Another video from AlternateHistoryHub - and, this one is a bit more off-the-wall . This time, he's speculating about how world history might have looked if horses had never existed.
Of course, we have some idea of what this world might have looked like, because there were prominent societies that didn't ride horses (for example, the pre-Columbian American civilisations). However, others would be radically different without the horse, so let's see how that changes history:
The video is 11 minutes long, but if you don't have 11 minutes, then here's a summary:
For the most part, though, this video only seems to scratch the surface, going over the general concepts. I wonder what specifics might be different?
Of course, we have some idea of what this world might have looked like, because there were prominent societies that didn't ride horses (for example, the pre-Columbian American civilisations). However, others would be radically different without the horse, so let's see how that changes history:
The video is 11 minutes long, but if you don't have 11 minutes, then here's a summary:
- Long-distance travel would be much slower and less practical. Consequently, diplomacy and warfare would be much longer, more drawn-out affairs;
- The weapons and strategies of war would be different too, because there would be no need to develop anti-cavalry measures or tactics;
- Trade would be severely hit too (although, the Middle East would have been fine, as long as camels still existed!);
- Many civilisations wouldn't have reached the heights that they did. Alexander's empire would be much smaller, and Steppe peoples (like the Mongols) would be completely screwed: they'd just stay as isolated tribes, if they survived at all;
- The Middle Eastern empires (including Rome in its early days) would have been more secure, as they wouldn't have had to worry about raiders. Then again, these empires may very well not have existed in the forms that we know them, because the slow speed of communication would have made them impossible to maintain!
For the most part, though, this video only seems to scratch the surface, going over the general concepts. I wonder what specifics might be different?
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