The first book to examine the nomads of Asia from a purely military perspective, from the ancient Scythians to the Manchu conquest of China. Across these two thousand years, the horse archer armies of the steppe-considered here as a unified phenomenon, linked by their reliance on mass cavalry tactics and the composite bow-resembled an unstoppable "force of nature" which sedentary people, except in rare instances, were unable to resist.
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com Review
The Scythians, Huns, and Mongols--some of history's fiercest fighters--get their due in this creative book by Erik Hildinger. Nobody has previously attempted to capture the military history of the various nomads who mounted their horses and wreaked constant havoc on both Asia and Europe for more than two millennia. Their remarkable archery skill and sturdy horses combined again and again to create an almost unstoppable force that well-organized but sedentary armies could not overcome. Only their inability to create political institutions in the wake of conquests prevented these people of the steppes from building empires. Finally, the advent of firearms made their highly successful methods of attack obsolete. Their legacy, however, is well rendered on the pages of Warriors of the Steppe.
From Booklist
Hildinger covers the mounted warriors of Central Asia and their impact on their neighbors during the period stretching from the encounters of the classical Greeks with the Scythians and Sarmatians to the era when seminomadic Manchurians became the last imperial dynasty of China, the Manchus. The most successful of these warriors were the Mongols, thanks largely to Genghis Khan, but at least a dozen other peoples made significant impacts on history. Hildinger summarizes what is known about the origins, travels, achievements, and influences of each of these warrior folk and adds useful material on horse archery, horse breeding, and the cavalry tactics of both the steppe riders and their usually unsuccessful opponents. Some general knowledge of world history will help readers put each nomadic incursion Hildinger treats in its proper context, and at the end, serious military history students will know considerably more about several centuries of warriors whose impact is usually underrated. Roland Green
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Good reading,
By John Blackstone (North America) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Warriors Of The Steppe: A Military History Of Central Asia, 500 B.c. To 1700 A.d. (Hardcover)
This is a well-written and researched book.It outlines the history of nomadic raiders including the Scythians, Parthians, Sarmatians, Huns, Bulgars, Turks, Mongols, Tatars who fought against Greece, Rome, Byzantium, China, Russia, Ukraine, and the Ottomans. Hildinger maintains that raiding sedentary peoples was necessary for survival of horse-mounted warriors. They were made extinct by rifle toting infantry. Hildinger is at his best when recounting the defensive tactics used victims of the horsemen. Regretfully, he does not detail the fighting tactics between the Tatars and the Cossacks. His best description is how Roman infantry fought the Parthians.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Steppe Peoples - Tactics and Warriors,
By
This review is from: Warriors Of The Steppe: A Military History Of Central Asia, 500 B.c. To 1700 A.d. (Hardcover)
Erik Hildinger once again hits the mark with his latest book "Warriors of the Steppe". His prose makes this an enjoyable read. If you want to know about the people of the steppe and how they achieved success against their sedentary counterparts, this book will start you on that journey. The book initially deals with a generalization about nomadic peoples and their tactics. It then delves into specific historic groups ranging from the Scythians to the Manchu. While the book is well written, its broad nature as an introductory tract will more than likely whet your appetite for more. I am sure that in the future Mr. Hildinger's excellent writing skills in this subject area will be put to good use in writing specifically about any one of these peoples.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Outstanding. Buy this book!,
This review is from: Warriors Of The Steppe: A Military History Of Central Asia, 500 B.c. To 1700 A.d. (Hardcover)
As a university lecturer in military history I am constantly looking for good books for my students (both civilians and army officer cadets) to study. Hildinger's book is marvellous, and I recommend it to my students as an example of how warfare should be analysed and history should be written.
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