Latest / Trade Routes That Changed Human History Forever — Fexingo History
The Han-Xiongnu Wars: Silk Road Origins in Blood
Before the Silk Road was a road, it was a battlefield. In this episode, Lucas and Luna trace the origins of the trans-Eurasian trade network back to the 2nd century BCE, when Emperor Wu of Han sent Zhang Qian west to forge an alliance against the Xiongnu confederation. Zhang Qian's decade-long captivity, his escape across the Pamirs, and his reports of wealthy kingdoms like Dayuan (Ferghana) and Bactria opened China's eyes to a world beyond the steppe. We explore the 'Heavenly Horses' of Ferghana—so prized that Han launched a war to obtain them—and the diplomatic game of…
The skinny
The skinny isn't ready yet — notes appear once the transcript is processed.