Harmatta J. (Ed.) — Paris: UNESCO Publishing, 1996. — 573 pp. — ISBN 92-3-102846-4. Volume II of the History of Civilizations of Central Asia presents an account of various movements of populations and the interrelations of their cultures in this region between 700 B.C. and A.D. 250. This period saw the emergence of several nomadic and sedentary civilizations who lived partly in the steppe zone and partly in the oasis zone. The contrast between them was accentuated by the rise of the Achaemenid Empire. The invasion of Alexander the Great transformed the scene. The nomads were driven back, sedentary civilization was strengthened and became rapidly predominant. With the rise of the Graeco-Bactrian kingdom, the civilizations of Central Asia underwent a fundamental change by a progressive syncretism between Zoroastrianism, Greek religion and Buddhism, which formed the basis of the civilizations of Central Asia up to the Arab conquest. In the first century B.C. the Sakas established a series of kingdoms in eastern Iran and north-western India, but in the first century A.D. these territories came under the control of the Parthians who ruled an empire that stretched from Sistan to the Indus and beyond. Meanwhile, the Kushan Empire was emerging, overthrowing the Parthians and annexing their Indian provinces. A rich and prosperous trade developed between the Mediterranean and China through Central Asia by what is known as the Silk Route. Traversed by caravans of Bactrian camels, this international highway remained in use for several centuries despite the development of the sea routes. It was only in about A.D. 234 that the Kushan Empire faced a new powerful enemy - Sasanian Iran - who led to its disintegration. Introduction (J. Harmatta).
Ancient Iranian nomads in western Central Asia (A. Abetekov and H. Yusupov).
Media and Achaemenid Iran (M. A. Dandamayev).
Alexander and his successors in Central Asia (A. H. Dani and P. Bernard).
The Greek kingdoms of Central Asia (P. Bernard).
Parthia (G. A. Koshelenko and V. N. Pilipko).
Nomads in eastern Central Asia (N. Ishjamts).
The Yüeh-chih and their migrations (K. Enoki, G. A. Koshelenko and Z. Haidary).
The Sakas and Indo-Parthians (B. N. Puri).
The culture of the Xinjiang region (Ma Yong and Wang Binghua).
The Western Regions under the Hsiung-nu and the Han (Ma Yong and Sun Yutang).
The Kushans (B. N. Puri).
Economy and social system in Central Asia in the Kushan age (A. R. Mukhamedjanov).
Cities and urban life in the Kushan kingdom (B. A. Litvinsky).
Religions in the Kushan Empire (J. Harmatta, with the contributions of B. N. Puri, L. Lelekov, S. Humayun and D. C. Sircar).
Kushan art (G. A. Pugachenkova, S. R. Dar, R. C. Sharma and M. A. Joyenda, in collaboration with H. Siddiqi).
Languages and scripts in Graeco-Bactria and the Saka kingdoms (J. Harmatta).
Languages and literature in the Kushan Empire (J. Harmatta).
States in north-western Central Asia (N. N. Negmatov).
The nomads of northern Central Asia after the invasion of Alexander (Y. A. Zadneprovskiy).
The rise of Sasanian Iran (B. A. Litvinsky, with the contributions of M. Hussain Shah and R. Shabani Samghabadi).
Conclusion (J. Harmatta).
Maps.

lgrsnf/F:\twirpx\_19\_9\1873621\1history_of_civilizations_of_central_asia_volume_ii_the_devel.pdf

nexusstc/History of civilizations of Central Asia. Volume II. The development of sedentary and nomadic civilizations: 700 B.C. to A.D. 250/bdf8f1732c6e9adefce6acff7c20bbf0.pdf

History of Civilizations of Central Asia: The Development of Sedentary and Nomadic Civilizations : 700 B.C. to A.D. 250 (History of Civilizations of Central Asia)

Ahmad Hasan Dani; V. M Masson; J Harmatta; Boris Anatolevich Litvinskii; Clifford Edmund Bosworth; M. S Asimov; Unesco

Harmatta János, Puri B.N., Etemadi G.F.

Unesco Publishing

August 1994

FR, 1994

1, 1994

1873621

twirpx

lg1859341

Volume II presents an account of various population movements and cultural exchanges in Central Asia between 700 B.C. and 250 A.D. Important nomadic tribal cultures such as the Kushans emerged during this period. Contacts between the Mediterranean and the Indus Valley were reinforced by the campaigns of Alexander the Great and, under his successors, the progressive syncretism between Zoroastrianism, Greek religion and Buddhism gave rise to a new civilization instituted by the Parthians, known for its artistic creations. Under Kushan rule, Central Asia became the crossroads of a prosperous trade between the Mediterranean and China along the Silk Route.

2017-08-07