History of Civilizations of Central Asia : The Crossroads of Civilization: A.D. 250 to 750

PREFACE
CONTENTS
DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT
MEMBERS OF THE INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE (in alphabetical order)
MEMBERS OF THE INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE (since 1993)
MEMBERS OF THE READING COMMITTEE
LIST OF CONTRIBUTORS
Other collaborating specialists
HISTORICAL INTRODUCTION
The Sasanians
The Guptas
The Sui dynasty
The T'ang dynasty
Oasis states
Ecology, geography and climate
Nomadic societies
The Hsiung-nu and the Huns
The Silk Route
Cross-cultural influences
SASANIAN IRAN -- ECONOMY, SOCIETY, ARTS AND CRAFTS
POLITICAL HISTORY, ECONOMY AND SOCIETY
Struggles against the northern nomads
The Sasanian administration
Royal cities
The reforms of Khusrau I
The economy
Sasanian coins
The army, warfare and armaments
CUSTOMS, ARTS AND CRAFTS
Sasanian cities and fortifications
Sasanian court architecture
Sasanian religious architecture
Sasanian art and crafts
SASANIAN IRAN: INTELLECTUAL LIFE
Written works
Secular literature
Royal Res Gestae
Religious literature
Philosophy and theology
Visionary and apocalyptic texts
Andarz (wisdom literature)
Languages and scripts
LITERATURE, SCIENCE AND RELIGION
Borrowings and influences
Science and philosophy
Court chronicles and epic histories
Religious life
Religion and the law
THE KUSHANO-SASANIAN KINGDOM
State organization and administration
Economy, society and trade
Religious life
Cities, architecture, art and crafts
Languages and scripts
THE KIDARITE KINGDOM IN CENTRAL ASIA
Origin and rise of the Kidarites
Early history of the Kidarites
Foundation of the Kidarite state
Kidara's conquest of Gandhara and Kashmir
The decline of the Kidarites
The new conquest of Bactria by the Sasanians (467)
Economy, society and polity
Monetary system and trade
Life-style, culture and ideology
THE HEPHTHALITE EMPIRE
Origins
Political and military history
Conquests in Gandhara and northern India
The Hephthalites of Central Asia
Social structure and administration
Religious life and polyandry
Language and scripts
Towns
Architecture
Art and crafts
EASTERN KUSHANS, KIDARITES IN GANDHARA AND KASHMIR, AND LATER HEPHTHALITES
EASTERN KUSHANS AND KIDARITES IN GANDHARA AND KASHMIR
Eastern Kushans
Kidarites in Gandhara and Kashmir
Later Hephthalites
Economic and cultural progress
Sanskrit references
Coinage of the Hunas
THE LATER HEPHTHALITES IN CENTRAL ASIA
The Khalaj, the successors of the Hephthalites
Urban life and art in Tokharistan
THE GUPTA KINGDOM
Origin and political history of the Guptas
Social and economic conditions
Administration
Religious life
Literature
Science
Art and architecture
KHWARIZM
HISTORY AND CULTURE OF KHWARIZM
Uncertain early history
Social structure and administration
Art, architecture, religion and language
AL-BIRUNI ON KHWARIZM
The Khwarizmian calendar
Khwarizmianeras
Religious beliefs
The Arab conquest
SOGDIANA
SUGHD AND ADJACENT REGIONS
Economic, cultural and social life
Art and architecture
Religious life
Scripts, epics and literary sources
USTRUSHANA, FERGHANA, CHACH AND ILAK
Ustrushana
Ferghana
Chach and Ilak
THE CITY - STATES OF THE TARIM BASIN
Geography and climate
Peoples and languages
Social life and the economy
Shan-shan: administrative system
Political upheavals
Trade
Religion
KOCHO ( KAO-CH'ANG)
The Kocho Prefecture period (327--460)
The Kocho kingdom period (460--640)
Recently discovered documents at Kocho
Administrative System and socio-economic life under the House of Ch'ü
The meeting and merging of cultures
NORTHERN NOMADS
K'ang-chü
The Huns
The Hsien-pi
Nomad kingdoms of northern China
The Juan-juan
The Türks
The T'ieh-le and Kao-chü
Archaeological evidence
THE TÜRK EMPIRE
THE FIRST TÜRK EMPIRE (553--682)
Ethnogenesis
The economy
Political history
THE SECOND TÜRK EMPIRE (682--745)
Resurgence of the Türk Empire
Political and social structure
Relations with China
The empire in crisis
The last war with T'ang China
The final decade
Epigraphic memorials of the Türks
The Türgesh state
The Uighurs and the Karluks
THE WESTERN REGIONS (HSI-YÜ) UNDER THE T'ANG EMPIRE AND THE KINGDOM OF TIBET
Three great empires
The Western Regions under the Early T'ang
The kingdom of Tibet
TOKHARISTAN AND GANDHARA UNDER WESTERN TÜRK RULE (650--750)
HISTORY OF THE REGIONS
Tokharistan
Kapisa-- Gandhara
Zabulistan
The fight for independence
LANGUAGES, LITERATURE, COINAGE, ARCHITECTURE AND ART
Ethnic groups and languages
Writing systems and literature
The provinces and their rule
Coinage
Cities, architecture and art
RELIGIONS AND RELIGIOUS MOVEMENTS -- I
ZOROASTRIANISM
MANICHAEISM
RELIGIONS AND RELIGIOUS MOVEMENTS -- II
CHRISTIANITY, INDIAN AND LOCAL RELIGIONS
Christianity
Indian religions (except Buddhism)
Local religions
BUDDHISM
Written sources
Inscriptions in Buddhist complexes
Manuscripts from East Turkestan and Central Asia
East Turkestan -- a major Buddhist centre
THE ARAB CONQUEST
THE ARAB CONQUEST OF IRAN
The first Arab invasion of Iran
The conquest of Iraq
The conquest of Khuzistan
The battle of Nihavend
The conquest of Seistan
The conquest of Khurasan
THE ARAB CONQUEST OF TRANSOXANIA
The first Arab incursions into Transoxania
The beginning of the conquest of Transoxania
The struggle of the peoples of Central Asia against the Umayyads
The struggle of the peoples of Central Asia against the cAbbasids
SOCIAL AND POLITICAL CONSEQUENCES OF THE ARAB CONQUEST
Reasons for the fall of the Sasanian Empire
Relations between Muslims and non-Muslims in the first century A.H.
First steps towards Islamization
Iranian regional administration in the conquered territories
Tabaristan and Dailam
Zabul, Kabul, Gandhara and Ghur
The Arabs in Sind
The survival of pre-Islamic civilization
CENTRAL ASIA, THE CROSSROADS OF CIVILIZATIONS
MAPS
BIBLIOGRAPHY AND REFERENCES
INDEX
History of civilizations of Central Asia