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Post by empiral on Aug 28, 2015 0:02:11 GMT 3
I am curious toward whether steppe kingdoms/empires have ever had running currencies. If so, how would the system look like? I am not talking about more "modernized" versions of steppe kingdoms/empires like the Timurids and the Golden Horde. Preferably more like the Huns and the Xiongnu. Thanks in advance!
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Post by snafu on Aug 28, 2015 9:37:05 GMT 3
Steppe nomads traditionally lived by the barter system of currency. Livestock (especially horses), furs, pelts, and fine crafted items like bows, arrows, saddles, etc. could all be used as money. I dont believe there was ever any well-defined rate of exchange other than the physical quality of the goods. A strong, fast horse, for example, would be considered more valuable than an old skinny nag, and some furs were more desired than others.
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Post by H. İhsan Erkoç on Aug 30, 2015 0:39:05 GMT 3
That is true; most of the trade was done through the exchange of goods (for example, animal products of the steppes and forests with silk, wine and agricultural products of China and Turkestan). However, starting from the Gokturk (Tujue) period in the 6th century, we see the spread of the usage of coinage among Turko-Mongol nomadic empires. Thousands of these have been discovered so far in countries like Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Afghanistan. Chinese and Byzantine coins were also used, as attested from such coins discovered in Gokturk graves from Mongolia.
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