The Huns Before Attila: From the Rise of the Xiongnu to the Birth of Attila
The Huns swept into Europe in the 4th century A.D., seemingly out of nowhere. In fact, however, they were descendants of the western Xiongnu, a fierce tribe from Mongolia that had bedeviled the Chinese Empire... and inspired the construction of the Great Wall of China.
The Huns attacked the Tocharians of the Tarim Basin, an enigmatic people who appear to have been of European descent. The Tocharians wore woven plaid clothing, similar to Scottish tartans, and DNA testing suggests that they are related to modern-day Ukranians. Some Tocharian people's remains were mummified by the dry heat of the Gobi Desert; they are known as the Tarim Mummies.
Two decades later, the Xiongnu suffered a catastrophic defeat at the hands of the Han Chinese, and splintered into two groups. The Eastern Xiongnu were absorbed into the Chinese Empire, while the Western Xiongnu were driven west into the Central Asian region known as Scythia, in modern-day southern Russia and Kazakhstan.
•220 - 200 B.C., Hunnic tribes raid China, inspire construction of Great Wall
A loose confederation of separate but related tribes, whom the Chinese called the "Xiongnu," swept south from the steppes of Mongolia in a series of raids against the Chinese Empire. In response, the First Emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang, ordered the construction of a series of defensive walls, which would become an important section of the Great Wall of China.•209 B.C., Modun Shanyu unites Hunnic tribes
In 209 B.C., the various Hunnic tribes were united by Modun Shanyu. His unified Huns ruled a vast area of southeastern Mongolia and Siberia, including all of the land around Lake Baikal. His capital was near present-day Ulan Bataar.•176 B.C., Xiongnu attack Tocharians in western China
The Huns attacked the Tocharians of the Tarim Basin, an enigmatic people who appear to have been of European descent. The Tocharians wore woven plaid clothing, similar to Scottish tartans, and DNA testing suggests that they are related to modern-day Ukranians. Some Tocharian people's remains were mummified by the dry heat of the Gobi Desert; they are known as the Tarim Mummies.
•140 B.C., Han Dynasty Emperor Wu-di attacks Xiongnu
In 140 B.C., the Emperor Wu-di launched a major offensive against the hated Xiongnu. He was able to drive them back, but could not defeat them completely.•121 B.C., Xiongnu defeated by Chinese, driven west
Two decades later, the Xiongnu suffered a catastrophic defeat at the hands of the Han Chinese, and splintered into two groups. The Eastern Xiongnu were absorbed into the Chinese Empire, while the Western Xiongnu were driven west into the Central Asian region known as Scythia, in modern-day southern Russia and Kazakhstan.