The Saka
Found in the Issyk kurgan by K. Akishev, this famous figure’s clothing was decorated with 4,000 gold plates depicting animals.
Golden Man (Altyn Adam)
This was the name of the Wusun capital, known as the "City of the Red Valley," located on the shores of Lake Issyk-Kul.
Chiguchen
This was the name of the Kangju capital city, located either near modern-day Turkestan or on the Talas River.
Bityan
This legendary leader, known as the "Scourge of God," led his people into Europe.
Attila
They were famous for this type of heavy cavalry, where both horse and rider wore armor.
Cataphracts
This legendary queen of the Massagetae is credited by historians like Pompey Trog for defeating and killing the Persian King Cyrus.
Tomyris
The head of the Wusun state held this title, which translates to "Great Bek."
Gunmo
According to Chinese records, the Kangju were capable of mobilizing an army of this many warriors.
120,000
The Huns are credited with starting this period of massive tribal movements in Eurasia.
the Great Migration of Peoples
Unlike many other cultures, women in this tribe often held high status as these types of fighters.
Warriors
This simple shepherd became a hero by tricking the Persian army of Darius I and leading them into a waterless desert.
Shirak
According to a legend recorded by Sima Qian, the son of a slain Wusun leader was kept alive and fed by these two animals.
The raven and the she-wolf
This ancient Persian sacred text refers to the Kangju state by the name "Kankha" or "Kangha."
Avesta
This "move to the West" began in the 2nd century BC due to defeats by this Chinese dynasty.
the Han Dynasty
The Sarmatians eventually displaced this related nomadic group in the Black Sea region.
the Scythians
This specific archaeological find in the Issyk kurgan, featuring 26 runic-like signs, suggests the Saka may have had a system of writing.
the Silver Cup (Bowl)
The Wusun state was divided into these three administrative parts to manage its vast territory.
Eastern, Western, and Central parts
In 46–36 BC, the Kangju formed a military alliance with this group to launch joint campaigns against China.
Huns (Xiongnu)
Under this legendary Chanyu, who came to power in 209 BC, the Xiongnu formed a unified empire and forced the Chinese Han Dynasty to pay tribute via the "Heqin" (peace marriage) system.
Modu Chanyu
This specific Sarmat tribe was the last to hold power before the Hunnic invasion.
the Alans
This Saka leader led the resistance against Alexander the Great, eventually besieging the Greek garrison at Marakanda (Samarkand).
Spitamenes
While the total population was 630,000, the Wusun could field an impressive army of this many soldiers in times of war.
188,000
These two 1st-century BC Chinese historical texts serve as the primary written sources for information on the Kangju.
Shi-ji (by Sima Qian) and Qian Hanshu (by Ban Gu and Ban Zhao)
This 451 AD battle in Gaul saw the Huns face a coalition of Romans and Visigoths.
Battle of the Catalaunian Plains
The Sarmatians are often linked to the origin of these legendary female warriors of Greek myth.
Amazons