Militarism And The Indo-europeanizing Of Europe
by Robert Drews /
2017 / English / PDF
6.8 MB Download
This book argues that the Indo-Europeanizing of Europe
essentially began shortly before 1600 BC, when lands rich in
natural resources were taken over by military forces from the
Eurasian steppe and from southern Caucasia. First were the copper
and silver mines (along with good harbors) in Greece, and the
copper and gold mines of the Carpathian basin. By ca. 1500 BC
other military men had taken over the amber coasts of
Scandinavia and the metalworking district of the southern Alps.
These military takeovers offer the most likely explanations for
the origins of the Greek, Keltic, Germanic and Italic subgroups
of the Indo-European language family.
This book argues that the Indo-Europeanizing of Europe
essentially began shortly before 1600 BC, when lands rich in
natural resources were taken over by military forces from the
Eurasian steppe and from southern Caucasia. First were the copper
and silver mines (along with good harbors) in Greece, and the
copper and gold mines of the Carpathian basin. By ca. 1500 BC
other military men had taken over the amber coasts of
Scandinavia and the metalworking district of the southern Alps.
These military takeovers offer the most likely explanations for
the origins of the Greek, Keltic, Germanic and Italic subgroups
of the Indo-European language family.
Battlefield warfare and militarism, Robert Drews contends, were
novelties ca. 1600 BC and were a consequence of the military
employment of chariots. Current opinion is that militarism and
battlefield warfare are as old as formal states, going back
before 3000 BC.
Battlefield warfare and militarism, Robert Drews contends, were
novelties ca. 1600 BC and were a consequence of the military
employment of chariots. Current opinion is that militarism and
battlefield warfare are as old as formal states, going back
before 3000 BC.
Another current opinion is that the Indo-Europeanizing of Europe
happened long before 1600 BC. The "Kurgan theory" of Marija
Gimbutas and David Anthony dates it from late in the fifth to
early in the third millennium BC and explains it as the result of
horse-riding conquerors or raiders coming to Europe from the
steppe. Colin Renfrew’s
Another current opinion is that the Indo-Europeanizing of Europe
happened long before 1600 BC. The "Kurgan theory" of Marija
Gimbutas and David Anthony dates it from late in the fifth to
early in the third millennium BC and explains it as the result of
horse-riding conquerors or raiders coming to Europe from the
steppe. Colin Renfrew’sArchaeology and Language
Archaeology and Language dates the
Indo-Europeanizing of Europe to the seventh and sixth millennia
BC, and explains it as a consequence of the spread of agriculture
in a "wave of advance" from Anatolia through Europe. Pairing
linguistic with archaeological evidence Drews concludes that in
Greece and Italy, at least, no Indo-European language could have
arrived before the second millennium BC.
dates the
Indo-Europeanizing of Europe to the seventh and sixth millennia
BC, and explains it as a consequence of the spread of agriculture
in a "wave of advance" from Anatolia through Europe. Pairing
linguistic with archaeological evidence Drews concludes that in
Greece and Italy, at least, no Indo-European language could have
arrived before the second millennium BC.
