Christopher I. Beckwith is Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Central Eurasian Studies at Indiana University. His books include The Scythian Empire and Greek Buddha (both Princeton).

"[Beckwith] suggests in his recent book, Empires of the Silk Road, that 'the most crucial element' of societies all through Central Eurasia . . . was the 'sociopolitical-religious ideal of the heroic lord' and of a 'war band of his friends' that was attached to him and 'sworn to defend him to the death.' This idea, he suggests, affected the organization of early Islam as well as the structure of Tibetan Buddhist devotion. In fact, this 'shared political ideology across Eurasia,' Mr. Beckwith suggests, 'ensured nearly constant warfare.' The region's history is a history of competing empires; trade became part of what was later called the Great Game."---Edward Rothstein, New York Times

Christopher I. Beckwith is Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Central Eurasian Studies at Indiana University. His books include The Scythian Empire and Greek Buddha (both Princeton).

"[Beckwith] suggests in his recent book, Empires of the Silk Road, that 'the most crucial element' of societies all through Central Eurasia . . . was the 'sociopolitical-religious ideal of the heroic lord' and of a 'war band of his friends' that was attached to him and 'sworn to defend him to the death.' This idea, he suggests, affected the organization of early Islam as well as the structure of Tibetan Buddhist devotion. In fact, this 'shared political ideology across Eurasia,' Mr. Beckwith suggests, 'ensured nearly constant warfare.' The region's history is a history of competing empires; trade became part of what was later called the Great Game."---Edward Rothstein, New York Times

Christopher I. Beckwith is Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Central Eurasian Studies at Indiana University. His books include The Scythian Empire and Greek Buddha (both Princeton).

"[Beckwith] suggests in his recent book, Empires of the Silk Road, that 'the most crucial element' of societies all through Central Eurasia . . . was the 'sociopolitical-religious ideal of the heroic lord' and of a 'war band of his friends' that was attached to him and 'sworn to defend him to the death.' This idea, he suggests, affected the organization of early Islam as well as the structure of Tibetan Buddhist devotion. In fact, this 'shared political ideology across Eurasia,' Mr. Beckwith suggests, 'ensured nearly constant warfare.' The region's history is a history of competing empires; trade became part of what was later called the Great Game."---Edward Rothstein, New York Times