Kenneth W. Harl explores the fascinating history and legacy of the nomadic tribes of Central Asia, illuminating specific figures like Tamerlane
Review by Shafik Meghji
In June 1941, Soviet anthropologists exhumed the body of Timur, better known in Europe as Tamerlane, the last great conqueror from the Eurasian steppes, who died undefeated in 1405. Days later, news emerged that Nazi forces had invaded the Soviet Union. ‘Rumours immediately circulated that Tamerlane had cursed all those who would disturb his remains, and for five years, many Soviet citizens likely believed this curse,’ writes author Kenneth W Harl. Five centuries after his death, the ‘Prince of Destruction’ still retained the power to terrorise.
In a sweeping account of the so-called ‘barbarians of the steppes’ that stretches across 2,000 years, academic historian Harl explores the turbulent history and enduring legacy of the nomadic societies of Central Asia. While figures such as Tamerlane, Attila the Hun and Genghis Khan are well known today – if frequently reduced to caricature in popular culture – Harl also illuminates under-appreciated aspects of the story. These include the significant role of groups such as the Xiongnu, whose forces matched ‘the power of the Han [Chinese] armies for nearly two centuries’, and the Scythians, who vied with the likes of Alexander the Great and King Darius of Persia.
Across Asia, the Middle East and Europe, the nomads of the steppes have been dismissed as mere ‘barbarians’, and uniquely brutal ones at that, for millennia. While Harl pays ample attention to warfare, he also spotlights their political, cultural, technological, commercial, linguistic and religious impact – from developing items as diverse as stirrups and the composite bow to connecting and cementing global trade networks.
The history is brought to life through evocative descriptions and memorable statistics, such as the staggering size of Genghis Khan’s army in 1227, which featured 129,000 horsemen out of a population of between 750,000 and one million, and the ceremonial pomp of the palace of 13th-century Mongol emperor Möngke, which included a ‘gigantic bejewelled silver tree’ that dispensed four types of alcohol through an ingenious system of pipes and attendants.
These vignettes help to paint a more nuanced picture of the enigmatic steppe cultures that, Harl argues, helped to shape the modern world.
