Catching up on my @RoyalApostolic streams. 30 minutes into this one on the origins of the Kievan Rus & it's a particularly good one.
A few (very) random thoughts follow 1/6
A few (very) random thoughts follow 1/6
1st regarding Khazars: there's old story of how they came to adopt their religion. Perhaps you mention it later but you didn't in yr discussion of Khazars thus far.
Ruler of the Khazars decides he must choose among the religions of the book to select one for his domains. 2/6
Ruler of the Khazars decides he must choose among the religions of the book to select one for his domains. 2/6
He summons representatives of all 3 Abrahamic faiths who arrive & argue on their own behalf. Christians & Muslims give long & eloquent expositions of their faith, doctrine & history.
The Jew, when his turn comes, say "We were first" and the Kaghan chooses Judaism. 3/6
The Jew, when his turn comes, say "We were first" and the Kaghan chooses Judaism. 3/6
Another point. The Caucasus prior to Russian conquest probably provides the best picture of the intensely heterogenous mix of populations that would have coexisted on the steppes in previous eras – though in the mountains perhaps in somewhat more compressed form. 4/6
Jews in Caucaus went about in Cherkesskas w/ cartridge tubes in chest pockets & armed w/ kindjals etc. like almost everyone else in the region. You had languages (of totally separate families) varying from one high valley to the next but many shared cultural features. 5/6
This probably reflects the situation on the steppes, insofar as best practices are noticed & adopted & the circumstances of steppe life themselves tended to promote the adoption of material culture, etc. best suited for them. And you would have had armed Jews as a norm. 6/6
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