The battle between civilization and barbarism is one that has been raging for thousands of years and shows no signs of stopping any time soon. It is a central theme in many works of literature, films, and documentaries – with the documentary, “Barbarian Empires: The Battle of Civilizations” being a great example.
In the documentary, viewers are taken back to 12,000 years ago when man first began to domesticate animals and crops. Those who chose to farm stayed near their fields and formed settlements while herders moved around in search of better pastures for their flocks. This created a divide between the two lifestyles which became even starker as cities grew larger and more fortified walls were built around them.
The history of fortifications is a long one with some being very famous such as the Sumerian King Shulgi’s wall from 2,000 BC which was eventually breached by nomadic tribes or Babylonian Emperor Nebuchadnezzar II’s sprawling wall which was also destroyed. Other famous structures include the Great Wall of China which was built mainly to protect from the Huns and later the Mongol tribes that lived on the Eurasian steppe; Hadrian’s Wall located in England built by the Romans; and numerous other walls throughout Europe, Asia, and Africa.
Despite these fortifications being strong at times, they all had their flaws such as exposing those within to becoming complacent or having advancements in weapons technology make them obsolete – like when cannons were used during the battle of Constantinople in 1453 leading to it crumbling down. Even today there are still nomads out there living freely without interference although civilization tends to win out as much as possible since those who choose to stay inside have access to more resources than those outside could ever hope for.
For anyone interested in learning more about this epic war between civilization and barbarianism should consider watching “Barbarian Empires: The Battle of Civilizations”. Not only does this documentary provide viewers with comprehensive information regarding these two ways of life but it also looks into why civilizations collapse due to nomadic invasions or conquests. Those who watch will gain insight into both sides so they are better able to understand how each influences our current world.
