The dispute between the Xiongnu and the Han Dynasty constituted a gripping chapter in Chinese history. The Xiongnu, a powerful nomadic people, experienced a magnificent process of splitting, southward and westward migration in many wars with the Han Dynasty. This history is not only a witness to the clash of civilizations, but also a microcosm of the integration and evolution of different peoples.
In more than 200 BC, the Xiongnu were defeated by the Han Dynasty, and some of them went into exile in the Caspian Sea area, while others chose to submit to the Han Dynasty. Around 48 AD, about 5,000 Xiongnu families broke away from their original tribes and chose to return to the Han Dynasty, forming the Southern Xiongnu. This submission may not be completely willing, but in the face of strength, they chose to obey. However, under Cao Cao's rule, the integration and understanding between the Xiongnu and the Han gradually emerged.
After years of recuperation, the Southern Xiongnu reached the Western Jin Dynasty, and its strength was already extraordinary. The Western Jin Dynasty was in turmoil, and Liu Yuan, the leader of the Southern Xiongnu, took the opportunity to raise troops to the south. Although it failed to achieve unification, it successfully broke through the capital of the Western Jin Dynasty, shook the foundation of the Western Jin Dynasty's rule, and also laid the groundwork for the later "Five Hu Chaohua".
The "Five Hu Chaohua" refers to the joint uprising of the five tribes of the Xiongnu, Xianbei, Xia, Di and Qiang, which became a chaotic period in Chinese history. The Southern Xiongnu also played an important role during this chaotic period. Although there were some regimes established by the Xiongnu, most of them were short-lived, and the Southern Xiongnu basically withdrew from the stage of history and fully integrated into the Chinese nation.
However, the story of this history does not end there. The remaining Xiongnu became the Northern Xiongnu, who chose to move westward and eventually flourished in the area of present-day Caspian Sea. Over a period of two hundred years, the Northern Xiongnu developed and evolved, and although they were defeated by the Han Dynasty, they still maintained considerable strength against the Europeans of their time.
At the same time, the Visigoths became a threat to the Roman Empire. As a branch of the Germanic peoples, they were forced into the territory of the Roman Empire under the threat of the Huns. In 376 AD, the Visigoths invaded Rome and even killed the Roman Emperor Valla. This invasion was only the beginning of the six Germanic tribes entering the Roman Empire, which eventually led to the fall of the Roman Empire, leaving only the Eastern Roman Empire to survive.
The Huns and Visigoths played a pivotal role on the stage of history. The differentiation, integration and withdrawal of the Xiongnu from the north and south reveal the complexity of ethnic relations in the midst of historical changes. During the fall of the Roman Empire, the Visigoths were one of the driving forces that hastened the collapse of the Roman Empire.
These two different peoples, the Huns and the Visigoths, wrote their own unique legends. Their stories have left a deep imprint on the exchange, integration and evolution of civilizations in later generations. History is so exciting, let's travel back in time and explore this exciting past.