Nomads and Empires

Episode 25: The Öltenic of Godherja

On this special First of April, we cover the nomadic peoples of the world of Godherja: the Öltenic. Please check this great mod for Crusader Kings 3! You can download the mod on its Steam page linked here or on ModDB here. Many appreciations to the Godherja team for providing me with feedback and corrections as well! Corrections: At around 13:17, I state that the Hyartan Mountains are the highest on the continent. The largest mountains are actually the Worldspine (where the Mayikrata is built on). During the discussion of the Bayyuralar in around 47:00, I should have clarified that the event did not just target the Astilik Empire. Other, unrelated states were also targeted by Baytor and his vassals. At about 50:50, I use the term "Imperial Legate" when the correct term to denote an Aversarian general is Legon or Legan. This point was made unclear in the episode, but it should be noted that during the period of Imperial domination by Aversaria, the Öltenic peoples were considered nominal "citizens" of the empire. Social Media Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/NomadsandEmpires Twitter: https://twitter.com/NomadEmpiresPod Substack: https://nomadsandempirespodcast.substack.com/

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Episode 24: Scythians: Tomyris and Cyrus

On this episode, we explore the titanic clash between Cyrus of the Persians and Tomyris of the Massagetae. Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/NomadsandEmpires Twitter: https://twitter.com/NomadEmpiresPod Substack: https://nomadsandempirespodcast.substack.com/ Relevant Books: Barry Cunliffe, The Scythians: Nomad Warriors of the Steppe David Greene (trans.), The History of Herodotus Ilya Gershevitch, The Cambridge History of Iran, Volume 2

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Episode 23: The Modern Pontic Steppe

In this special episode, we speak to Oleksiy Vasyliuk of the Ukrainian Nature Conservation Group and Tobias Muenchmeyer, European Project Lead at Green Recovery Ukraine, about the current status of Ukraine's steppes amid the ongoing war. Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/NomadsandEmpires Twitter: https://twitter.com/NomadEmpiresPod Substack: https://nomadsandempirespodcast.substack.com/ Relevant Reading from Oleksiy: Restoring Ukraine’s nature post-war: Hopes and risks Askania Nova Biosphere Reserve captured by invaders New laws for the reclaim of protected areas by farmers

Episode 22: Scythians: Endings and Beginnings

Another chapter ends, somewhat. Today, the Scythians will be pushed back to the Pontic steppe and will face those they had left behind. Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/NomadsandEmpires Twitter: https://twitter.com/NomadEmpiresPod Substack: https://nomadsandempirespodcast.substack.com/ Relevant Books: Barry Cunliffe, The Scythians: Nomad Warriors of the Steppe Denis Sinor, The Cambridge History of Inner Asia, Volume 1 Esther Jacobson, The Art of the Scythians: The Interpenetration of Cultures at the Edge of the Hellenic World Hyun Jin Kim, et al., Eurasian Empires in Antiquity and the Early Middle Ages: Contact and Exchange between the Graeco-Roman World, Inner Asia and China Iver B. Neumann and Einar Wigen, The Steppe Tradition in International Relations: Russians, Turks, and European State Building 4000 BCE-2018 BCE

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Episode 21: Scythians: Masters of Asia

We investigate the supposed Scythian "28-year reign" of the Near East, including their conquests of Media and Palestine. Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/NomadsandEmpires Twitter: https://twitter.com/NomadEmpiresPod Substack: https://nomadsandempirespodcast.substack.com/ Relevant Books: Barry Cunliffe, The Scythians: Nomad Warriors of the Steppe Denis Sinor, The Cambridge History of Inner Asia, Volume 1 Hyun Jin Kim, et al., Eurasian Empires in Antiquity and the Early Middle Ages: Contact and Exchange between the Graeco-Roman World, Inner Asia and China John Boardman, et al., The Cambridge Ancient History, Volume 3, Part 2: The Assyrian and Babylonian Empires and Other States of the Near East, from the Eighth to the Sixth Centuries BC, 2nd edition

Episode 20: Scythians: Back to the Caucasus

The Scythians move through the north and south Caucasus, pushing to the borders of the ancient Near East. Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/NomadsandEmpires Twitter: https://twitter.com/NomadEmpiresPod Substack: https://nomadsandempirespodcast.substack.com/ Relevant Books: Antonio Sagona, The Archaeology of the Caucasus: From Earliest Settlements to the Iron Age Barry Cunliffe, The Scythians: Nomad Warriors of the Steppe John Boardman, et al., The Cambridge Ancient History, Volume 3, Part 2: The Assyrian and Babylonian Empires and Other States of the Near East, from the Eighth to the Sixth Centuries BC, 2nd edition

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Episode 19: Scythians: Legendary and Humble Beginnings

We continue the narrative by assessing the mythological and historical origins of the Scythians. Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/NomadsandEmpires Twitter: https://twitter.com/NomadEmpiresPod Substack: https://nomadsandempirespodcast.substack.com/ Relevant Books: Barry Cunliffe, The Scythians: Nomad Warriors of the Steppe Claudia Chang, Rethinking Prehistoric Central Asia: Shepherds, Farmers, and Nomads Renate Rolle, The World of the Scythians Yulia Ustanova, The Supreme God of the Bosporan Kingdom: Celestial Aphrodite and the Most High God

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Episode 18: Scythians: Arts

We analyze the artistic and material culture of the Scythians, and put a critical eye on the term "Scytho-Siberian Culture." Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/NomadsandEmpires Twitter: https://twitter.com/NomadEmpiresPod Substack: https://nomadsandempirespodcast.substack.com/

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Episode 17: Scythians: Religion

We examine the religious beliefs of the Scythians, as well as thoughts of the afterlife. Twitter: https://twitter.com/NomadEmpiresPod Substack: https://nomadsandempirespodcast.substack.com/

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Episode 16: Rhûn: The Wainriders and Balchoth

On today, April 1, we assess the nomads of Middle Earth, the peoples who reside in far eastern Rhûn. Twitter: https://twitter.com/NomadEmpiresPod Substack: https://nomadsandempirespodcast.substack.com/

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Episode 15: Scythians: Warfare

We look into the weapons, armor, and tactics of Scythian warfare. Twitter: https://twitter.com/NomadEmpiresPod Substack: https://nomadsandempirespodcast.substack.com/

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Episode 14: Scythians: The Scythian World

In this episode, we broadly examine the different Scythian groups from the grasses of Ukraine to the highlands of the Sayan-Altai. We meet peoples like the Pazyryk, the Massagetae, and the Saka. Twitter: https://twitter.com/NomadEmpiresPod Substack: https://nomadsandempirespodcast.substack.com/

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Episode 13: Scythians: An Introduction

Today, we introduce the Scythians. This episode provides a brief overview and dives a little into the historiographical development of Scythian studies. Twitter: https://twitter.com/NomadEmpiresPod Substack: https://nomadsandempirespodcast.substack.com/

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Tales from the Steppe: Boktu-Kirish, A Tuvan Tale

In this side episode, part of the Tales from the Steppe bonus episodes, we dive into the tale of Boktu-Kirish, a story that derives from the Tuvan people. Come listen as we hear about the exploits of a young woman on a quest to bring her dead brother back to life.

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Episode 12: Kimmerians: Sundered and Scattered

On today's episode, we track the movements of the Medes, the Scythians, the Lydians, and the Kimmerians, as we finally end this leg of our journey.

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Episode 11: Kimmerians: The Beginning of the End

We chart the Kimmerians as they launched attacks against the Kingdom of Lydia, placing us closer to the eventual end of the Kimmerians.

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Episode 10: Kimmerians: To Phrygia and Beyond

We examine the Kimmerian migration to Anatolia in the aftermath of Urartian and Assyrian invasions. We then chart the emergence of conflict between the Kimmerians and the Phrygians.

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Episode 9: Kimmerians: The Ancient Near Eastern Cold War

Today, we explore the years 720-714 BCE as the Near Eastern states of Assyria and Urartu duke it out in a grand geopolitical struggle. All the while, the Kimmerians are making their way further and further into the region.

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Episode 8: Kimmerians: Through the Caucasus

We finally start the narrative and introduce our first named historical group: the Kimmerians.

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Episode 7: The Khan of Arzhan 1

We assess environmental and sociocultural changes of the 1000s BCE and track how these changes would culminate in the kurgan of Arzhan 1.

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