From the ashes of the once so mighty Samanid Empire arose a new superpower, led by the amīrs’ former servants. Nurtured in the rough steppes of Central Asia and battle-hardened through the incessant warfare that terrorized the waning Abbasid Caliphate, these Turkic warlords would change the course of history, heralding the start of the Turkic age in Islamic history. They built upon the traditions set by their Persian and Arabic predecessors but simultaneously established an entirely new model of rulership which became ingrained in Central Asia’s political ideology. Lauded by many as the architects of a vibrant culture, and spurned by others as a destructive force that signalled the end of the Islamic Golden Age, this dynasty’s legacy continues to puzzle moralists and historians alike to this day. Enter the Ghaznavids. This first article in a series about this dynasty aims to shed some light on the circumstances in which this sultanate grew, and the figures who lifted the Afghan city of Ghazna from a regional town to the centre of Islam’s first Turkic superpower.

The circulation of illustrated manuscripts and the mobility of artists and visual models across the Ottoman, Safavid, and Central Asian worlds formed one of the most dynamic artistic networks of the early modern Islamic world. Far from being isolated artistic traditions, these regions were linked through political conquest, diplomatic exchange, royal patronage, and interregional trade. Illustrated manuscripts, luxurious objects combining calligraphy, painting, and book arts, played a particularly important role within this network. Their movement between courts, often accompanied by the migration of artists and the transfer of visual motifs, created a shared visual culture across Iran, Anatolia, and Central Asia while simultaneously shaping the distinctive artistic traditions of each region.

"it was Sogdian, a language originally spoken in the province of Sogdiana and the city of Samarkand in modern-day Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, that became the lingua franca of the Silk Road in that part of Central Asia. Turkic peoples such as the Uyghurs, whose native language differed greatly from Indo-European Sogdian, also used this language for administration. The Sogdians were known as industrious merchants, and it was through trade that they spread their language as far as western China, among other means by founding merchant colonies in Chinese Turkestan."

Located in northern Iran stands a monumental fortification that utterly dwarfs Hadrian’s Wall: the Great Wall of Gorgan. Although it lacks the popular renown of its Roman counterpart, this vast structure has been described as one of the most sophisticated and ambitious frontier walls ever constructed, and arguably the largest single defensive wall in history. This article examines the historical circumstances that gave rise to the Great Wall of Gorgan, before exploring how the Sassanians built and operated this remarkable defensive system. It will then turn to the strategic considerations that ultimately led to the wall’s construction.

Sailing up the Tigris from the south, one of the many great spectacles that awaited ancient travellers was the awe-inspiring sight of Aššur’s ziggurat, visible from far away, arising atop a 40 meter high cliff that dominated the landscape. This structure was the ultimate proof of the Assyrians’ dedication to their patron god, who not only embodied the synonymous city of Aššur, but also represented the power of the Assyrian empire itself. Who was this Aššur? How was he envisaged by his worshippers and what importance did he carry for them? As we shall see momentarily, this proves to be a much harder question than one might expect.

In her first article for Along the Silk Road on Persian miniature painting, Dr. Shadabeh Azizpour discusses Kamal al-Din Behzād. Master Kamal al-Din Behzād (1456–1535) was one of the most prominent painters (naqqāshs) active in the artistic circles of Herat and Tabriz during the late fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries, under the Timurid and Safavid dynasties.

In his article, Yonghyup Oh chronicles the famed Tang invasions of Korea during the seventh century and places them in a wider historical perspective, paying particular attention to their consequences for East Asian history.

This article shall explore the evolution of the garden from the Achaemenian (6th- 4th centuries BCE) to the Sassanian (3rdcentury BCE-7th century CE) empires. It will delve into how the Great Kings of Iran infused political and religious ideology with arboricultural, horticultural and artistic innovation. Finally, we shall observe how thousands of years of Persian tradition would be taken up and spread across the world in the wake of conquest and cultural renewal, shaping not only the garden but the very notion of an earthly paradise across Eurasia.

Dominating the western Taurus Mountains, the archaeological site of Sagalassos rises at an altitude of about 1,500 meters. Tracing its origins back to prehistoric times, the town managed to weather numerous upheavals and regime changes up to the Middle Ages, offering modern archaeologists a remarkable wealth of material for understanding the ancient history of Anatolia.

When Sennacherib ascended the throne in 705 BCE, a wave of revolts swept across the Assyrian Empire, most notably in the Levant, where King Hezekiah of Judah dared to defy the formidable Assyrians. Resolute in his determination to reassert imperial authority, Sennacherib set out to subdue the rebellious lands. Yet before he could turn his attention to Jerusalem, he first had to force his way through a succession of adversaries who awaited him along the road to Judah’s capital. Among these stood the fortified stronghold of Lachish—proud, defiant, and seemingly impregnable. But the resourceful Assyrians conceived a stratagem that at last brought about the city’s fall.