Меню
At the turn of the III–II centuries BC, the Kangju state was formed on the banks of the Syr Darya — a state formation, political institutions, economic system and army of which were at a fairly high level. As it was strengthened, the tribes of Sarmatians, Massagetae, and Alans entered the sphere of influence of the Kangju rulers. Kangju rulers levied tribute even from the inhabitants of the Cisurals. According to estimates of Chinese sources of that time, the population of the Kangju state reached 600 thousand people, with the army of 120 thousand troops.
Chinese historiography has adopted a tradition that characterizes the Kangju population with an emphasis on the nomadic nature of the culture, calling it a "nomadic possession". However, some Chinese chronicles reported about the Kangju as a people who lived inside clay walls. The capital city was called Beitian, though the ruler did not preside there on a permanent basis, as the ruler also had a summer residence. The latter indicates the seasonal movement of the main caste, the semi-nomadic nature of the ruling elite.
In the Kangju kingdom, money was put into circulation for the first time in the region, which is confirmed by copper coins with Kangju identification mark discovered during archaeological excavations. The influence of the Greek heritage of Alexander the Great's campaigns in Central and South Asia can be seen here.
Kangju conducted an active foreign policy, with the data on political, economic and cultural ties with such states as China, Parthia and the Kushan Empire preserved.
The high level of development of the political and economic system created the prerequisites for the emergence of writing. Clay tables with inscriptions found in the settlement of Kultobe in Southern Kazakhstan are eloquent evidence of the Kangju writing.
Having existed for approximately 700 years, which is a huge period for that historical epoch, in the III–V centuries AD. Kangju loses its hegemony over the possessions in the Central Asian interfluve area, the Aral Sea and breaks up into a number of independent possessions.
Wusun
The nation that were adjacent to the Kangju and competed with them for influence in the region were the Wusun, who migrated from the territory of modern China and built their own state in Zhetysu (Semirechye). The center of the Usun possessions were the Ili and Chuy valleys, as well as the Issyk-Kul basin.
The content of the term Wusun itself has not been clarified to this day. It is known only in Chinese hieroglyphic spelling, the modern sound of which is identical to one of the Kazakh ethnonyms — uysyn, the self-designation of the tribe, which is the ethnic component of the Kazakhs of the Elder Zhuz (Uly Zhuz).
The Wusun were considered one of the most significant ethnopolitical associations in Central Asia in ancient times. Having a population of 630 thousand people in the II century BC, the Wusun could field a large army of cavalry and foot archers. The squad of the leader of the Wusun kunbi (gunmo) and the two heirs to the throne consisted of 30 thousand cavalry, with 10 thousand units for each one. The history of the Wusun is full of internecine struggle between supporters of pro-Xiongnu and pro-Han (Chinese) politics.
Archaeological material, particularly the one obtained on the territory of Semirechye, indicates that in the pre-Turkic period, the Wusun continued to live on a vast territory. Moreover, according to the same data, the culture of the ancient Wusuns continued to develop in the former lands of habitation, although they were put under the control of the Turkic Khaganates. Even in the X century AD, the name Wusun reappears on the pages of historical records. So there is reason to discuss the genetic continuity of the ancient Wusun with the Uysuns, who became part of the Kazakh people.
Xiongnu
The name of the Huns is widely known in world history. The name of the people that disappeared was associated in medieval Europe with militancy, cruelty and barbarism. The Huns, led by Attila, conducted devastating raids on European countries. It is believed that they initiated the Migration Period. All these are familiar events of European history.
Less known are the Asian tribes of the Huns who lived in Central Asia, including on the territory of Kazakhstan in the last centuries BC — the first centuries AD. In historical literature, they are known by the name of the Xiongnu, or Hsiung-nu, as they were called in Chinese sources.
The Xiongnu (Huns) were an ancient people who inhabited the territory of the Ordos Plateau and adjacent lands in modern northern China. Anthropologically, the Xiongnu were Mongoloids and, according to most scientists, were a Turkic-speaking people.
In 209 BC, the charismatic ruler of Mode, who bore the title "Chanyu", rallied the Hunnic tribes and took effective steps to concentrate power. In 200 BC, due to the effective military art of the nomads, Modu managed to force the Chinese rulers to pay tribute.
For about two and a half centuries, the Xiongnu unconditionally dominated the eastern part of the Great Steppe and successfully competed with China. However, adverse climate changes — droughts and severe winters of the late 70s - early 60s of the I century BC — led to the weakening of the nomadic empire.
The rivalry for the throne and the uncompromising struggle between the rivals only complicated the situation of the empire, which in year of 48 split into southern and northern parts. It was the northern Huns, fleeing after the collapse of the empire, that initiated the Migration Period. They moved westward, conquering some tribes and dragging others with them, penetrated the Syr Darya, the Aral Sea region, Central and Western Kazakhstan. In the IV century A.D. they appeared in Europe.
The collapse of the nomadic empire of the Xiongnu demonstrates how significant a role the economy plays in maintaining the capacity of the state. The nomadic type of management was also the strength of the steppe states, which had serious mobilization capabilities and military power, but their weakness was also in nomadism. The risks of nomadic farming were higher than the risks of the agricultural economy.