Nomads in Eastern Central Asia

From the seventh to the third centuries BC, the tribes of Mongolia lived a distinctive nomadic existence, in contrast to the settled cultures in nearby China. These nomads were organized in clan structures, and with the development of horse breeding, clan élites became increasingly rich and militaristic. Powerful tribal unions arose, notably the Hsiung-nu Empire in Mongolia, which was succeeded by the the Hsien-pi state in 155 AD.