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Raiders, Rulers, and Traders: The Horse and the Rise of Empires

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Manage episode 491910880 series 1181274
Content provided by Barbarians at the Gate. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by Barbarians at the Gate or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://podcastplayer.com/legal.

This week on the podcast, we explore the role of the horse in Chinese culture with author David Chaffetz, whose new book Raiders, Rulers, and Traders: The Horse and the Rise of Empires traces the sweeping impact of horse domestication across world civilizations. Chaffetz explains how equestrian cultures not only transformed warfare and mobility in China, but also reshaped the very boundaries of empire and cultural identity.

Our conversation follows China’s long and complex relationship with the horse, from defending against nomadic cavalry along the northern frontier to importing prized horses through Silk Road diplomacy. Chaffetz recounts the challenges faced by Chinese dynasties in breeding horses to match the superior mounts of Mongol raiders.

We also explore the echoes of China’s horse culture preserved in relics, from paintings and artifacts to the horse statues unearthed among the Terracotta Warriors.

Link to the book:

David Chaffetz, Raiders, Rulers, and Traders: The Horse and the Rise of Empires

  continue reading

93 episodes

Artwork
iconShare
 
Manage episode 491910880 series 1181274
Content provided by Barbarians at the Gate. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by Barbarians at the Gate or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://podcastplayer.com/legal.

This week on the podcast, we explore the role of the horse in Chinese culture with author David Chaffetz, whose new book Raiders, Rulers, and Traders: The Horse and the Rise of Empires traces the sweeping impact of horse domestication across world civilizations. Chaffetz explains how equestrian cultures not only transformed warfare and mobility in China, but also reshaped the very boundaries of empire and cultural identity.

Our conversation follows China’s long and complex relationship with the horse, from defending against nomadic cavalry along the northern frontier to importing prized horses through Silk Road diplomacy. Chaffetz recounts the challenges faced by Chinese dynasties in breeding horses to match the superior mounts of Mongol raiders.

We also explore the echoes of China’s horse culture preserved in relics, from paintings and artifacts to the horse statues unearthed among the Terracotta Warriors.

Link to the book:

David Chaffetz, Raiders, Rulers, and Traders: The Horse and the Rise of Empires

  continue reading

93 episodes

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