Mei Tei, the shan-yu or emperor of the Hsiung Nu, defeats the main Chinese army in 201 BC. The Chinese are forced to pay tribute. Following the collapse of Hsiung Nu empire in 58 BC, many clans begin to migrate west where they became known as the Huns.

Middle Sarmatian period, 100 BC-100 AD: Sarmatian tribes, using armoured cavalry and mounted archers, completely dominate the region occupied by modern Ukraine and Hungary. The Iazyges clan reaches the Danube around 20 AD, and begin raids into Roman-held territory.

The Sarmatians were famous for their armour-clad horsemen. The Romans hired a unit of 5000 Sarmatians to patrol Hadrian's Wall in northern Britain, and these could be the ancestors of the actual "knights" of king Arthur.