Latest / The Story of Uzbekistan: Silk Road Kingdoms and Soviet Legacy — Fexingo History
The Sogdians: Silk Road Merchants Who Shaped Central Asia
Before the Samanids, before the Timurids, before the Uzbeks — there were the Sogdians. For over a thousand years, these Iranian-speaking merchants and city-builders dominated the Silk Road, linking China to Persia and beyond. This episode dives into their world: the Sogdian language as the lingua franca of trade, their role in transmitting Buddhism, Manichaeism, and Nestorian Christianity eastward, and their legendary fortress city of Panjakent, abandoned in the 8th century and later excavated to reveal vibrant wall paintings. We also explore their military and political influence — how…
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