简介:Oneoftherecurringsituationsinworldhistoryinvolvesthetensionbetweensettled,primarilyagriculturalpopulationsandthoseofthedesert,steppeorsemi-aridenvironmentsthatserveasahometomainlypastoralornomadicgroups.Sincemuchofrecordedwrittenhistorycomesfromtheregionofsettledsocieties,ourviewoftheseeventsisoftenone-sidedandmanytimesisseen(bythewritersoftheseannals,and,alas,toooftenbytheirreaders)asaconflictbetweencivilizationandbarbarism.