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Empires of the Steppes: A History of the Nomadic Tribes Who Shaped Civilization Hardcover – August 1, 2023

by Kenneth W. Harl (Author)
4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 116 ratings
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A narrative history of how Attila, Genghis Khan and the so-called barbarians of the steppes shaped world civilization.

The barbarian nomads of the Eurasian steppes have played a decisive role in world history, but their achievements have gone largely unnoticed. These nomadic tribes have produced some of the world’s greatest conquerors: Attila the Hun, Genghis Khan and Tamerlane, among others. Their deeds still resonate today. Indeed, these nomads built long-lasting empires, facilitated the first global trade of the Silk Road and disseminated religions, technology, knowledge and goods of every description that enriched and changed the lives of so many across Europe, China and the Middle East. From a single region emerged a great many peoples—the Huns, the Mongols, the Magyars, the Turks, the Xiongnu, the Scythians, the Goths—all of whom went on to profoundly and irrevocably shape the modern world.

In this new, comprehensive history, Professor Kenneth W. Harl vividly re-creates the lives and world of these often-forgotten peoples from their beginnings to the early modern age. Their brutal struggle to survive on the steppes bred a resilient, pragmatic people ever ready to learn from their more advanced neighbors. In warfare, they dominated the battlefield for over fifteen hundred years. Under charismatic rulers, they could topple empires and win their own.
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Previous page
  1. Print length
    576 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Hanover Square Press
  4. Publication date
    August 1, 2023
  5. Dimensions
    6.5 x 1.5 x 9.5 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    1335429271
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1335429278
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"The author covers an impressive amount of ground… Harl observes that the nomads had a lasting effect on the world. The Mongols, for one, brought gunpowder and the arts of papermaking and printing to Europe, and Tamerlane inadvertently shifted the seat of power to the north and west of his homeland from Kiev to Moscow… An ambitious, impressively researched study that will interest advanced students of world history." —Kirkus Reviews

“Harl examines in this comprehensive and accessible chronicle the substantial impact of nomadic peoples from the Eurasian Steppes on the development of modern civilization in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia from 3000 BCE to 1400 CE. Harl demonstrates how nomad invasions shaped history: the Hun invasions of the mid-400s drove Germanic tribes to seek new homes within the Roman Empire, leading to the toppling of Rome; Avar incursions into Byzantium in the 500s and 600s dramatically influenced the subsequent growth and spread of Islamic influence in the Middle East; and Genghis Khan and his descendants created a Mongol Empire that spread from Russia to Japan, drawing new borders in the Middle East and Asia that are still recognized today. While the steppe nomads could carve out an empire, it was not possible to rule from horseback, resulting in a pattern of conquest and collapse that defined Eurasian civilization for millennia; even the Age of European Discovery, Harl contends, can be attributed to the power and riches of the steppe empires that enticed travelers from the West. Marked by its meticulous detail and broad sweep, this is a major contribution to the understanding of how the modern world came to be.”—Publishers Weekly

“From Attila to Genghis Khan via Prester John, and from the terracotta army of Qin Shi Huang to the walls that Alexander built to hold back the hosts of Gog and Magog, this is a history of epic scope. Bringing together the empires of the steppe land with the caravan cities of the Silk Road and imperial China, Kenneth W. Harl’s encyclopedic account spans two thousand years of Eurasian history. It is a reminder that what happens in Central Asia seldom stays there but can have consequences that turn the tide of human affairs.” —Martyn Rady, author of The Habsburgs


“Harl has written a terrific, fast-pasted, history of the nomadic peoples of the Eurasian Steppes. It is full of colour and crackles with vitality – one almost feels the thundering of horses’ hooves. One thing is certain, Harl leaves little doubt that civilization is not just built from brick walls and marble edifices, but from canvas tents and felt saddlecloths too.”—Professor Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones, Cardiff University, author of Persians: The Age of the Great Kings

“[A] wonderful addition to your library....When you read [Empires of the Steppes], even if you're interested and have read a lot about this subject, you're going to marvel at [Harl's] ability to dredge up even things like personal names of some of these early leaders, things that were considered legendary... I am overwhelmed at the comprehensiveness of [Empires of the Steppes]."—Dan Carlin, host of Hardcore History

"There is no doubting the range and depth of Harl’s knowledge of steppe history."—The Spectator

"A vibrant account of how roaming warlords shaped technology, religion and culture… Much of this book is energetically written traditional history, describing battles between kings …Harl’s exhaustively researched book will ensure they rejoin the narrative of world history."—The Guardian

About the Author

Kenneth W. Harl is Professor of Classical and Byzantine History at Tulane University, New Orleans. He is one of the world’s foremost experts on steppes civilizations, Roman history and numismatics, and has written extensively on Greek, Roman, Byzantine and Viking culture. Empires of the Steppes will be his first full-length narrative history book for the trade.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Hanover Square Press; Original edition (August 1, 2023)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 576 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1335429271
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1335429278
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.25 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.5 x 1.5 x 9.5 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 116 ratings

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Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
4.2 out of 5
116 global ratings
A Brilliant Weaving of Vital Histories
5 Stars
A Brilliant Weaving of Vital Histories
As a student of Dr. Harl's Great Courses video lectures on Barbarians of the Steppes, The Ottoman Empire, and many others, I was excited to get his important new book, Empires of the Steppes. Finally we have a dedicated scholar weave together the linguistic, expansionist, commercial, and warrior histories of these famous but less commonly understood phenomena: the Mongols, Turks, Scythians, Xiongu, Magyars, Huns, and, of course the Goths. Now we have a clear picture of the formation of these societies and their profound effects that we see to this day. This book is also an academic achievement in its meticulous references in an approachable bibliography, supplemented by a smart glossary. Dr. Harl's book will become an important feature to any history course on Eurasia, for years to come.
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Top reviews from the United States

La Californienne Nord
5.0 out of 5 stars Erudite, Well-Researched and Fascinating: 10/10!
Reviewed in the United States on October 27, 2023
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Professor Harl has so greatly expanded my knowledge of world history, with first, his excellent Wondrium courses on Barbarians of the Steppes, and Rome and the Barbarians, among others, and now this excellent book. His writing and research are always excellent, as is his teaching skill. He’s the only university professor that I ever sent a personal thank-you letter to! I did listen to the Audible version of this book (reviewed separately), but couldn’t enjoy it because of the truly pathetic narration. What a disappointment after Professor Harl’s perfect Classical Latin and Attic Greek! I know Dr. Harl was on lockdown and unable to record it himself. So, I bought this print version because I need to understand the personal, tribal/state and place names discussed, something impossible with the mangled Audible version. But, I’m glad he kept himself safe so that he can give us many more books on the Ancient and Medieval worlds, especially those of Ancient Greece and Rome. I hope that, in his retirement, his writing career is just beginning! Next time, Audible must give him the right of refusal on the choice of narrator.
9 people found this helpful
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Amazon Customer
4.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyed it but needs maps!
Reviewed in the United States on September 26, 2023
Verified Purchase
This is an interesting book and covers parts of history Americans are rarely exposed to. My only complaint is that it needs some maps. Many of the locations discussed now have different names or are in obscure places. Keep your iPhone close by to look up various locations.
11 people found this helpful
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JoAnn Baughman
5.0 out of 5 stars Hustory and the horses impact on civilization
Reviewed in the United States on May 2, 2024
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This book covered a period in history that is still felt. Much of it today is still much inhabite and ruled by tribe rules and is still troubled.
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Harbinger
5.0 out of 5 stars A Brilliant Weaving of Vital Histories
Reviewed in the United States on August 2, 2023
Verified Purchase
As a student of Dr. Harl's Great Courses video lectures on Barbarians of the Steppes, The Ottoman Empire, and many others, I was excited to get his important new book, Empires of the Steppes. Finally we have a dedicated scholar weave together the linguistic, expansionist, commercial, and warrior histories of these famous but less commonly understood phenomena: the Mongols, Turks, Scythians, Xiongu, Magyars, Huns, and, of course the Goths. Now we have a clear picture of the formation of these societies and their profound effects that we see to this day. This book is also an academic achievement in its meticulous references in an approachable bibliography, supplemented by a smart glossary. Dr. Harl's book will become an important feature to any history course on Eurasia, for years to come.
Customer image
Harbinger
5.0 out of 5 stars A Brilliant Weaving of Vital Histories
Reviewed in the United States on August 2, 2023
As a student of Dr. Harl's Great Courses video lectures on Barbarians of the Steppes, The Ottoman Empire, and many others, I was excited to get his important new book, Empires of the Steppes. Finally we have a dedicated scholar weave together the linguistic, expansionist, commercial, and warrior histories of these famous but less commonly understood phenomena: the Mongols, Turks, Scythians, Xiongu, Magyars, Huns, and, of course the Goths. Now we have a clear picture of the formation of these societies and their profound effects that we see to this day. This book is also an academic achievement in its meticulous references in an approachable bibliography, supplemented by a smart glossary. Dr. Harl's book will become an important feature to any history course on Eurasia, for years to come.
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22 people found this helpful
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W. Curtin
4.0 out of 5 stars Where are the absolutely necessary maps?????
Reviewed in the United States on October 6, 2023
Verified Purchase
This was pretty much a text version of Dr. Harl's GCs course, which meant it was going to be excellent. Would give it five stars except for the astonishing lack of maps. Major pain to have to keep consulting my historical atlas, especially since it didn't have all the names needed.
16 people found this helpful
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poX
3.0 out of 5 stars Appreciated the scope and perspective, desperately needs visuals
Reviewed in the United States on November 21, 2023
Verified Purchase
So often, European history and Asian history are taught separately but the meandering intergenerational arcs in this book marvelously illustrate how interconnected our world has been for a very long time. While the book does not ignore the violence and atrocities of historical conquest, it does provide a helpful perspective on the motivations and human aspects of peoples disparaged as barbarians in the historical record of other nations. What the book really needs though is visuals. Many of the places discussed are not familiar to the casual reader, and even those that correspond to contemporary cities were often known by another name. Even a few maps would have been enormously helpful. There are also a number of descriptions of objects, such as coins and statues where a small photo would have been far more meaningful.
7 people found this helpful
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C
5.0 out of 5 stars Highly Recommended
Reviewed in the United States on November 24, 2023
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Highly recommended reading for any student of the ancient (or modern) world. Approaching the topic of the empires of the steppes from the standpoint of settled civilizations at their periphery can be exasperating. Before this book - and the associated Great Courses lecture - I had given up on comprehending the vague and inconsistent references to these nomadic tribes that I had encountered in literature.

Thanks to the broad, deep, and sympathetic scholarship that Professor Harl brings to this survey, a vast and mostly useless tangle of “six thousand miles over six thousand years” has resolved into a coherent foundation capable of facilitating further study.

Support your understanding of great civilizations through a better understanding of the empires that connected, and to some extent synthesized them, and support a scholar of rare erudition, courage, and greatness of spirit in Professor Harl.
7 people found this helpful
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Jehoshephat
2.0 out of 5 stars Really needed better editing
Reviewed in the United States on September 16, 2023
Verified Purchase
There were so many problems with the text that I didn't get very far before giving up. A paragraph on p. 18, for example, begins and ends with almost identical sentences, and what comes between them just seems like a haystack of disorganized sentences. In different places we read "forge" instead of "forage," "precious" instead of "precocious," and so on. There is a lot of repetition. All this makes the book very difficult to slog through. I wish the publisher had done a thorough job of editing: the topic is interesting, and a clean version of the text would have resulted in a really wonderful book.
25 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Jan Burgers
5.0 out of 5 stars Extensive
Reviewed in Australia on December 31, 2023
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An atlas or map of each country as they were read would have made the reading so much easier to picture
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Simon Merrell
3.0 out of 5 stars Make sure you have an atlas to hand
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 8, 2024
Verified Purchase
A fantastic read but as has been pointed out by others the lack of maps is baffling. The Bloomsbury editors must have considered this and apparently decided (or advised the author) that readers will already be sufficiently knowledgeable about the subject matter to know the vast areas covered in this book. I did consider returning the book because I consider it to be a profoundly flawed work without maps. The authority of Mr Harl's writing is undermined and its informative impact diminished by such a peculiar omission.
One person found this helpful
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