Tocharian Empire

What if there had been a large, prominent Tocharian Empire, which spanned over parts of Russia,Mongolia, China, Central Asia, Sibiria and also controlls the Silk Road ? It is also prominent to us like Ancient Egypt, China or the Mongos.
 

GdwnsnHo

Banned
After having a little google and wikipedia on this group two things

1) With such an obscure group, I would recommend providing some resources and information.

2) The best bet for this society is if they find and tap into the giant aquifer beneath the Tarim Basin - yes, it is very carbon-rich, which may be bad for the atmosphere, and obscenely salty - but if the salt can be taken, and shipped out as a good, and the remaining water used? You could seriously transform the Tarim basin.

However, the easiest? These people need to be able to take advantage of a water source, perhaps one of the high lakes nearby, and build a series of settlements there - the mountains are near-impenetrable, and would certainly provide them with shelter, and defense (even if they are cold).

That combined with the trade could be a good start, but they're in the worst position regarding steppe tribes. Unless they have a series steppe presence, or can do so - perhaps leaving the Tarim Basin in the process, then maybe. But that'd still be a shot in the dark.
 
At various times, Tokharians conquered great regions. The largest, most long-lived and culturally influential was Kushana.
The geography of Tokharistan was too harsh, arid, rugged and landlocked to bring forth empires that are not just nomadic confederacies.
In the age of the Mongols and cannons, things looked different and there could have been a Tokharian Genghiz Khan, too. Presumably equally quick to expand then collapse.
 
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