Byzantine Historian Describes Ancient China // 7th cent. Theophylact S. // Primary Source

Cities built by Alexander the Great, carriages of gold, warring states, animals bred to create a special thread...fantasy mixes with truth in this fascinating insight into the West's knowledge of China at the turn of the 7th century.

Thanks to Mary and Michael Whitby for the use of their fantastic translation.

Thanks to:
Seasonsinthesun

[TheOhgodineedaname]

Rabban Bar Sauma might be fun. He was a Nestorian Turkish/Chinese monk who visited Europe in the 13th century and got to meet the Pope, Edward I (I believe) and some other famous figures.

[Bjarkenb]

We have to remember that the term "Barbarian" did not have the "Conan-like" connotations we have today, of lightly clad brutish savages - but was simply how one might refer to a person, or people, who's language or speech is incomprehensible, like the present term "bla"

[nachoolo]

"The land of Taugast is not troubled by discord for lineage provides with the selection of their leader"

Only the Byzantines would be surprised with that.

[longbow]

Greetings from China. Maybe you can make a video of how Latin and Chinese words translated into each other? I think that would be very interesting!
In ancient Chinese, we called Rome as 'Daqin'大秦 and Byzantine Empire as 'Fulin'拂菻. Probably not for the reason of similar pronunciation.
But we got many ancient names right/close as how they actually sounded back in time, like
Roma 羅馬/luoma/
Ceasar 凱撒/Kaisa/
Octavius 屋大維/Wudawei/
Jesus 耶穌/Yesu/
John 約翰/Yohan/
Greece 希臘/Xila/

[CoolHistoryBros]

The Taughast, or Tuoba was a group Turkic Xianbei people who conquered Northern China and established the Northern Wei dynasty (a.k.a. Tuoba Wei). The original setting for Ballan of Mulan was inspired by a war between the Tuoba and Rourans. So Mulan was originally conceived to be Turkic Xianbei, instead of Han Chinese.


Later, Northern Wei split into two, Northern and Eastern Wei. The Northern Wei imperial family became too sinicized, and the traditionalist Tuobas broke off into Western Tuoba.

[brianmessemer]

Utterly, utterly fascinating. Wonderful.

[HighLordBlazeReborn]

You guys really need to leave the text on screen longer. That bit about the confusion with Taugasts stayed on screen for like two seconds before fading.

[novaterra]

Chubdan is probably indeed Xi'an, a corruption of its old name Chang'an. Although the description of its geography sounds closer to Luoyang, which does have two rivers to north and south.

[ArtymusPrime]

This may be one of the most valuable channels on youtube for providing such deep and meaningful insight into the records left behind the ancients

[jakedee]

Even today rich Chinese men don't wear gold jewelry.

[MrThatguyuknow]

"The leader used to pass the night with *700 Women* "

[szlonkobusjbusj]

North Macedonia: I am the true heir of Alexander the Great!
Greece: Liar! Impostor!
China: Yes, don't listen to him. We all know it's me!

[budicaesar]

How about those 2 spec-ops monks who were tasked by the emperor to infiltrate china to bring back the secret knowledge of Silk Production there?

[Cremenium]

So the Roman records on Chinese history were even less accurate than the Chinese historians made on the Roman Empire.
One thing in common though, they both consider themselves as the real ancestor.

[IsmailAbdulMusic]

Interesting to know how things we're many lifetimes ago. It makes one think. Thank you for putting this together.

[youngoutlaw]

Historians love disrespecting the Great Eastern Roman Empire

[musAKulture]

that does not sound like my hometown xi'an (chang'an during tang). it's surrounded by 8 rivers, with none cutting through it. more likely they're talking about luoyang, with luo river running through the middle. it's the secondary capital of tang.

[oswaldclara]

chinese here.we had great diplomatic relation.when i study the history of Byzantine, i find that many historical events in the two countries r strikingly similar.u lost your west part.we lost our north part(Song dynasty)

[gaslitworldf.melissab]

The word he pronounces "chagan" has many sibling words: - Recall the Great Kublai *Khan* of Imperial China, of Mongolic stock.
Khanate (e.g., the Bulgar Khanate)
- Ilkanate (e.g., the Persian Ilkanate)
- Caliphate (e.g., the Abbasid Caliphate)
- Sultinate (e.g., the Delhi Sultanate)
- Emirate (e.g., the Sicilian Emirate)

[billyc]

Thank you so much I have a history fascination and study it and never saw a channel so unique. It gives so much insight into the thinking at the time I'm addicted to the channel. Thank you so much don't stop the good work. You have a faithful viewer