Raiders, Rulers, and Traders
The Horse and the Rise of Empires
29 August 2025
Territory Rights — Worldwide.
Description
A captivating history of civilisation that reveals the central role of the horse in culture, commerce and conquest
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.
Reviews
"[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 World
Ebook
9781324051473
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