Aryan Invasion

In this episode of History 102, WhatIfAltHist creator Rudyard Lynch and Erik Torenberg talk about the Aryan invasions around 2000 BC and how it reshaped Eurasia from Ukraine to India. This discussion explores their origins, methods, and lasting impacts on genetics, culture, and religion across diverse regions.

Discover the shocking truth about the Aryan invasions and why this significant event was hidden from history for decades.

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@whatifalthist (Rudyard)

@eriktorenberg (Erik)

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TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Intro

(00:55) Academic controversy and recent genetic evidence

(02:47) The "blue pill era" and misconceptions about prehistoric peoples

(05:04) Scope and terminology of Indo-European migrations

(08:56) Origins and spread of Indo-European peoples

(11:54) Geographic origins and pastoralism

(13:19) Sponsor: WorkOS | Babbel

(15:42) Development of the chariot and military advantage

(19:52) Genetic patterns in modern European populations

(23:39) Cultural characteristics of herding societies

(28:24) Aryan migrations into Europe

(31:48) Pre-Aryan European cultures and their demise

(35:47) Mythology and cultural continuity

(40:40) Aryan invasions in the Middle East

(44:50) Aryan invasions in India and the caste system

(47:43) Cultural and religious developments in India

(51:50) Recommended books and further reading

(54:39) Wrap

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BOOKS RECOMMENDATIONS:

"Who We Are and How We Got Here" by David Reich

"Ancestral Journeys: The Peopling of Europe from the First Venturers to the Vikings" by Jean Manco

"Comparative Mythology" by Jaan Puhvel

"The Horse, the Wheel, and Language: How Bronze-Age Riders from the Eurasian Steppes Shaped the Modern World" by David W. Anthony