehistoric Eurasian steppe and assess the changes emerging after the global Ice Age.
Today, we chart the emergence of the proto-Indo-Europeans and their subsequent migrations across Eurasia, including groups like the Indo-Iranians and proto-Tocharians.
We assess environmental and sociocultural changes of the 1000s BCE and track how these changes would culminate in the kurgan of Arzhan 1.
We finally start the narrative and introduce our first named historical group: the Kimmerians.
Today, we explore the years 720-714 BCE as the Near Eastern states of Assyria and Urartu duke it out in a grand geopolitical struggle. All the while, the Kimmerians are making their way further and further into the region.
We examine the Kimmerian migration to Anatolia in the aftermath of Urartian and Assyrian invasions. We then chart the emergence of conflict between the Kimmerians and the Phrygians.
We chart the Kimmerians as they launched attacks against the Kingdom of Lydia, placing us closer to the eventual end of the Kimmerians.
On today's episode, we track the movements of the Medes, the Scythians, the Lydians, and the Kimmerians, as we finally end this leg of our journey.
In this side episode, part of the Tales from the Steppe bonus episodes, we dive into the tale of Boktu-Kirish, a story that derives from the Tuvan people. Come listen as we hear about the exploits of a young woman on a quest to bring her dead brother back to life.
Today, we introduce the Scythians. This episode provides a brief overview and dives a little into the historiographical development of Scythian studies.
Twitter: https://twitter.com/NomadEmpiresPod
Substack: https://nomadsandempirespodcast.substack.com/
In this episode, we broadly examine the different Scythian groups from the grasses of Ukraine to the highlands of the Sayan-Altai. We meet peoples like the Pazyryk, the Massagetae, and the Saka.
Twitter: https://twitter.com/NomadEmpiresPod
Substack: https://nomadsandempirespodcast.substack.com/
We look into the weapons, armor, and tactics of Scythian warfare.
Twitter: https://twitter.com/NomadEmpiresPod
Substack: https://nomadsandempirespodcast.substack.com/
On today, April 1, we assess the nomads of Middle Earth, the peoples who reside in far eastern Rhûn.
Twitter: https://twitter.com/NomadEmpiresPod
Substack: https://nomadsandempirespodcast.substack.com/
We examine the religious beliefs of the Scythians, as well as thoughts of the afterlife.
Twitter: https://twitter.com/NomadEmpiresPod
Substack: https://nomadsandempirespodcast.substack.com/
We analyze the artistic and material culture of the Scythians, and put a critical eye on the term "Scytho-Siberian Culture."
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/NomadsandEmpires
Twitter: https://twitter.com/NomadEmpiresPod
Substack: https://nomadsandempirespodcast.substack.com/
We continue the narrative by assessing the mythological and historical origins of the Scythians.
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/NomadsandEmpires
Twitter: https://twitter.com/NomadEmpiresPod
Substack: https://nomadsandempirespodcast.substack.com/
Relevant Books:
- Barry Cunliffe, The Scythians: Nomad Warriors of the Steppe
- Claudia Chang, Rethinking Prehistoric Central Asia: Shepherds, Farmers, and ...
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