Xiongnu

The Xiongnu were a powerful confederation of nomadic tribes who lived in Central Asia, roughly from the 3rd century BCE to the 1st century CE. They were skilled horsemen and warriors, often raiding Chinese frontier regions and challenging the Chinese empires’ borders. The Chinese built the Great Wall partially to defend against their incursions. The Xiongnu’s influence extended across a vast area, and they played a key role in Eurasian history, shaping trade routes and political relationships between nomadic and settled civilizations. Their interactions with China helped shape the development of early East Asian and Central Asian cultures.