The Barbarian Empires of the Steppes

The word "barbarian" quickly conjures images of Attila the Hun and Genghis Khan. Yet few people realize these men belong to a succession of nomadic warriors who emerged from the Eurasian steppes to conquer civilizations. It's a part of ancient and medieval history that's often overlooked, but for an accurate view of how the world evolved, it's essential. Covering some 6,000 miles and 6,000 years, this eye-opening course illuminates how a series of groups - from the Sacae and Sarmatians to the infamous Huns and Mongols - pushed ever westward, coming into contact with the Roman Empire, Han China, and distant cultures from Iraq to India. Along the way, you'll learn how these nomads caused a domino effect of displacement and cultural exchange; meet fascinating figures such as Tamerlane, the "Prince of Destruction"; witness struggles to control the legendary Silk Road; trace the spread of Buddhism and Islam, and more. By looking past the barbarian stereotype, you'll understand who these people were, the significance of their innovations - which include stirrups, saddles, and gunpowder - and the magnitude of their impact. Of course, these warriors did wage campaigns of terror, and you'll hear many accounts of violence as well. Led by an award-winning professor, these 36 lectures provide new insights on how the world was shaped and introduce you to cultures and empires you've likely never encountered.

All Lectures:
1. Steppes and Peoples
2. The Rise of the Steppe Nomads
3. Early Nomads and China
4. The Han Emperors and Xiongnu at War
5. Scythians, Greeks, and Persians
6. The Parthians
7. Kushans, Sacae, and the Silk Road
8. Rome and the Sarmatians
9. Trade across the Tarim Basin
10. Buddhism, Manichaeism, and Christianity
11. Rome and the Huns
12. Attila the Hun - Scourge of God
13. Sassanid Shahs and the Hephthalites
14. The Turks - Transformation of the Steppes
15. Turkmen Khagans and Tang Emperors
16. Avars, Bulgars, and Constantinople
17. Khazar Khagans
18. Pechenegs, Magyars, and Cumans
19. Islam and the Caliphate
20. The Clash between Turks and the Caliphate
21. Muslim Merchants and Mystics in Central Asia
22. The Rise of the Seljuk Turks
23. Turks in Anatolia and India
24. The Sultans of Rum
25. The Sultans of Delhi
26. Manchurian Warlords and Song Emperors
27. The Mongols
28. Conquests of Genghis Khan
29. Western Mongol Expansion
30. Mongol Invasion of the Islamic World
31. Conquest of Song China
32. Pax Mongolica and Cultural Exchange
33. Conversion and Assimilation
34. Tamerlane, Prince of Destruction
35. Babur and Mughal India
36. Legacy of the Steppes