The Empire of the Steppes: A History of Central Asia

Front Cover
Rutgers University Press, 1970 - History - 687 pages
While the early history of the steppe nomads is shrouded in obscurity, this obscurity lifts somewhat after their contact with cultures possessing written histories. But even when information about them becomes relatively more plentiful, linguistic ocmplexities make its interpretation extremely difficult. Thus, while the number of specialized studies devoted to them is impressive, general works embracing the many disciplines involved, or syntheses on a grand scale encompassing the sprawling history of these peoples, are exceedingly scarce. Among these very few, The Empire of the Steppes is outstanding. The aim of this first English-language edition has been to make available a major work useful to the general reader as well as to the specialist, above all an edition which retains the majestic sweep and grandeur, as well as the overriding intellectual grasp, of Grousset's original.

Hailed as a masterpiece when first published in 1939, this great work of synthesis rapidly became indispensable to scholars fluent in French. Now, after a decade of preparation, this unique history of Central Asia is available in English, in a felicitous translation by Naomi Walford from the 1952 French edition, the last published in Grousset's lifetime. Nineteen maps have been expressly prepared for the Rutgers edition, and a comprehensive 54-page index has been added. In addition, specialists have checked the text, notes, and bibliographical references to bring this vast work into conformity with present-day academic standards.

 

Contents

VII
3
VIII
6
IX
11
X
15
XI
17
XII
19
XIII
24
XIV
26
LXXXVII
300
LXXXVIII
304
LXXXIX
309
XC
313
XCI
320
XCII
326
XCIII
331
XCIV
333

XV
29
XVI
32
XVII
38
XVIII
39
XIX
41
XX
48
XXI
53
XXII
55
XXIII
60
XXIV
66
XXV
67
XXVI
72
XXVII
80
XXVIII
87
XXIX
90
XXX
93
XXXI
95
XXXII
98
XXXIII
101
XXXIV
103
XXXV
110
XXXVI
113
XXXVII
114
XXXVIII
116
XXXIX
118
XL
119
XLI
120
XLII
126
XLIII
127
XLIV
134
XLV
141
XLVI
144
XLVII
148
XLVIII
159
XLIX
164
L
166
LI
171
LII
176
LIII
179
LIV
182
LV
187
LVI
189
LVII
197
LVIII
199
LIX
200
LX
209
LXI
213
LXII
216
LXIII
219
LXIV
226
LXV
233
LXVI
236
LXVII
245
LXVIII
247
LXIX
248
LXX
253
LXXI
256
LXXII
257
LXXIII
259
LXXIV
264
LXXV
268
LXXVI
269
LXXVII
272
LXXVIII
275
LXXIX
276
LXXX
282
LXXXI
285
LXXXII
286
LXXXIII
288
LXXXIV
291
LXXXV
295
LXXXVI
297
XCV
336
XCVI
341
XCVII
342
XCVIII
343
XCIX
347
C
351
CI
353
CII
356
CIII
359
CIV
365
CV
367
CVI
371
CVII
373
CVIII
376
CIX
378
CX
383
CXI
387
CXII
389
CXIII
392
CXIV
394
CXV
401
CXVI
404
CXVII
405
CXVIII
409
CXIX
412
CXX
414
CXXI
419
CXXII
422
CXXIII
426
CXXIV
429
CXXV
435
CXXVI
443
CXXVII
446
CXXVIII
448
CXXIX
453
CXXX
456
CXXXI
460
CXXXII
463
CXXXIII
467
CXXXIV
469
CXXXV
471
CXXXVI
478
CXXXVII
481
CXXXVIII
486
CXXXIX
487
CXL
488
CXLI
489
CXLII
491
CXLIII
493
CXLIV
496
CXLV
498
CXLVI
500
CXLVII
502
CXLVIII
505
CXLIX
508
CL
511
CLII
513
CLIII
515
CLIV
519
CLV
521
CLVI
522
CLVII
525
CLVIII
526
CLIX
531
CLX
536
CLXI
537
CLXII
539
CLXIII
541
CLXIV
543
CLXV
633
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Page xx - At the end of the sixth century and the beginning of the seventh Northumberland was at the height of its power.
Page vii - ... who saw in them the scourge of the Lord, sent for the chastisement of ancient civilizations.

About the author (1970)

René Grousset was director of the Cernuschi Museum and curator of the Musé Guimet in Paris, a member of the French Academy and author of many works on Asia Minor and the Near East.

Bibliographic information