While often viewed through the lens of warfare, Inner Eurasia was the world's greatest highway. Central Asian oases like Samarkand and Bukhara became cosmopolitan hubs where Buddhism, Christianity, Manichaeism, and later Islam met. The nomads acted as the "protectors" and "taxers" of these trade routes, ensuring that ideas—from papermaking to stirrups—flowed between East and West. The Formation of Early Rus
Known for their exquisite gold art and fierce cavalry, these Iranic-speaking nomads dominated the western steppe for centuries. While often viewed through the lens of warfare,
In the western forests and forest-steppe, the roots of modern Russia began to take hold. The emerged in the 9th century as a synthesis of Slavic populations and Viking (Varangian) traders. This early state was deeply connected to the steppe, constantly negotiating, fighting, and intermarrying with nomadic groups like the Khazars and Pechenegs. The Mongol Cataclysm The Formation of Early Rus Known for their
Within decades, the Mongols had conquered the Khwarazmian Empire in Central Asia and the fragmented principalities of the Rus. This early state was deeply connected to the
This article explores the foundational themes found in the seminal scholarship covering Inner Eurasia from prehistory to the rise of the Mongol Empire. The Concept of Inner Eurasia