The area is mountainous with numerous strategic passes vital to guarding the Chinese heartland from the steppe tribes to the north.

The Xiongnu were initially a group of steppe tribes kept in check by the Qin Empire's military offensives under General Meng Tian.

China's long and interactive relationship with the various steppe tribes and empires, through trade, war, subordination or domination paved the way for a large sustained Islamic community within China.

In 758, the Uyghurs turned their attentions to a rival steppe tribe to the north, the Kyrgyz.

Among the steppe tribes, the wings are allowed to develop completely, and the youth is carefully, worshipfully attended all that year.

The campaign was probably motivated by the fact that the Urartians had been weakened by incursions of the Cimmerians, a nomadic steppe tribe.

Since then, he has been a cruel and imperious leader of half-wild steppe tribe, planning and doing everything to invade Russian lands and harry Kiev.

"Chengli" refers to the Turkic Tengri, the highest deity of the steppe tribes, similar to Dyaus Pita.

If the Yezda embassy had failed, perhaps the Videssian mission to the steppe tribes was faring well.

The Jin collected tribute from some of the steppe tribes and encouraged rivalries amongst them.