The Sogdian Maniakh and Byzantine Silk Diplomacy

In this episode, Lucas and Luna delve into the story of Maniakh, a Sogdian diplomat who, in the 6th century CE, journeyed from the Göktürk Khaganate to the court of the Byzantine Emperor Justin II. The episode explores how Maniakh's mission to establish a direct silk trade route bypassing Sasanian Persia sparked a geopolitical shift. It covers the Sogdians' role as intermediaries, the Göktürk-Sasanian tensions over silk, the Byzantine response, and the eventual formation of a Turkic-Byzantine alliance. Listeners learn about the strategic calculations of empires, the importance of silk as a political and economic tool, and how a single diplomatic mission reshaped the Silk Road. #Sogdian #Maniakh #Göktürk #Byzantine #Sasanian #SilkRoad #SilkTrade #JustinII #Diplomacy #CentralAsia #6thCentury #TradeRoutes #History #FexingoHistory #WorldHistory #AncientDiplomacy #TurkicHistory #ByzantineEmpire Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo