The Entire History of Steppe Nomads & City Builders // Ancient Prehistory Documentary 

Thanks for watching folks and remember to check out Walls by David Frye, the writer of this episode. It’s one of my favourite books of the last few years. Highly recommended. Cheers all. Onwards to the next video. It will be another 3 hour+ monster on Britain’s early Middle Ages..

I'm an afghan/pashtun and our ancestors were the scythians who were a steppe nomadic iranian people

Can't believe this content is free, it's incredible

Dude does this all himself? You’re amazing man!

i cant believe youre a one man team. high standard, large scope, bbc documentary level content, no conspiracies. and wtf? only 700k subscribers? this is a crime. subbed

Thanks for your hard work in writing, directing and producing these documentaries!!!

Listening to and watching History Time videos are Zen for me. The calm smooth narration, great visuals, and brain stimulating topics, it is like a spa day for the mind!

I appreciate that I can watch these quality documentaries on RU-vid

What a brilliant documentary, I was completely fascinated by it. I cannot believe this is not a professional piece for TV, complete with huge budget and a crew of 20 going on the road and staying in flash hotels paid for by the licence payer. Please keep up the good work, as the numerous comments here attest, it really is appreciated by people from all over the world and that must surely be a good thing.

Merian C. Cooper, mentioned in the early part of this amazing video, had quite a fascinating life. He was a pilot, a soldier, an adventurer, a filmmaker, an absolute legend. I strongly recommend looking him up.

Oooh, y'know what would be an excellent follow-up to this? The role of natural walls and barriers in ancient history/prehistory, like mountain ranges, rivers, straits, isthmuses, etc...

Just like the cannon making walls obsolete, it's dedicated channels like these that make TV channels obsolete. Amazing work you do.

The work you've done is really awesome. I enjoyed this far more than the dry content of other history docs. Not to mention, your narration is excellent, and your voice is well modulated, as pleasant to listen to as Paul Wallis. From a house bound disabled policeman, thank you.

Nomads vs. Settlers is the oldest social conflict ever since the agricultural revolution.

Honestly, I thought this channel just replayed history documentaries. I had no idea you guys produced the content yourselves! Thanks for doing such incredible work

I am thankful this content is free. We all have ups and downs in our lives, I am also thankful to those that donate their money that allow ppl like myself that cannot donate to watch this incredible content. Bless the creator and the ppl donate. Tyvm

you are one of the best RU-vidrs, I cant get enough of these videos. I am a new patreon of yours. Keep these coming

I was thinking about building a fence for my backyard. After watching this masterpiece of a documentary, I think I will build a stone wall instead 😂

You have the perfect voice & accent for this.

I recently left Beijing after 13 years. Whilst there I worked part time as a hiking guide, some of which included sections of renovated sections of wall, as depicted here. As it happens you used stock footage of some of the classic tourist sections of wall near Beijing. I know every brick and every step of the wall footage shown, it’s like home having walked each section over 100 times and taken thousands of photos. Thanks. I feel sad at that part of my life having moved into the past but glad to move on too. China is no longer tenable for me.

Really enjoyed this program. During Covid I have been studying ancient peoples since they left Africa from a Europe , the Steppes and Asia. I was watching Stefan Milo and your program came on. It covers all the periods I have been studying. I will defiantly get the book. I’m 77. Proves you’re never too old to learn. Thank you.

Hallo from Denmark . Great video . We also had the conflict between settled farmers and nomades here back in the Stone age . When farmers migrated into danish territory . But slowly the nomads settled down and became farmers themself … But there were actully two parts of farmers here in Denmark . And that could be seen here in Jutland where I live . Eastern jutland was the farmland was . While the West was dominated heath landscape … So that became Denmarks Wild West . There the farmers would live by rising cattle and fishing … The western jutes had reputation of though bunch . During the middelages and later when feudal system exsisted here . The western jutes were tennants on noblity’s land . But because there was no good farmland in the West . It was an area where the Local Lord or representitives would visit evert day . So there is not many huge mansion houses in West jutland . They are in the east . So the cattle farmers in the West were more free then their fellow farmers in the east … And every year the West farmers could gather their cattle and ride down to Germany to sell their cattle … The danish borders would try to stop Them (is illegal in medevil and later Denmark). But these danish “cowboys “ would bribe the guards or beat Them up… And then they would continue to Germany to sell their cattle … But that lifestyle would come to an end . In 1700’es danish Kings (starting with Frederik the fourth) started campaigns to transform to heath landscape into farmland … Around 1758 the danish Christian the fifth had managed to get 1000 germans to setlle down in the jutland heath and grow things . Many gave up and returned home to Germany . Some remained and grow things potatoes . It could grow in heat landscape … And thats how the potato came to Denmark… And these germans became known as potato germans . And then danes started to eat potatoes … Many of their descendents still live in Denmark … And slowly around most of heath was transformed into farmland … So the cowboy cattle lifestyle western jutland was known for . It came to an end . Today were little of the orginal danish heath landscape remains … Today the remaining heath landscape are protected by law …

I've never heard the Mongol conquests described in quite so brutal and terrifying terms before, I think you did them justice in this vid.

My favorite part? Where the sheep told the lamb to eff off. Twice. That was great! 😂 Also, great doc, btw. I love your work!

Thank you History Time and Magellan TV! GREAT TOPIC and video well done; with excellent narration.

Classic! Linking King Kong to nomadic ancients, two of my favorite things. Plus Grass! Perfect thanks

Wow, this was great. The labor of love put into making this must have monumental. I knew some of the history of wall building, but your work definitely expanded my knowledge and understanding.

I find ancient history more fascinating than more recent history, including things I actually lived through.

Always so good to listen and learn with. Thank you again.

Oh my, this one is destined to be one of your best. I'm extremely excited over the subject. Thank you Sir Kelly.

Due to growing up in Mongolia, I really appreciate all the Mongol steppe imagery!

Pete, seriously mate I could listen to you narrate anything. You really do have a gift for it and I know others agree. Your videos are just getting better and better. I know when you take a month or two to put out a video it’s because you clearly work by ‘quality not quantity’.

What a great episode!! I love learning new things ( at my age, its necessary!)

This documentary is excellent. Very well produced, interesting and educational. Well done. Thank you so much.

Thank you for providing such high quality content! It’s well researched, written, and produced. Keep it up!

Excellent videos my friend, have spent the week watching an have learned so much... Thank you !! Please make more !!

Pete Kelly, you have the, most relaxing voice, vocal style , easy listening , absorbable timing & appropriate inflections of any narrator I listen to …and I listen to them all..differently styled but on par with ken burns .moreover, you stay on subject & don’t interject possible incorrect opinions based on modern attitudes which I find infinitely fascinating & refreshing . these videos are extremely well constructed , informative & interesting .thank you for doing such a fab job on your history docs. Well done I hope you will continue to Keep them coming.

THis is one of the best History videos I have ever seen. It is amazing in its scale and abilty to explain a hugh swaith of human history. Well done.

I am in awe that you are able to do this alone. Thank you so much for your work!

You are 💯the world heavyweight champion of historic documentaries!

Greetings from Kyrgyzstan 🇰🇬 Awesome video Thanks

Masterful work in covering an enormous scope

Dude, your stuff is such quality…. I love it. Don’t ever stop

Added the book to my wish list and became a Patreon member. You have helped me so much with sleeping and I don’t mean it in an insulting way. I find these episodes interesting and calming. Thank you!!!!

You are amazing. Being a documentary videographer, a Dane too & loving my history, and knowing just how much time goes into planning & making a simple 30 (20 minutes because of commercials) show... And the way you project each video you make. Unbiased of any country. Just pure history, is refreshing. Well done.

You have great timing. I've been interested in steppe nomads for days now.

I've listened to this several times ! Love it, thanks Pete. I got Walls for my nephew's birthday, nurturing the next generation of history buffs.

half an ambien , chamomile tea, and history time = night time wind down bliss.

I love your videos because I can just throw one on in the morning whilst getting ready for my day and still learn something.. you deserve a spot on tv! You have a great voice and great unbiased outlook for history. Love your content man. Keep it up

A good example of town dwellers moving out to the mountains are my ancestors, old early medieval Romanians, who left their Eastern Roman urban homes after the avar invasion and spread all throughout the mountains in the area, becoming herders up until the generation of my great-grandparents. The name of the people and the language itself are the only active reminder, since Serbia and Bulgaria, their original home, became Slavic over time and the current Romanian nationalist historiography prefers another, much more rigid historical view. Any neutral and unbiased linguist and archeologist would agree though with a urban-rural mobility and herder migration theory. Thanks for the video. It provides a lot of inspiration! And by the way, the Romanian term for fortress, "cetate", comes from late Latin "civitas", meaning "city, settlement" showing that at some point in history the two words had the same meaning. Modern Romanian for city, "oraș" comes from Hungarian "varos" and it was adopted in the last 1000 years, after Romanians started to be (re) integrated very slowly into a more settled society.

Just started watching your videos this week and realized that one of the biggest things I appreciate about the approach you take is that it is a wider view than most that links the pieces together into the giant topic of human history. It gives context that enriches my understanding of history and beyond. Thank you.

Wow that was so good! The delivery, the voice, the sentence structure, the vocabulary, the timing, the presentation, the film clips, amazing!!! Thank you so much! I look forward to being a subscriber. 😍❤️🤗👍💞🧐🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

These documentaries are absolutely sensational. Thorough and comprehensive overviews. Thank you so much.

My complete respect for the work you do on these videos. I’ve been chasing the history of this region for forty years, since I first read of Alexander’s encounter with them. I’ve just ordered “Walls” and will watch this video again. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

All right. You twisted my arm, Pete. Ordered Walls today. Hope it doesn't disappoint. Your docs are great. So is you colleague Paul Cooper, but I am nearly burned out on viewing things this year! Thanks for you patch at History Time.

Wow, I just saw you made this video. I am about to watch it now but the title makes me feel like this is a perfect prequel to your bronze age collapse video. I am excited to watch this. Your content is so well done man, don't ever sell out to TV or a publisher, just keep doing what you're doing. Your passion and hands on methods elevates the content

All of ancient civilization: "I just want to farm my land plz stop." Nomads: _"OUR land"_ All of ancient civilization: *_"What are you doing steppe-nomad?!"_*

thank you for making this and doing this content for free! I'm back in college studying anthropology and your videos have been such an inspiration!

What an absolutely epic history of one of the most important places in the history of humanity!

A really revealing history and explanation of the evolving and diminishing civilisations that came before us. Thankyou

This video will be vibrating in my head for a long time. Amazing piece, Thank You!!!

Really great doc as always. Will make sure to re-watch it soon again. Don't want the live chat to distract me the way it did during the premiere.

Thank you, Pete and David, we appreciate all your time and effort. This presentation was wonderful !! Pat

Watched this to fall asleep last night - stayed up and watched it all and I’m going to watch again today so I can absorb the information better. This is the most interesting video I’ve ever watched.

I just came across one of your videos last week. I have watched several since then. Thank you for your work.

Amazing. Thank you so much for your content and narration.

If anyone wants a theoretical context for these events, check out the variants of Heartland-Rimland Theory. The steppe peoples controlled the Heartland, and their incursions into the Rimlands make up the subject matter of this video.

This something you can actually binge watch for days , then start over !! .. Excellent job my friend..

Reading the “walls” book, it’s great - thanks for the recommendation and of course, your excellent channel!!

This documentary is work of art, i am still amazed how just one person can make this fantastic quality, thank you for exsisting :)

What a fascinating and expertly put-together documentary. I can't thank you enough for your efforts.

I just love your series and can't wait for the next episode! Just ONE wish.. When you speak the volume of the music is perfect. Could you please make it the same volume between narrative so doesn't get louder between the narrative as it is now. Otherwise this channel is just perfect! Many thanks from Sweden!

I love his shows and history. He's so smart.🎉

I love your videos. The long ones are my faves but I love them all. Thanks for your hard work😊

Another incredible piece of work from this channel. Consistently producing amazing quality. Outstanding job.

I absolutely LOVE all your videos. Your voice is extremely soothing. Even though I've viewed every video (more than once), I like to put one on at bedtime because your voice calms me. Thanks for the excellent educational content!!

1:01:10 really incapsulates how terrifying the mongol horde was

Another masterpiece! You should cover the migration period of the Slavs and Germanics and early medieval society

Also, I became a Patreon member @ 5.00 per month but paid the 1 year option. You are so smart to add that option. Not only do I save a bit (sorry but that counts) but I don't have to deal with notifications in my email. Again, love your channels!

I like History like this tells us a lot about our own ways of today in so many ways

Thank you so much for your time, effort and quality content! Your narration (and video) is soothing and informative. Unlike others that don't enunciate nor even speak slowly, overlaid with loud music.

The steppe actually extended further west than the " shores of the Black Sea." It extended into present- day Romania and Hungary.

You do a great job and have a voice that is easy to listen to. I appreciate that you differentiate between what we know and what we have interpreted and from whose point of view it is from. You are a natural teacher.

If Frye's book is even half as engaging as your videos, it's worth a read. I bookmarked it for Kindle purchase!

Thank you, and the book has been added to my waiting list ( I had to make a rule saying no more ordering new books until you are reading the last one from the previous order 🙃)

Bro! I had no idea you were a one man army! That’s awesome man! You do a hell of a job

This was amazing. I've listened to it three times.

Thank you Pete Kelly, I love you and all the work you do.💙

Amazing way of framing history as a whole. The macro view between two parties throughout time gives a way to exercise the mind. Thanks for this one.

Al-Jahiz, the renowned ninth century Arab prose writer, wrote an essay entitled “The Virtues of the Turks.” In this essay al-Jahiz describes the various contingents that formed the Abbasid army and argues that the Turks were far superior to the other groups when it came to fighting, riding, discipline, and war.

Man, you are amazing. Great job, great channel. Thank you for your time and your talent.

This just keeps getting better and better! I'm halfway through & blown away, by Walls. Genius.☮️🌵☮️

The juxtaposition reminded me of a video from the early Seventies by the BBC where this guy, who's name I have unfortunately forgotten, put out the thesis that war came into the world with exactly this polarization which he saw at the root of the legend of Cain and Abel. Ask Mr. Fry whether he was inspired by this old video

So well done! Thank you, for taking the time to make and post this!

I learn so much from you, Pete. The details on your deep dives are so interesting! Thank you!

You are doing all the heavy lifting for history channel right now

i love you man , your stuff is awe inspiring and i've learned more from your channel than in almost 18 years of education or at least it feels that way.

To be honest I expected a more detailed description of the lifestyle of nomads, rather than a quick rundown of the various walls in history. But if I can find it, I'll might watch that Grass movie, it looks interesting.

I learn a lot here. This is one of my favorite channels. I’ve gotten used to you narration style and tone. It’s like I want to hear your voice every time I watch something about history. You should get some gigs narrating for the BBC or the like. Thank you for your passion for history. It’s much appreciated.

Hello, thank you for these fabulous videos! BTW, you have a lovely, soothing voice.