Xiongnu Cavalry Tactics

Timeline

1. c. 1–150Hetao region · Inner MongoliaAround the turn of the era, the Southern Xiongnu submitted to the Han dynasty and pastured in the Hetao region, retaining mounted archery and mobile raiding capabilities while serving the Han court in frontier defense.
2. c. 150–300Northern steppe (Mobei) · Mongolian SteppeIn the mid-to-late Eastern Han, the Northern Xiongnu were struck by Han forces and migrated west; their cavalry tactics spread with the tribes and intersected with Central Asian steppe military traditions.
3. c. 300–500Mongolian Steppe · Mongolian SteppeDuring the Wei, Jin, and Northern and Southern Dynasties period, the Xianbei replaced the Xiongnu as the dominant power north of the desert, inheriting and developing Xiongnu cavalry tactics such as mounted archery, encirclement, and rapid maneuver.