Armies of the Steppe Nomads, 376–1227 (Hardback)
from the Coming of Attila's Huns to the Death of Genghis, Great Khan of the Mongols
Imprint: Pen & Sword Military
Series: Armies of the Past
Pages: 224
Illustrations: 130 colour illustrations
ISBN: 9781399037778
Published: 30th October 2024
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Gabriele Esposito presents an overview of the history, organization and equipment of the military forces deployed by the nomadic peoples of the Eurasian steppes during the period from the appearance of the Huns in Eastern Europe to the death of Genghis Khan. Each chapter is devoted to a different group that played a prominent military role during Antiquity and the Middle Ages. Starting with the Huns of Attila, whose migration was one of the key factors behind the fall of the Roman Empire, he moves on to the Avars, who established a large state in Eastern Europe that contested with Charlemagne’s Frankish Empire. Chapter three covers the Magyars, who terrorized most of Europe during the tenth century before creating the Kingdom of Hungary. Next are the Bulgars, who became the worst enemies of the Byzantine Empire in the Balkans but also created a flourishing state in the Volga region of Russia. The Khazars and the Alans share a chapter, as do the Pechenegs and Cumans-Kipchaks, while the Turks merit a dedicated chapter. Last but not least are the Mongols, who are traced from the unification of their tribes to the death of the great Genghis Khan.
By describing the military organization, weapons and tactics of these nomadic peoples the author shows how they dominated the battlefields of the world for almost 1,000 years thanks to their superior capabilities. He also discusses how they interacted with other civilizations and how the latter learned a lot from them, especially militarily. Without the existence of the warlike nomadic peoples of the Eurasian steppes, the history of the world would have been very different.
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About Gabriele Esposito
Gabriele Esposito is an Italian researcher and a long-time student of military history, whose interests and expertise range widely over various periods. Most of his recent studies have been dedicated to the reconstruction of the organization, functioning and tactics of the armies across history; in each of his publications there is always some relevant space dedicated to the 'material culture'of the various armies taken into account and - more in particular - to the empirical science known as 'uniformology'. Gabriele is the author of numerous books on armies and uniforms and is a regular contributor to many specialized magazines in Italy, France, Netherlands and UK. His many previous works include Armies of Early Colonial North America 1607-1713; Armies of the Late Roman Empire 284-476; Armies of the Hellenistic States 323 BC to AD30; Armies of Celtic Europe 700 BC-AD 106; Armies of Ancient Greece, circa 500 BC to 338 BC; and The Macedonian Army of Philip II and Alexander the Great 359-323 BC, all published by Pen & Sword since 2018. He lives in southern Italy, near the ancient battlefield of Beneventum.