🏰City walls were crucial for protecting sedentary farmers from nomadic peoples.
🐑Nomadic herders often relied on their mobility and military skills to survive and thrive.
🌾Agricultural societies viewed herders as both protectors and threats.
🌍The conflict between civilization and barbarism has persisted throughout human history.
🔒City walls required massive construction and maintenance efforts to remain effective.
Why did ancient civilizations build city walls?
—City walls were built to defend against attacks from nomadic tribes and wild animals that threatened settled farming communities.
How did nomads survive without city walls?
—Nomads relied on their mobility and military skills to protect their herds and adapt to changing environments.
What was the perception of nomadic peoples in ancient civilizations?
—Nomads were seen as both protectors and threats. They were admired for their bravery and toughness but also feared as potential invaders.
Has the conflict between civilization and barbarism changed over time?
—While the tools and methods of warfare have evolved, the fundamental conflict between sedentary farmers and roaming herders has persisted throughout human history.
What challenges did city walls face?
—City walls required extensive construction and maintenance efforts to remain effective, as they were made of materials like mud bricks that were susceptible to wear and erosion.
00:02By the 1920s, most of planet Earth had been explored, and pioneering voyages of discovery were rare.
01:00In 1924, American documentarians Ernest Schoedsack and Marion C. Cooper ventured into the Zagros Mountains of Iran to film the lifestyle of the Bakhtiari people, nomads who moved with their herds of goats in search of pasture.
09:47The conflict between city builders and nomads dates back thousands of years. Farmers built walls to protect themselves, while herders relied on their military skills and mobility.
12:47City walls were enormous projects made of mud bricks or tamped soil. They required constant maintenance and were often over a hundred feet wide at their base.
16:58The struggle between sedentary city dwellers and roaming nomads has shaped human history, with civilization and barbarism in a constant cycle of conflict.
