Raiders, Rulers, and Traders
The Horse and the Rise of Empires
Published on 15. July 2025
Book
Paperback/Softback
448 pages
978-1-324-11033-0 (ISBN)
Description
No animal is so entangled in human history as the horse. The thread starts in prehistory, with a slight, shy animal hunted for food. Domesticating the horse allowed early humans to settle the vast Eurasian steppe; later, their horses enabled new forms of warfare, encouraged long-distance trade routes and acquired cultural and religious significance. Over time, horses came to power empires in Iran, Afghanistan, China, India and Russia.
David Chaffetz tells the story of how the horse made rulers, raiders and traders interchangeable, providing a novel explanation for the turbulent history of the "Silk Road", which might be better called the Horse Road. Drawing on recent research in fields including genetics and forensic archaeology, Chaffetz presents a lively history of the great horse empires that shaped civilisation.
David Chaffetz tells the story of how the horse made rulers, raiders and traders interchangeable, providing a novel explanation for the turbulent history of the "Silk Road", which might be better called the Horse Road. Drawing on recent research in fields including genetics and forensic archaeology, Chaffetz presents a lively history of the great horse empires that shaped civilisation.
Reviews / Votes
"[D]eeply researched, elegantly written" -- The Economist "A thrilling trip through 2,000 years in the rise of empires." -- Robert Sullivan - The New York Times Book Review "A wise and jaunty chronicle of the role played by horses in the rise of empires." -- Tunku Varadarajan - Wall Street Journal "[An] engaging history... David Chaffetz makes a convincing case for why no other animal has had such a profound impact on human history" -- Victor Mallet - Financial Times "A dog may be humanity's best friend, but the horse is certainly the greatest ally. With the strength of horses added to their own modest physical abilities, humans radically changed everything from agriculture and transportation to sports and warfare. From milking to marauding, David Chaffetz's Raiders, Rulers, and Traders takes the reader on a well-paced ride through the history of this revolutionary and emotional alliance of human and animal." -- Jack Weatherford, best-selling author of Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern WorldMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
New York
United States
Illustrations
30 illustrations
Dimensions
Height: 207 mm
Width: 139 mm
Thickness: 29 mm
Weight
362 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-324-11033-0 (9781324110330)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Book
09/2024
WW Norton & Co
€31.50
Shipment within 15-20 days
E-Book
07/2024
W. W. Norton & Company
€18.49
Available for download
Person
David Chaffetz, Asian Review of Books contributor, member of the Royal Society for Asian Affairs, and author of A Journey through Afghanistan and Three Asian Divas, has traveled in Asia for over forty years. He lives in Lisbon and Paris.