Nomads and Early Civilization

The one common significant long- term impact reflected in early civilizations interactions with nomadic groups was conquest. In each of the geographical regions mentioned nomadic groups are invading the inhabitants of these lands for their plush resources. Each region is essentially an epicenter for trade, with access to rivers that open up to the seas ocean highways. The disappearance of these civilizations can also be accredited to these nomadic invaders. Take into consideration the western Zhou kingdom of early China. This was a fully functioning society with an established cultural system, as well as an elaborate civilization with trade routes. As mentioned by Stearns the basin of the yellow river and the Yangzi were geographically beneficial to this region. Vast agricultural attributes made this region a commodity to whoever possessed them. These resources provoked the interests of the nomadic tribes, "the basin of the Yellow river was securely Chinese, despite the continuing nomadic threat" {World pg.64}.

Aryan India was another region that was affected by the influx of nomadic groups, "The rough nomads had rapidly settled down to enjoy the amenities of the rich and powerful among the civilized" {World, Pg. 64}. This region was also the gateway to Mesopotamia the great civilization, which would later fall prey to nomadic invaders, "In most cases, however, and often in Mesopotamia, external threats to civilization came from nomadic people" {World, pg.718}. Once again Stearns makes mention of nomadic groups having a deleterious impact on civilization. Were these nomadic hoards barbaric invaders or simply misunderstood opportunists? What of the gains, if any that these regions benefited from their encounters with theses nomadic groups? None are truly mentioned within these short texts, but one act of domination encompasses both the persistence of nomads and the civilization they conquered, as well the disappearance of a civilized people from their region of origin. In the 8th century the Zhou kingdom was over thrown by nomads. As a result of this the Zhou moved their empire to the east an established a dynasty that stood for over five centuries.

Work Cited:

Stern, Peter, N, Michael Adas, Stuart,B Schwartz, and Marc, J Gilbert. World Civilizations, The Global Experience. Upper Saddle River, N.J: Owens, Charlyce, Jones, 2011, 2007, 2004, 2001.

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