-
The Barbarian Empires of the Steppes
- Narrated by: Kenneth W. Harl
- Series: The Great Courses: Ancient History
- Length: 18 hrs and 15 mins
- Lecture
- Categories: History, World
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Buy for $41.95
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
Listeners also enjoyed...
-
Cities of the Ancient World
- By: Steven L. Tuck, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Steven L. Tuck
- Length: 11 hrs and 48 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Cities of the Ancient World is your opportunity to survey the breadth of the ancient world through the context of its urban development. Taught by esteemed Professor Steven L. Tuck, of Miami University, these 24 eye-opening lectures not only provide an invaluable look at the design and architecture of ancient cities, they also offer a flesh-and-blood glimpse into the daily lives of ordinary people and the worlds they created.
-
-
Do People Make a City or a City Make the People?
- By Emily on 08-19-15
By: Steven L. Tuck, and others
-
The Mongol Empire
- By: Craig Benjamin, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Professor Craig Benjamin
- Length: 11 hrs and 34 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Mongol Empire was the largest empire the world has ever seen, forged by conquests across Eurasia in the 13th and 14th centuries. Yet despite the unparalleled brutality of the Mongols, they played a key role in launching civilization’s evolution into the modern world. In 24 half-hour lectures delivered by award-winning teacher and historian Craig Benjamin of Grand Valley State University, explore the paradox of the Mongols’ extreme barbarity combined with their enlightened religious attitudes and respect for high civilization, in The Mongol Empire.
-
-
Well Summarized but lacking human touch
- By Calvin M. on 10-01-20
By: Craig Benjamin, and others
-
The Celtic World
- By: The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Professor Jennifer Paxton PhD
- Length: 12 hrs and 52 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Following the surge of interest and pride in Celtic identity since the 19th century, much of what we thought we knew about the Celts has been radically transformed. In The Celtic World, discover the incredible story of the Celtic-speaking peoples, whose art, language, and culture once spread from Ireland to Austria. This series of 24 enlightening lectures explains the traditional historical view of who the Celts were, then contrasts it with brand-new evidence from DNA analysis and archeology that totally changes our perspective on where the Celts came from.
-
-
Focuses on what the lecturer is interested in
- By Marc on 07-29-18
-
The Real History of Pirates
- By: Professor Manushag N. Powell, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Professor Manushag N. Powell
- Length: 11 hrs
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
There’s an apocryphal story that Alexander the Great once captured a notorious pirate named Diomedes. The great conqueror decided to interview the doomed pirate, asking him what he thought gave him the right to seize the property of other people. The pirate responded by asking the emperor what he thought gave him the right to take property that doesn’t belong to him, including entire countries. The story goes that Alexander thought the pirate very clever, granting him freedom instead of execution.
-
-
Not an intro, but some interesting perspective
- By N. D. Hemingway on 06-21-21
By: Professor Manushag N. Powell, and others
-
The Horse, the Wheel, and Language
- How Bronze-Age Riders from the Eurasian Steppes Shaped the Modern World
- By: David W. Anthony
- Narrated by: Tom Perkins
- Length: 18 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Roughly half the world's population speaks languages derived from a shared linguistic source known as Proto-Indo-European. But who were the early speakers of this ancient mother tongue, and how did they manage to spread it around the globe? The Horse, the Wheel, and Language solves a puzzle that has vexed scholars for two centuries and recovers a magnificent and influential civilization from the past.
-
-
Excellent
- By Anthony on 08-09-19
By: David W. Anthony
-
Foundations of Eastern Civilization
- By: Craig G. Benjamin, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Craig G. Benjamin
- Length: 23 hrs and 22 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
China. Korea. Japan. Southeast Asia. How did Eastern civilization develop? What do we know about the history, politics, governments, art, science, and technology of these countries? And how does the story of Eastern civilization play out in today's world of business, politics, and international exchange?
-
-
A worthwhile "big-history" survey
- By Acteon on 11-22-13
By: Craig G. Benjamin, and others
-
Cities of the Ancient World
- By: Steven L. Tuck, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Steven L. Tuck
- Length: 11 hrs and 48 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Cities of the Ancient World is your opportunity to survey the breadth of the ancient world through the context of its urban development. Taught by esteemed Professor Steven L. Tuck, of Miami University, these 24 eye-opening lectures not only provide an invaluable look at the design and architecture of ancient cities, they also offer a flesh-and-blood glimpse into the daily lives of ordinary people and the worlds they created.
-
-
Do People Make a City or a City Make the People?
- By Emily on 08-19-15
By: Steven L. Tuck, and others
-
The Mongol Empire
- By: Craig Benjamin, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Professor Craig Benjamin
- Length: 11 hrs and 34 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Mongol Empire was the largest empire the world has ever seen, forged by conquests across Eurasia in the 13th and 14th centuries. Yet despite the unparalleled brutality of the Mongols, they played a key role in launching civilization’s evolution into the modern world. In 24 half-hour lectures delivered by award-winning teacher and historian Craig Benjamin of Grand Valley State University, explore the paradox of the Mongols’ extreme barbarity combined with their enlightened religious attitudes and respect for high civilization, in The Mongol Empire.
-
-
Well Summarized but lacking human touch
- By Calvin M. on 10-01-20
By: Craig Benjamin, and others
-
The Celtic World
- By: The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Professor Jennifer Paxton PhD
- Length: 12 hrs and 52 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Following the surge of interest and pride in Celtic identity since the 19th century, much of what we thought we knew about the Celts has been radically transformed. In The Celtic World, discover the incredible story of the Celtic-speaking peoples, whose art, language, and culture once spread from Ireland to Austria. This series of 24 enlightening lectures explains the traditional historical view of who the Celts were, then contrasts it with brand-new evidence from DNA analysis and archeology that totally changes our perspective on where the Celts came from.
-
-
Focuses on what the lecturer is interested in
- By Marc on 07-29-18
-
The Real History of Pirates
- By: Professor Manushag N. Powell, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Professor Manushag N. Powell
- Length: 11 hrs
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
There’s an apocryphal story that Alexander the Great once captured a notorious pirate named Diomedes. The great conqueror decided to interview the doomed pirate, asking him what he thought gave him the right to seize the property of other people. The pirate responded by asking the emperor what he thought gave him the right to take property that doesn’t belong to him, including entire countries. The story goes that Alexander thought the pirate very clever, granting him freedom instead of execution.
-
-
Not an intro, but some interesting perspective
- By N. D. Hemingway on 06-21-21
By: Professor Manushag N. Powell, and others
-
The Horse, the Wheel, and Language
- How Bronze-Age Riders from the Eurasian Steppes Shaped the Modern World
- By: David W. Anthony
- Narrated by: Tom Perkins
- Length: 18 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Roughly half the world's population speaks languages derived from a shared linguistic source known as Proto-Indo-European. But who were the early speakers of this ancient mother tongue, and how did they manage to spread it around the globe? The Horse, the Wheel, and Language solves a puzzle that has vexed scholars for two centuries and recovers a magnificent and influential civilization from the past.
-
-
Excellent
- By Anthony on 08-09-19
By: David W. Anthony
-
Foundations of Eastern Civilization
- By: Craig G. Benjamin, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Craig G. Benjamin
- Length: 23 hrs and 22 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
China. Korea. Japan. Southeast Asia. How did Eastern civilization develop? What do we know about the history, politics, governments, art, science, and technology of these countries? And how does the story of Eastern civilization play out in today's world of business, politics, and international exchange?
-
-
A worthwhile "big-history" survey
- By Acteon on 11-22-13
By: Craig G. Benjamin, and others
-
The Era of the Crusades
- By: Kenneth W. Harl, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Kenneth W. Harl
- Length: 18 hrs and 17 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
What were the forces that led to one of history's most protracted and legendary periods of conflict? How did they affect the three great civilizations that participated in them? And, ultimately, why did they end and what did they accomplish? In these 36 lectures, you'll look at the "big picture" of the Crusades as an ongoing period of conflict involving Western Christendom (we would now call it Western Europe), the Byzantine Empire, and the Muslim world.
-
-
Fascinating background
- By Tad Davis on 08-31-13
By: Kenneth W. Harl, and others
-
A History of Eastern Europe
- By: Vejas Gabriel Liulevicius, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Vejas Gabriel Liulevicius
- Length: 12 hrs and 4 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Eastern Europe has long been thought of as the "Other Europe", a region rife with political upheaval, shifting national borders, an astonishing variety of ethnic diversity, and relative isolation from the centers of power in the West. It has also been, and continues to be, pivotal in the course of world events. A History of Eastern Europe offers a sweeping 1,000-year tour with a particular focus on the region's modern history.
-
-
"MODERN" History of Eastern Europe
- By Brooke L. Morris on 12-05-15
By: Vejas Gabriel Liulevicius, and others
-
The Renaissance, the Reformation, and the Rise of Nations
- By: Andrew C. Fix, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Andrew C. Fix
- Length: 24 hrs and 17 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Between 1348 and 1715, western Europe was fraught with turmoil, beset by the Black Plague, numerous and bitter religious wars, and frequent political revolutions and upheavals. Yet the Europe that emerged from this was vastly different from the Europe that entered it. By the start of the 18th century, Europe had been revitalized and reborn in a radical break with the past that would have untold ramifications for human civilization.
-
-
Excellent! (...but the ending could be improved)
- By FN2187 on 09-12-13
By: Andrew C. Fix, and others
-
The Middle Ages Around the World
- By: Joyce E. Salisbury, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Joyce E. Salisbury
- Length: 12 hrs and 15 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Middle Ages was a time of major historical shifts and transformations. This amazing era reverberates with discoveries, innovations, events, and historical processes that are integral to the world we know now. In these 24 enthralling lectures, Professor Salisbury leads you on a sumptuous tour of this incredible historical epoch, making clear that the remarkable historical currents and advances of the Middle Ages unfolded not only in the West, but across the globe, from Europe, Africa, and the Middle East to Asia, the Americas, and beyond.
-
-
Truly World History
- By Julia Irzyk on 05-08-22
By: Joyce E. Salisbury, and others
-
The Pagan World
- Ancient Religions Before Christianity
- By: Hans-Friedrich Mueller, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Hans-Friedrich Mueller
- Length: 12 hrs and 34 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In The Pagan World: Ancient Religions Before Christianity, you will meet the fascinating, ancient polytheistic peoples of the Mediterranean and beyond, their many gods and goddesses, and their public and private worship practices, as you come to appreciate the foundational role religion played in their lives. Professor Hans-Friedrich Mueller, of Union College in Schenectady, New York, makes this ancient world come alive in 24 lectures with captivating stories of intrigue, artifacts, illustrations, and detailed descriptions from primary sources of intriguing personalities.
-
-
The Pagan World
- By arnold e andersen md Dr Andersen on 03-28-20
By: Hans-Friedrich Mueller, and others
-
History's Great Military Blunders and the Lessons They Teach
- By: The Great Courses, Gregory S. Aldrete
- Narrated by: Gregory S. Aldrete
- Length: 12 hrs and 12 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Military history often highlights successes and suggests a sense of inevitability about victory, but there is so much that can be gleaned from considering failures. Study these crucibles of history to gain a better understanding of why a civilization took - or didn't take - a particular path.
-
-
How in the world did this course get a 4.4 rating?
- By Audrey Arrowood on 04-10-19
By: The Great Courses, and others
-
The Roman Empire: From Augustus to the Fall of Rome
- By: Gregory S. Aldrete, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Gregory S. Aldrete
- Length: 12 hrs and 41 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Roman Empire: From Augustus to the Fall of Rome traces the breathtaking history from the empire’s foundation by Augustus to its Golden Age in the 2nd century CE through a series of ever-worsening crises until its ultimate disintegration. Taught by acclaimed Professor Gregory S. Aldrete of the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, these 24 captivating lectures offer you the chance to experience this story like never before, incorporating the latest historical insights that challenge our previous notions of Rome’s decline.
-
-
Gregory S. Aldrete is a treasure
- By Laurel Tucker on 02-04-19
By: Gregory S. Aldrete, and others
-
Ancient Mesopotamia
- Life in the Cradle of Civilization
- By: The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Professor Amanda H. Podany PhD
- Length: 11 hrs and 16 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Mesopotamia is the ancient name for the region that is now Iraq, a remarkably advanced civilization that flourished for two-thirds of the time that civilization has existed on Earth. Mesopotamians mastered irrigation agriculture; built the first complex urban societies; developed writing, literature, and law; and united vast regions through warfare and diplomacy. While civilizations like Greece and Rome have an unbroken tradition of written histories, the rich history of Mesopotamia has only been recently rediscovered, thanks to the decipherment of Mesopotamia's cuneiform writing less than 200 years ago.
-
-
Time with a great scholar & fantastic lecturer
- By John G. Sharp on 07-14-18
-
The Rise of Rome
- By: The Great Courses, Gregory S. Aldrete
- Narrated by: Gregory S. Aldrete
- Length: 12 hrs and 16 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Roman Republic is one of the most breathtaking civilizations in world history. Between roughly 500 BCE to the turn of the millennium, a modest city-state developed an innovative system of government and expanded into far-flung territories across Europe, Northern Africa, and the Middle East. This powerful civilization inspired America's founding fathers, gifted us a blueprint for amazing engineering innovations, left a vital trove of myths, and has inspired the human imagination for 2,000 years.
-
-
Great for the Beginner
- By Amazon Customer on 03-05-18
By: The Great Courses, and others
-
Renaissance: The Transformation of the West
- By: Jennifer McNabb, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Jennifer McNabb
- Length: 26 hrs and 35 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
While it’s easy to get caught up - and, rightfully so - in the art of the Renaissance, you cannot have a full, rounded understanding of just how important these centuries were without digging beneath the surface, without investigating the period in terms of its politics, its spirituality, its philosophies, its economics, and its societies. Do just that with these 48 lectures that consider the European Renaissance from all sides, that disturb traditional understandings, that tip sacred cows, and that enlarges our understanding of how the Renaissance revolutionized the Western world.
-
-
Fantastic Course!
- By Beth Carlson on 08-21-18
By: Jennifer McNabb, and others
-
England: From the Fall of Rome to the Norman Conquest
- By: Jennifer Paxton, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Professor Jennifer Paxton
- Length: 11 hrs and 59 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
England: From the Fall of Rome to the Norman Conquest takes you through the mists of time to the rugged landscape of the British Isles. Over the course of 24 sweeping lectures, Professor Jennifer Paxton of The Catholic University of America surveys the forging of a great nation from a series of warring kingdoms and migrating peoples. From Germanic tribes to Viking invasions to Irish missionaries, she brings to life an underexamined time and place.
-
-
Brilliant.
- By Nican Tlaca on 03-10-22
By: Jennifer Paxton, and others
-
Great Minds of the Eastern Intellectual Tradition
- By: Grant Hardy, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Grant Hardy
- Length: 18 hrs and 36 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Western philosophy is a vast intellectual tradition, the product of thousands of years of revolutionary thought built up by a rich collection of brilliant minds. But to understand the Western intellectual tradition is to get only half the story. The Eastern intellectual tradition has made just as important a contribution-and is also the product of thousands of years of cumulative thought by a distinct group of brilliant thinkers. Their ideas demonstrate wholly different ways of approaching and solving the same fundamental issues that concerned the West's greatest thinkers, such as . the existence of God; . the meaning of life; and. the nature of truth and reality.This epic and comprehensive 36-lecture examination of the East's most influential philosophers and thinkers-from a much-honored teacher and scholar-offers a thought-provoking look at the surprising connections and differences between East and West. By introducing you to the people-including The Buddha, Ashoka, Prince Shotoku, Confucius, and Gandhi-responsible for molding Asian philosophy and for giving birth to a wide variety of spiritual and ideological systems, it will strengthen your knowledge of cultures that play increasingly important roles in our globalized 21st-century world.
-
-
Among the Best Great Courses = Don't Miss
- By mc2 on 04-24-14
By: Grant Hardy, and others
Publisher's Summary
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.
PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.
More from the same
What listeners say about The Barbarian Empires of the Steppes
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Christopher
- 09-25-14
More than You Ever Wanted to Know re Steppe Nomads
Would you consider the audio edition of The Barbarian Empires of the Steppes to be better than the print version?
This is a fabulous course. The course covers over 3 thousands years of Central Asian and Near Eastern history and is a wonderful introduction to the Empires that have flourished there over this period. You come to appreciate the mounted archer and the savagry of the great warriors of the plains as well as their military sophistication.
Who was your favorite character and why?
The discussion of Ghenghis Kahns, his sons and the history of their empires is fascinating. This is the best structured overview of this topic that I have ever hear (or seen). Really a wonderful course and presentation.
Have you listened to any of Professor Kenneth W. Harl’s other performances before? How does this one compare?
To say that Professors Harl has an encyclopedic knowledge of Central Asian, Near Eastern and European history is an incredible understatement. You will be constantly dazzled by the facts, figures and analysis that rolls of Professor Harl's tongue seemingly without end.
If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?
Ninja's of the dessert--3,000 years of the horse archer.
27 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Tommy D'Angelo
- 07-14-17
Okay with flashes of "good" but not "great"
What did you like best about The Barbarian Empires of the Steppes? What did you like least?
If you're interested in some really good history of the various nomadic clans from the western, central, and eastern Steppes as well as how they interacted with the great empires of the day, then this course is for you. But a warning: the professor's style can be hard to adapt to (at least for me it was).
First the good:
1- I learned alot. Let me reword that: ALOT. This course covers so many civilizations including those I had never heard of; and I've taken many many history courses.
2- Professor Harl knows his stuff inside and out. Say what you want about his style but he is an encyclopedia of facts, big and small. I don't know how his head doesn't explode from carrying all that content (I say this as an extreme compliment!).
3- This course provides good historical narrative on the major nomadic steppe cultures and their interactions (alliances and battles) with civilized sedentary empires like China, Rome, Byzantine Empire, India, Islam, and Russia from aprx. 600 BC to apx. 1500 AD
Steppe groups covered:
o Earliest Indo-European speaking nomads that migrated to the Steppes (6500/5000 BC)
o Xiongnu ( frequently battled with the early dynasties of China in the eastern steppes)
o Scythians (interacted with the Greeks and Persians in the western steppes)
o Parthians (conquered regions of the Hellenistic Seleucid Empire)
o Sacae (western nomads who eventually settled in India)
o Kushan (western nomads who eventually settled in India)
o Sarmatians (interacted with Rome in the western steppes)
o Huns (battled Rome in the west)
o Hephthalites (battled the Sassanid Empire or Neo-Persian Empire in central Asia)
o Avar Turks (eastern battles with the Chinese and expanded into central Asia and the west where they interacted with the Byzantine Empire)
o Gök Turks (originally allies of the Sassanids against Hephthalites but they form their own kingdom in central Asia after conquering the Avar Turks)
o Uighurs Turks (conquered the Gök Turks in central Asia)
o Bulgars Turks (interacted with the Byzantine Empire in the west)
o Khazars Turks (interacted with the Byzantine Empire in the west)
o Magyars (interacted with the Byzantine Empire in the west)
o Pechenegs Turks (interacted with the Byzantine Empire in the west; Originally allies with the Rus but became enemies of the Russians)
o Cumans Turks (interacted with the Byzantine Empire in the west)
o Western Turks (including the Karluks; These tribes battled with the Arabian forces of Islam in Central Asia)
o Karakhanid Turks (converted to Islam)
o Ghaznavid Turks (ruled over Central Asia and northern India)
o Seljuk Turks (conquered the Abbasid Islamic Caliphate and Asia Minor from the Byzantine Empire)
o Northern India Turks (Islamic tribes that ruled northern India)
o Khitans (clashed with the Song dynasty in northern China)
o Jurchen (battled the Khitans in northern China)
o Kara-Khitans (battled the Karakhanid Turks, conquered central Asia, and overthrew the Seljek Turks)
o Mongols (conquered the Jurchen, the Kara-Khitans, Abbasid Islamic Caliphate, Russia, and China)
o Central steppes Turks led by Tamerlane (conquered central and western steppes)
o Central steppes Turks led by Babur (established the Mughal Empire in India)
Weaknesses of the course:
1- The professor throws so much information at you that he often doesn’t stay on the charted narrative but instead ventures off onto side tracks or gets “lost in the details” vs. sticking with the big picture leaving your head spinning at times
2- I took the audio version and while I can't speak to the quality of the video version, I found this course somewhat hard to follow without a map/visual because the professor hops around regions in lightning speed and without notice, referring to areas by their ancient names (vs. referring to a region as “modern day ”; Great example: I can swear the professor loves to hear himself say "Transoxiana" and will find every opportunity to get it in each lecture) or rivers and other natural features that are not well known; I think he knows these areas so well that he is comfortable jumping all around but it can be bewildering to those without great knowledge of the layout of the ancient world.
All in all I would still recommend this course. There is just way too much in it you will never find in other courses. While I wish it could've been done differently and more streamlined (I always thought that one of Professor Harl's shortcomings is he loves to dispense knowledge and facts but comes up short in the art of "teaching"), I found exploring these Steppe cultures an enlightening and worthwhile journey.
20 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Levi
- 05-24-15
How to defeat an army of nomadic horse archers.
Would you listen to The Barbarian Empires of the Steppes again? Why?
Yes, because it's a great story, but too much information to process in a single time through.
What did you like best about this story?
I liked how it filled in the gaps between the major urban societies that one usually learns about. The scope of the material was enormous and putting it together was an impressive achievement.
What about Professor Kenneth W. Harl’s performance did you like?
The Harlisms. "How do you defeat an army of nomadic horse archers? You get your own army of nomadic horse archers!" Dr. Harl really makes some of the characters and scenes come to life. His description of Attila's invasion of eastern Europe was breathtaking. I added all of Dr. Harl's great courses to my wish list, because I really enjoyed this one and his one on Asia Minor.
Any additional comments?
Several people complained about the lack of a map. Those people should learn how to use google, because the internet is full of excellent maps.
12 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Mike
- 02-20-14
Attila the Hun demands you read this book!!!
Any additional comments?
Are you a lover of history who seeks out those rare books that explain those often mentioned but little known peoples and places of the globe? Have you ever wondered who the Huns, Turks, or Mongols were, where they came from, and why they did what they did? Then this book is definitely for you!
The excellent lecturer gives a mostly chronological and comprehensive overview of the various peoples or "barbarians" that lived on the eurasian steppes and played a major role in world history. In fact, they play such a large role in world history that I left this read convinced we do a great disservice by not giving them a more prominent role in our textbooks. This book covers a serious blind spot in most of the world's history books.
He starts from the steppes earliest Indo-European inhabitants and moves through the archaic period with peoples such as the Shueng-Nu, Scythians, and Huns, discusses the medieval period dominated by the Turks, and ends discussing the terrible and glorious legacies of the great Mongol conquests and the subsequent disappearance of the steppe way of life with the advent of the modern age. The series is thorough and detailed and will leave you with few major questions once it has been finished.
Perhaps the most enlightening part for me was how the lecturer explained so clearly the geography and dynamics of the eurasian steppes. The unique environmental factors of the world of the steppes did just as much to shape their history, and that of the world's, as did the amazing lives of those who lived there. This feature alone makes this a worthwhile listen.
I cannot recommend this series highly enough to fellow history addicts or those who are just curious. You will not be disappointed. It was definitely one of my best reads this year. Enjoy!!!
26 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Christopher
- 02-08-15
One damn thing after another
Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?
The story is fascinating, the presentation is pedestrian
What did you like best about this story?
As the professor says,'six thousand years of history across six thousand miles', what's not to like?
What do you think the narrator could have done better?
Focus less on dates and more on the big picture.
Could you see The Barbarian Empires of the Steppes being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?
No
Any additional comments?
I had just come from an incredible history course - 'The Story of Medieval England: From King Arthur to the Tudor Conquest' by Professor Jennifer Paxton. This suffered by comparison.
12 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Kaleb
- 07-11-16
Interesting history, performance leaves something to be desired
Professor Harl's breadth of knowledge on the subject matter was top notch, and the information in this course makes it worth the listen. His performance was sub-par at best.
Professor Harl seemed to belt this course out at the listener, I truly felt like I was being shouted at for a number of the lectures. The consistent "uhh" and "ahh"-ing became enough to make me cringe towards the end, it became extremely difficult to sit through even a whole lecture. I understand that this is the way a human's brain catches up to it's mouth, but this was extreme and I expected better from The Great Courses. There were also a number of mispronunciations, and names used when another was meant. These are small gripes when they are in small doses. They can and should be ignored in most cases. This course was an exception the sheer number of production/presentation problems added on to one another really made the course a struggle.
I would recommend listening to the sample before buying, make sure you can take it.
9 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- EmilyK
- 12-30-19
unusual topic from a favorite professor
I loved this, particularly because it shone a light on an aspect of history that is around the edges of a lot of other lectures/books I've listened to, and this made me connect the links and understand more. If you have read about ancient Rome, medieval history, linguistics and pre-history, Chinese history, etc., this will help fill in the blanks. Prof. Harl was his typical enthusiastic, erudite self.
a few caveats:
1. I really felt the lack of maps in the accompanying PDF on this one. Yes, of course there are maps on the internet so I can google if I want to see where the Guptas were or something. But he's often talking about a really specific movement from one area to the other, to the point that I'm debating buying this on Great Courses in video form to see if that's more help. I really noticed it because I listen to these in the dark before bed, and over 20 or 30 courses this is the only one I have gotten up repeatedly to see if I can get more info in the PDF. If you listen during driving, you are probably going to be similarly frustrated. Admittedly, this is exacerbated by the nature of the topic, since I don't have a mental image of some of the cities or empires named as I would if this were more Eurocentric.
2. This one had much worse audio editing than other GC. I'm not sure what happened here, but there were times Harl yelled "pause!" or pronounced names a few different ways, and although there was clearly editing, the jumps and extra words were left in. Harl also a fair amount of "ums" and the like, so listen to an audio sample and see if it works for you. I was okay with it but I know some listeners are really sensitive and this wouldn't be a good place to start, if so.
3 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Michael Cain
- 02-16-21
Fascinating
I came for Attila the Hun, Genghis Khan, and the Silk Road, but what I got instead was a fascinating 6000 year-history of ancient nomad empires. The professor starts by asking us to turn the map upside down and view the world from the steppes perspective: the nomads live on the roof of the world, and down below them lies China to the left, India in the middle, and Persia/Greece/Rome to the right.
This is my favorite kind of history, the kind that shifts the angle of focus just enough to offer an entirely new perspective. In history class we studied classical China / India / Greece as separate entities. In this version they are surprisingly connected, where ideas and philosophies in China would ripple across the steppes and impact Greece, and vice versa.
There's also a lot of drama & action to keep the history moving forward. Highly recommended.
2 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Timothy
- 12-16-19
Great, but Probably Better as a Video
While this is another great Kenneth Harl course from the Great Courses, there were a lot of moments of audio cuts (normally when one suspects that he mixed up a name) and directions towards images and relics (all of which are provided in the PDF, but hard to access when listening mobile without internet or roaming data). Overall, while this was great in terms of story, it probably would've been better as a video.
2 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Manny K
- 11-23-18
Just a litany of names and places and dates.
Not suitable for a mobile listener. Without a map and other references in front of you the lectures are impossible to follow. Far too cluttered with a litany of names, places, dates, names, places, dates with near constant asides to add even more, though rarely relevant, details. Almost exclusively a military history with too little cultural or social context. The bright spots are unfortunately suffocated under too many details. Could easily be trimmed to half or less.
2 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- David Jackson
- 01-10-18
Absolutely amazing
I always had a great fascination with the Mongol empire and I have been looking for a comprehensive background on the world that they came from. This series was that and much more, as it went through the history of the step peoples even as far back as the Indo-European expansion in the late Neolithic, to the Mogul empire in India. The narration was good, with the lectures delivered with a lot of energy and story telling ability. Strongly recommended.
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Nixon
- 12-12-14
Very informative
Where does The Barbarian Empires of the Steppes rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?
This is one of the best books I have listened to, it is great to listen to
What did you like best about this story?
I liked how he kept the chronology of the story, but was able to provide great detail about both the western and eastern steppe
What about Professor Kenneth W. Harl’s performance did you like?
I liked how he could bring the stories to life with small details about the main characters, and it seemed that he was also interested in the story
Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
The book is very long, it would take a day to listen to it, but if I could I would have
Any additional comments?
I would recommend this as a fascinating listen and a part of history that is often overlooked
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Kindle Customer
- 07-31-20
Enthralling
Probably my favourite Great Course History book so far.
A fantastic subject that for me tied together so many scraps of facts picked up from popular culture with a rich and compelling narrative.
Especially as so much of this history is still relevant in today's world, I really recommend this.
I found I had to Google a lot of places which really helped getting a sense of scale and location.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- tugeladiver
- 10-17-17
Fascinating
A fascinating insight into a part of the world where my wife comes from. The course covers 6000 years of history of a dynamic region that was home to some of the worlds greatest empires.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Unique Pseudonym
- 08-29-17
Fun and easy to follow
It can't have been easy to make the history of such a wide area over such a long period of time coherent to a layperson. This course strikes a good balance between being too dry and too devoid of information. Perhaps the best thing I can say is that I feel like I know (and actually understand) more than I did before I listened.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Thomas
- 02-01-17
Great scope and passionate delivery
This is definitely the most interesting Great Courses series I have listened to so far. The scope is vast - 6000 years of history across the whole of Eurasia, starting with the origin of the Proto Indo Europeans and ending with the Mongol conquests. What capped it all was the knowledge and passion of the lecturer, who made every lecture enjoyable to listen to. Would definitely recommend to anyone.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- JS393241
- 02-28-16
Fills in many gaps of ancient history
Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?
Yes. This fills in so many gaps in the east-west dialogue of history which I have rarely heard about. I found it very important to understand the links between China, the Steppes, the Middle East and the West.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- David
- 12-16-14
Fascinating insight into a huge subject
As with many of the Great Courses this deals with a subject I hadn't realised I was interested in until I saw the title and took the plunge. Professor Harl covers an enormous subject both in temporal and geographical terms and makes it manageable by bringing a human element to the characters involved.
I have seen comments that a map is essential to understanding the subject and it would certainly help but it strikes me that is a limitation of audiobooks in general not specifically this course.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Jake Harrison
- 02-10-19
Poor Pronunciation
An extremely passionate delivery. It's a shame that the professor's pronunciation is often far from the mark. I'm a native English speaker who also speaks Chinese, and it was difficult for me to understand when the professor said 匈奴 (Xiongnu) for the first time. It'd only take fifteen minutes with someone like me to greatly improve his pronunciation, so I expected more professionalism in this regard from The Great Courses.
I disagree with your introduction to the origins of the Chinese language and your introduction to 秦始皇 regarding the burning of the books is completely incorrect.
Unprofessional and disappointing.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- irtapil
- 03-12-20
just as bad as his other stuff
this is so disappointing, this guy covers so many interesting topics, but so terribly. His voice i bad, his pacing is bad, his opinions are bad. His courses focus was too much on military aspects. He drones in an irritating monotone. This is much poorer quality than other things from The Great courses, Buy, something else, pretty much anything else. Just not something by this guy.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Blackfyre87
- 07-31-19
Engaging and thought provoking
Kenneth W Harl, the Yale professor who delivers this lecture, is certainly someone that I would have enjoyed studying with when I was a student.
He is engaging and thought provoking. He would be an amazing professor to study with.
However, his lectures have an interesting quirk where he seems to grow more nervous or passionate as he continues. This leads him to increase in volume. This leads to mispronunciation and a few mistakes.
However this is minor in the scheme of the whole presentation and it is overall a very good series of lectures.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- AM
- 07-08-18
Fascinating.
Can't get enough of this book - have listened to it several times. I have been know to fall asleep to it, I find it so relaxing but I always return and catch up with what I've missed.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Omar
- 05-03-18
Exactly as described
It covered everything I wanted to cover, although having listened to the book I wouldn't have minded more on the end. The cossacks and russian expansion
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Adam
- 12-07-17
brilliant
before listening to this, i was fairly familiar with the huns and mongols, but this filled in a lot in between those two nomadic empires. interesting explanation on the interplay of east and west with nomads as the buffer and catalyst
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Anonymous User
- 11-14-17
Succinct yet thorough
An overview of the steppe cultures that greatly influenced world history and are often overlooked in favor of the 'civilized' empires they played an important part in molding. Essential listening for those interested in a balanced understanding of eurasian history or the steppe peoples themselves.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Farevar Rami
- 05-11-17
Just superb
Would you listen to The Barbarian Empires of the Steppes again? Why?
I did listen to it again, immediately. Even though I was familiar with most of the material, this synthesis of it is that good.
What does Professor Kenneth W. Harl bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?
Maybe the book would be just as good - except academics generally have a tendency to be more stilted in writing. In any case, I prefer to listen to such lecture course when engaged in exercise or physical work.
Any additional comments?
Pity this stops short of modern developments - the seasonal occupation of the steppes during the 16th century, formation of modern people like the Cossacks, their wars with the Crimean Khans and the final elimination of the steppes as a force with the Russian invasion.