Monotheisation of Pontic-Caspian Eurasia

Alex M. Feldman is a professor at the College of International Studies of Madrid

This sweeping study challenges our understanding of conversion to monotheism in Pontic-Caspian Eurasia. Feldman’s impressive range, his immersion in languages and literatures, and his telling insights illuminate the obscure early histories of the Khazars, Volga Bulgars, Magyars, Pečenegs, Cuman-Qıpčaqs and Rus'.

• Contents List of Abbreviations Acknowledgements A Proposition 1 The Monotheisation of Khazaria 1.1 The Earliest Textual Sources on Khazaria 1.2 The Advent of Khazarian Judaism 1.3 Monotheisation and Sedentarisation in Khazaria 1.4 Approximate Conclusions 2 A Commonwealth Inchoate 2.1 Khazaria’s Decline and Disappearance 2.2 Reinterpreting Northern Peoples in the DAI 3 Case Studies of Monotheisation in 8-13th-century Pontic-Caspian Eurasia 3.1 Volga Bulgaria 3.2 Magyars, Pečenegs and Cumans 3.3 Rus’: Byzantine Christianisation 4 Monotheisation in Metal A Reassessment of Civilisation in Pontic-Caspian Eurasia Part 1 Monotheisation Revisited Part 2 Periodisation and Civilisation Appendices Appendix 1 Gog and Magog’s association with Khazaria Appendix 2 Steppe Nomadism & Gumilëv’s Eurasian ideology Appendix 3 The Khazar-Ashkenazi Descent Theory Bibliography Primary Sources Secondary and Archaeological Literature Index