
Crossroads of Civilization: A History of Central Asia
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Narrated by:
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Eren Tasar
About this listen
Though perhaps less well-known today than the great empires that surrounded them, the historic peoples of Central Asia—such as the Scythians, the Sogdians, the Xiongnu nomads of Mongolia, the Turkic peoples, and many others—produced cultures of major significance.
In the 24 lectures of Crossroads of Civilization: A History of Central Asia, taught by Professor Eren Tasar of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, you will embark on a wide-ranging journey into the majestic landscapes, steppe and desert cultures, resplendent cities, and epic conquests that characterized this mysterious part of the world. Along the way, you will:
· Travel into the history of the many peoples who dominated the region, from the Scythians and Sogdians to the empire of the iconic Tamerlane.
· Learn about the region’s nomadic peoples; their religious practices, display of power through elaborate burials; their remarkable animal art; and their often-lavish yurts.
· Encounter the conquering powers that ruled Central Asia, such as the Persian Achaemenid Empire, the Arab Abbasid caliphate, which brought Islam; and the fearsome Mongols.
· Explore the sophisticated culture that grew under the Samanids, Timurids and Shibanids, seen in wide patronage of the arts, sciences, and scholarship, and construction of dazzling monuments.
· Delve into the policies of the Tsarist colonial regime and the cotton economy it created, causing suffering and rebellion.
· Visualize the Soviet rule of the region, marked by tragic famines and later substantial development; trace the Chinese domination of East Turkestan, and the challenges and successes of the modern Central Asian nations.
Crossroads of Civilization: A History of Central Asia reveals a part of the world that is relatively unknown to many of us, but which has played an integral role in the unfolding of human civilization, from the Far East to the frontiers of Europe.
PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.
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By: Vejas Gabriel Liulevicius, and others
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Searching for People and Places of the Bible
- By: Jean-Pierre. Isbouts, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Jean-Pierre Isbouts
- Length: 7 hrs and 53 mins
- Original Recording
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By exploring the stories of the Bible in their actual locations, and the stories of the complex human beings who lived them, you’ll gain fascinating and illuminating new dimensions of the texts. In this visually stunning course, you’ll also experience the Bible’s connection to both the real world and ancient history while you’ll engage with the past in a way that is both immediate and tangible.
By: Jean-Pierre. Isbouts, and others
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God Against the Gods
- The History of Monotheism and Polytheism
- By: Robert Garland, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Robert Garland
- Length: 6 hrs and 50 mins
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Religion is foundational to what it means to be human. Our quest for meaning is as ancient as our very existence, stretching back to a time when Neanderthal burials and Paleolithic figurines suggest our ancestors recognized a power that transcended visible reality. From ancient civilizations to the 21st century, belief in a higher power seems to be a universal human instinct. These 12 thought-provoking lectures introduce you to the world of comparative religion, giving you insights into a variety of religious expressions and human cultures.
By: Robert Garland, and others
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The Hidden Power of Microbes
- By: Melissa Booth, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Melissa Booth
- Length: 10 hrs and 22 mins
- Original Recording
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Right this minute, your body is carrying roughly 38 trillion microbial cells along with it—and in the vast majority of cases, you couldn’t live without them. On top of that, you harbor around 380 trillion viruses, most of which are either beneficial or benign. The Hidden Power of Microbes draws back the curtain on this vast microworld in 24 half-hour lectures delivered by acclaimed science communicator Dr. Melissa Booth, research scientist, professor, and Founder and Principal of The Science Communicator, devoted to training scientists to tell accurate, compelling stories about their fields.
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engaging and informative
- By Peter S on 12-26-24
By: Melissa Booth, and others
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Central Asia
- A New History from the Imperial Conquests to the Present
- By: Adeeb Khalid
- Narrated by: Aaqil Ahmed
- Length: 17 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
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Central Asia is often seen as a remote and inaccessible land on the peripheries of modern history. Encompassing Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, and the Xinjiang province of China, it in fact stands at the crossroads of world events. Adeeb Khalid provides the first comprehensive history of Central Asia from the mid-18th century to today, shedding light on the historical forces that have shaped the region under imperial and Communist rule.
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Great History of a Forgotten Region
- By Than on 07-07-21
By: Adeeb Khalid
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Treating Anxiety
- By: Ellen Hendriksen, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Ellen Hendriksen
- Length: 5 hrs and 58 mins
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In the 12 fascinating and action-oriented lectures of Treating Anxiety, Dr. Ellen Hendriksen describes the causes and symptoms of numerous anxiety disorders—from generalized anxiety disorder to social anxiety to panic. In her calming manner, and always backed by rigorous scientific studies, she will give you numerous tools and exercises you can employ immediately to help treat your own anxiety. After all, few of us are in danger of being eaten by a bear these days and, as Dr. Henricksen points out, we don’t want to spend our lives hiding in the metaphorical cave.
By: Ellen Hendriksen, and others
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Stories of America’s National Parks
- By: Megan Kate Nelson, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Megan Kate Nelson
- Length: 5 hrs and 52 mins
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Many Americans remember a family road trip to visit one of our 63 national parks. Why did Americans start preserving these sites of natural and historic interest? How were these parks selected, and what steps did conservationists, activists, philanthropists, politicians, and others take to protect millions of acres against the booming developments of an expanding nation? An award-winning writer, researcher, and American Studies scholar, Dr. Megan Kate Nelson tackles these questions as she takes you on a marvelous journey through some of the most beautiful places on Earth.
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Interesting history
- By Secret Santa on 03-30-25
By: Megan Kate Nelson, and others
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The Other Side of History: Daily Life in the Ancient World
- By: Robert Garland, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Robert Garland
- Length: 24 hrs and 28 mins
- Original Recording
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Look beyond the abstract dates and figures, kings and queens, and battles and wars that make up so many historical accounts. Over the course of 48 richly detailed lectures, Professor Garland covers the breadth and depth of human history from the perspective of the so-called ordinary people, from its earliest beginnings through the Middle Ages.
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Tantalizing time trip
- By Mark on 08-21-13
By: Robert Garland, and others
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Great Tours: Ancient Cities of the Mediterranean
- By: Darius Arya, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Darius Arya
- Length: 11 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
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The Mediterranean is one of the great wellsprings of human civilization. Central to the region’s history are the splendorous cities that flowered around the region—bases of power that saw innovation, commerce, expansion, and the building of great empires. Many of these cities have become icons of the ancient world, and exemplars of the cultures, conquests, and ways of life that have built western civilization.
By: Darius Arya, and others
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On Trial for Murder
- America’s Most Famous Murder Trials
- By: Douglas O. Linder, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Douglas O. Linder
- Length: 5 hrs and 5 mins
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On Trial for Murder: America’s Most Famous Murder Trials takes you inside the courtrooms and uncovers the stories of 10 of the most well-known trials since the turn of the 20th century. For this riveting foray into criminal law, your guide is Professor Douglas O. Linder, the Elmer Powell Peer Professor of Law at the University of Missouri–Kansas City School of Law and creator of the Famous Trials website.
By: Douglas O. Linder, and others
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Underwater Archaeology
- Mysteries of the Deep
- By: Ashley Lemke, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Ashley Lemke
- Length: 5 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
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The work of archaeology uncovers fascinating vestiges of humanity’s past, greatly enriching our knowledge of our ancestors and ourselves. Over the last century, archaeologists have increasingly ventured underwater, making spellbinding finds and opening an incredible new frontier for archaeological discovery. In the 12 delightful and eye-opening lectures of Underwater Archaeology: Mysteries of the Deep, Professor Lemke, an expert underwater archaeologist working in the field, invites you to discover astonishing treasures of history that lie beneath the waves.
By: Ashley Lemke, and others
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Books That Matter: Meditations
- By: Massimo Pigliucci, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Massimo Pigliucci
- Length: 6 hrs
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What is it about Stoicism that Marcus found so important then, and that millions find relevant today? In the 12 fascinating lectures of Books That Matter: Meditations, professor Massimo Pigliucci explores the questions Marcus believed were crucial to address in a life of value, the answers he proposed, and the many ways in which you can use Stoic philosophy. While Meditations was originally written for an audience of just one, what Marcus wanted to examine certainly still applies to us today. What exactly should we be mindful of in this life?
By: Massimo Pigliucci, and others
Very enjoyable
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