Defining the Steppe's Historical Role

Beyond the Big Four Eurasian civilizations (Europe, India, Middle East, China) that dominated 90% of humanity, there existed a fifth major player—not a civilization, but its opposite. The Steppe produced history's greatest conquerors despite having 1/100th the population and no cities or formal religions. These nomadic warriors influenced world history as much as any civilization, creating an anti-civilization power that repeatedly brought empires to their knees. The ultimate historical paradox: how could Mongolia conquer China with 1% of its population?

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Bibliography:

A History of Russia, Central Asia and Mongolia by David Christian

The Invention of Yesterday by Tamim Ansary

Europe's Steppe Frontier 1500-1800 by McNeil

Plagues and Peoples by McNeil

Rise of the West by McNeil

Genghis Khan and the making of the modern world by Jack Weatherford

The Khan Trilogy by Khan Iggulden (fiction but is the best intro to Mongol history for lay people since the author does the research really well)

A History of Warfare by John Keegan

A History of Religious Ideas v 3 by Mircea Eliade

War and Peace and War by Peter Turchin

Fighting Techniques of the Oriental World by Rice

War in Human Civilization by Azar Gat

The Soul of China by Amaury de Riencourt

Nomads and Crusaders by Archibald Lewis

War! What is it Good for by Ian Morris

The Evolution of Civilizations by Carroll Quiggley

Who We Are and How We Got Here by David Reich

The Tree of Culture by Ralph Linton

The Silk Road by Frankopan