A History Of Russia Central Asia And Mongolia Vol 1 Inner Eurasia From Prehistory To The Mongol Empire Guide
The keyword of this volume is not just geography—it is the concept of versus Outer Eurasia. Outer Eurasia refers to the sedentary, agrarian civilizations: China, India, Persia, and Europe. Inner Eurasia refers to the harsh, northern arc of forests, steppes, and deserts where rainfall is too scarce for consistent agriculture.
Most history books start with the Silk Road or the Mongols. Christian starts with prehistory and biology , showing how the evolution of horses and metallurgy set the stage for later empires. The keyword of this volume is not just
Located in the North Caucasus and lower Volga, the Khazars blocked the tide of Arab expansion, saving Eastern Europe from conquest. They created a religiously tolerant, commercially vibrant empire that controlled the Silk Road’s northern route. Their collapse in the 10th century created the power vacuum that allowed the Rus to expand east and the Pechenegs to wander west. Most history books start with the Silk Road or the Mongols
Christian’s first great contribution is his accessible yet rigorous definition of the region’s ecological constraints: They created a religiously tolerant
