Xiongnu: Overview

• The Xiongnu was a Steppe Empire (209 BCE-329 CE), consisting of a Nomadic Confederation located in present day Mongolia.
• The Xiongnu alternately fought wars with China or received Tribute. Between 220-206 BCE the Qin Dynasty rebuilt and connected Great Wall of China to prevent Xiongnu incursions.

Xiongnu: Description

• The Xiongnu formed themselves into an Empire in 209 BCE under Modu Chanyu, possibly in response to the unification of China under the Qin Dynasty in 221 BCE.
• The frontier between the Xiongnu and China was defined by the Great Wall of China.
• The Xiongnu relied on Tribute from China to maintain its confederation.

The Xiongnu divide into two States (48-155 CE)

• Between 48-155 CE, the Xiongnu were divided into the Northern Xiongnu and the Southern Xiongnu, and fought each other.
• Some historians have put forward a theory that the Northern Xiongnu migrated westward and either merged with or became the Huns.
• From 50 CE onwards the Southern Xiongnu became a Tributary State to the Han Dynasty of China, enabling them to keep the Southern Xiongnu in check.

Ban Chao defeats the Western Xiongnu (97 CE)

• Ban Chao, the senior General of the Han Army, sent 70,000 men against the western region Xiongnu, and ended their raids on the Silk Road, resulting in their subjugation.

Ban Chao sends Envoy to Rome (97 CE)

• Ban Chao then sent his Envoy, Gan Ying, to Daquin (Rome).
• Gan Ying reached Hecatompylos and the court of the King of Parthia, Pacorus II (78-110 CE).
• But after leaving Hecatompylos, he only reached Charax Spasinou, on the Arabian Gulf.
• The Chinese delegation turned back after being advised by the Parthians it would take too long to get to Rome.
• They returned to China and handed a complete report, compiled by the Parthians, on the Roman Empire, to the Emperor He of Han (88-105 CE).

Mongolia

• The Kingdom of Kush (1000 BCE – 350 CE), known as Nubia to the Ancient Egyptians, was located in modern Sudan.
• Its first Capital was Napata, where 20 Nuri Pyramids are located, then at Meroe. Both cities were located on the Nile.

History

• The border between the Kingdom of Kush and Egypt was at the First Cataract.
• From 721-664 BCE Kush ruled all of Ancient Egypt, and became the Twenty-fifth Dynasty of Pharaohs.
• However, in 664 BCE, the were repulsed by an Assyrian invasion.
• During the Twenty-fifth Dynasty the 20 Pyramids of Napata were constructed.
• Altogether 255 Pyramids were built at three sites: el-Kurru, Nuri and Meroe.
• After the fourth century CE, Kush was referred to as Nubia.

Meroitic War (27-22 BCE)

• In 27-22 BCE Strabo described the Meroitic War against Kush by Queen Candace against the Roman Empire as lasting for 5 years.
• In 26 BCE the Prefect of Egypt, Aelius Gallus, marched south and invaded the Kushan Kingdom but was obliged to fall back due to epidemics.
• In 23 BCE, as a result of this weakness, Candace Amanirenus the Queen of Kush, prepared to invade Egypt and approached the Frontier at Elephantine Island with an Army.
• In 22 BCE, the new Prefect of Egypt, Gaius Petronius, reinforced the depleted Legions, marched up the Nile, invaded Kush, and sacked Napata, Capital of the Kushans, ending any threat from the south for almost three centuries.

Blemmyes (250-280 CE)

• During 250-280 CE, coinciding with the Crisis of the Third Century, there were several invasions of the Blemmyes from Kush.
• They were finally eliminated in 280 CE.

Napata, Sudan