The Persian edition of Christopher I. Beckwith's book 'Empires of the Silk Road: A History of Central Eurasia from the Bronze Age to the Present Day' has been stocked in bookstores across Iran. According to the ILNA agency, the book was translated by Sarban Saremi and published by Qoqnoos Publishing House, spanning 464 pages.
Originally published in 2009, 'Empires of the Silk Road' offers a fundamental reassessment of the origins, history, and significance of this major global region, covering Central Eurasia from ancient times to the present day.
Christopher Beckwith describes the rise and fall of great empires of Central Eurasia, including the Scythian states, Attila the Hun, Turks, Tibetans, as well as Genghis Khan and the Mongols. Furthermore, he explains why the heartland of Central Eurasia led economically, scientifically, and artistically for many centuries, despite invasions by Persians, Greeks, Arabs, Chinese, and other peoples.
By presenting the history of the Old World from the perspective of Central Eurasia, Beckwith proposes a new understanding of the internal and external processes within Central Eurasian states and demonstrates how their peoples have repeatedly revolutionized Eurasian civilization.
He details the migration of Indo-Europeans from Central Eurasia, their mixing with local populations, and the subsequent development of Greek-Roman, Persian, Indian, and Chinese civilizations. The author illuminates the foundations of the prosperous pre-modern economy of Central Eurasia, its decline after the region was divided by China and Russia in the 18th and 19th centuries, and the damage inflicted upon Central Eurasian culture by modernism. He also examines the historical significance of the partial revival of Central Eurasian nations after the collapse of the Soviet Union.
'Empires of the Silk Road' places Central Eurasia in a global historical context, showing why this region is key to understanding the history of civilization.
Christopher I. Beckwith, who is 80 years old, is an American philologist and a distinguished professor in the Department of Central Eurasian Studies at Indiana University Bloomington, Indiana. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Chinese Language from Ohio State University in 1968, a Master of Arts degree in Tibetan Language from Indiana University Bloomington in 1974, and a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Inner Asian Studies from Indiana University in 1977.
Beckwith conducts research in Central Eurasian Studies, studying the history and cultures of ancient and medieval Central Asia. Concurrently, he specializes in the study of Asian languages and linguistics, as well as the history of Central Eurasia. He teaches Old Tibetan, Central Eurasian languages, and the history of Central Eurasia, researching the linguistics of Aramaic, Chinese, Japanese, Goguryeo, Old Tibetan, Tocharian, Old Turkic, Uzbek, and other languages.