For non-wheat-based cultures, contact with a group that ate wheat was often the kiss of death. The wheaties had more bodies that could be thrown into a conflict, not simply because more calories meant a bigger population, but also because they could press spears into farmers’ hands for a high proportion of the year. The wheaties had access to more and more reliable calories because farmers could use their “free time” to grow additional crops, leading to even more calories that could support even larger populations. Sheep were particularly popular in the Middle East, with cows being the go-to
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