Home Region: Mongolia (Central and Northern Eurasia)

Xianbei Confederation

100 CE 250 CE

D G SC WF R CC

EQ 2020 mn_xianbei / MnXianb

Preceding Entity: Add one more here.

[continuity, cultural assimilation; Donghu] [absorption] Update here

Succeeding Entity: Add one more here.

300 CE 555 CE Rouran Khaganate (mn_rouran_khaganate) [continuity]

Displayed:

Learn more about polity border choices. Map Modern Map only Opacity Year Play rate (y/s)
Hit enter after changing the year or setting the play rate.

General Description

The Orkhon Valley lies either side of the Orkhon River, in north-central Mongolia. Between about 100 and 250 CE, it was under the control of the Xianbei, pastoralists who also relied on hunting and, to a lesser extent, the cultivation of wheat, barley, and millet. ^[1] By 170 CE, the Xianbei empire extended 3,000 km along its east-west axis and 1,500 km along its north-south one, for a total of approximately 4,500,000 squared kilometers. ^[1] The most powerful Xianbei ruler, Tanshihuai (r. 136-181), divided his multiethnic empire into three parts (middle, eastern, and western); the nomadic peoples that occupied each part were ruled by the elders of the largest sites, though all elders were in turn subordinate to Tanshihuai himself. ^[2] Not many population estimates could be found in the literature, though Kradin provides an estimate of about 500,000 people, based on the fact that, under Tanshihuai’s rule, the Xianbei army included 100,000 horsemen: Kradin argues that a total population of 500,000 is possible because all adult men were likely potential warriors, and they likely made up one-fifth of the population. ^[3]

[1]: (Rogers 2012, 223)

[2]: (Kradin 2011, 200-201)

[3]: (Kradin 2011, 201)

General Variables

Identity and Location

1 Utm Zone

1 Original Name

1 Capital

1 Alternative Name

Temporal Bounds

1 Peak Years

1 Duration

Political and Cultural Relations

1 Supracultural Entity

1 Succeeding Entity

2 Relationship to preceding Entity

2 Polity Succession

2 Degree of Centralization

Language

1 Linguistic Family

1 Language

Religion

Social Complexity Variables

Social Scale

1 Population of the Largest Settlement

1 Polity Territory

1 Polity Population

Hierarchical Complexity

1 Settlement Hierarchy

1 Religious Level

1 Military Level

1 Administrative Level

Professions

1 Professional Soldier

1 Professional Priesthood

1 Professional Military Officer

Bureaucracy Characteristics

1 Specialized Government Building

1 Merit Promotion

1 Full Time Bureaucrat

1 Examination System

Law

1 Professional Lawyer

1 Judge

1 Formal Legal Code

1 Court

Specialized Buildings: polity owned

1 Market

1 Irrigation System

1 Food Storage Site

1 Drinking Water Supply System

Transport Infrastructure

1 Road

1 Port

1 Canal

1 Bridge

Special-purpose Sites

1 Mines or Quarry

Information / Writing System

2 Written Record

2 Script

1 Phonetic Alphabetic Writing

1 Nonwritten Record

2 Non Phonetic Writing

1 Mnemonic Device

Information / Kinds of Written Documents

1 Scientific Literature

1 Sacred Text

1 Religious Literature

1 Practical Literature

1 Philosophy

2 Lists Tables and Classification

1 History

1 Fiction

1 Calendar

Information / Money

1 Token

1 Precious Metal

1 Paper Currency

1 Indigenous Coin

1 Foreign Coin

1 Article

Information / Postal System

1 Postal Station

1 General Postal Service

1 Courier

Information / Measurement System

Warfare Variables (Military Technologies)

Fortifications

1 Wooden Palisade

1 Stone Walls Non Mortared

1 Stone Walls Mortared

1 Settlements in a Defensive Position

1 Modern Fortification

1 Moat

1 Fortified Camp

1 Earth Rampart

1 Ditch

1 Complex Fortification

1 Long Wall

Military use of Metals

1 Steel

1 Iron

1 Copper

1 Bronze

Projectiles

1 Tension Siege Engine

1 Sling Siege Engine

1 Sling

1 Self Bow

1 Javelin

1 Handheld Firearm

1 Gunpowder Siege Artillery

1 Crossbow

1 Composite Bow

1 Atlatl

Handheld weapons

1 War Club

1 Sword

1 Spear

1 Polearm

1 Dagger

1 Battle Axe

Animals used in warfare

1 Horse

1 Elephant

1 Donkey

1 Dog

1 Camel

Armor

1 Wood Bark Etc

1 Shield

1 Scaled Armor

1 Plate Armor

1 Limb Protection

1 Leather Cloth

1 Laminar Armor

1 Helmet

1 Chainmail

1 Breastplate

Naval technology

1 Specialized Military Vessel

1 Small Vessels Canoes Etc

1 Merchant Ships Pressed Into Service

Economy Variables (Luxury Goods) Coding in Progress.

Religion Variables Coding in Progress.

Crisis Consequence Cases

1 Crisis Consequence

Power Transitions Coding in Progress.

Instability Events

2 Instability Event

NGA Settlements:

Year Range	Xianbei Confederation (mn_xianbei) was in:
(100 CE 250 CE)	Orkhon Valley

Home NGA: Orkhon Valley

General Variables

Identity and Location Xianbei Confederation (mn_xianbei)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Utm Zone	48 T	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Original Name	Xianbei Confederation	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Capital	None (Absent Capital)	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Alternative Name	Hsien-pi	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Temporal Bounds Xianbei Confederation (mn_xianbei)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More
Peak Years	155 CE
Loading...

Duration	[100 CE ➜ 250 CE]
Loading...

Political and Cultural Relations Xianbei Confederation (mn_xianbei)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Supracultural Entity	proto-Mongolian Donghu	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Succeeding Entity	Rouran Khaganate	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Relationship to Preceding Entity	continuity	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Relationship to Preceding Entity	cultural assimilation	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Preceding Entity	continuity, cultural assimilation; Donghu [absorption] Update here
Loading...

Succeeding Entity 300 CE 555 CE	Rouran Khaganate (mn_rouran_khaganate) [continuity]
Loading...

Degree of Centralization	nominal	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Degree of Centralization	loose	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Language Xianbei Confederation (mn_xianbei)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Linguistic Family	Proto-Mongolic	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Language	Xianbei	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Religion Xianbei Confederation (mn_xianbei)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More

Social Complexity Variables

Social Scale Xianbei Confederation (mn_xianbei)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Population of the Largest Settlement	- Suspected	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Polity Territory	[2,300,000 to 4,500,000] km²	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Polity Population	[1,000,000 to 1,500,000] people	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Hierarchical Complexity Xianbei Confederation (mn_xianbei)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Settlement Hierarchy	- Suspected	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Religious Level	1	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Military Level	[5 to 6]	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Administrative Level	3	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Professions Xianbei Confederation (mn_xianbei)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Professional Soldier	Unknown Suspected	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Professional Priesthood	Unknown Suspected	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Professional Military Officer	Unknown Suspected	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Bureaucracy Characteristics Xianbei Confederation (mn_xianbei)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Specialized Government Building	Absent Inferred	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Merit Promotion	Unknown Suspected	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Full Time Bureaucrat	Absent Inferred	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Examination System	Unknown Suspected	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Law Xianbei Confederation (mn_xianbei)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Professional Lawyer	Absent Inferred	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Judge	Absent Inferred	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Formal Legal Code	Absent Inferred	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Court	Absent Inferred	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Specialized Buildings: polity owned Xianbei Confederation (mn_xianbei)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Market	Absent Inferred	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Irrigation System	Absent	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Food Storage Site	Unknown Suspected	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Drinking Water Supply System	Unknown Suspected	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Transport Infrastructure Xianbei Confederation (mn_xianbei)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Road	Unknown Suspected	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Port	Absent Inferred	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Canal	Unknown Suspected	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Bridge	Unknown Suspected	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Special-purpose Sites Xianbei Confederation (mn_xianbei)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Mines or Quarry	Unknown Suspected	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Information / Writing System Xianbei Confederation (mn_xianbei)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Written Record	Absent Inferred	100 CE 229 CE
Loading...

Written Record	Present Inferred	230 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Script	Absent Inferred	100 CE 229 CE
Loading...

Script	Present Inferred	230 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Phonetic Alphabetic Writing	Unknown Suspected	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Nonwritten Record	Present Inferred	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Non Phonetic Writing	Absent Inferred	100 CE 229 CE
Loading...

Non Phonetic Writing	Present Inferred	230 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Mnemonic Device	Unknown Suspected	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Information / Kinds of Written Documents Xianbei Confederation (mn_xianbei)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Scientific Literature	Absent Inferred	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Sacred Text	Absent Inferred	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Religious Literature	Absent Inferred	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Practical Literature	Absent Inferred	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Philosophy	Absent Inferred	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Lists Tables and Classification	Absent Inferred	100 CE 229 CE
Loading...

Lists Tables and Classification	Unknown Suspected	230 CE 250 CE
Loading...

History	Absent Inferred	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Fiction	Absent Inferred	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Calendar	Absent Inferred	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Information / Money Xianbei Confederation (mn_xianbei)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Token	Absent	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Precious Metal	Absent	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Paper Currency	Absent	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Indigenous Coin	Absent	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Foreign Coin	Absent	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Article	Present	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Information / Postal System Xianbei Confederation (mn_xianbei)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Postal Station	Absent Inferred	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

General Postal Service	Absent Inferred	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Courier	Absent Inferred	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Information / Measurement System Xianbei Confederation (mn_xianbei)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More

Warfare Variables (Military Technologies)

Fortifications Xianbei Confederation (mn_xianbei)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Wooden Palisade	Unknown Suspected	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Stone Walls Non Mortared	Present Inferred	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Stone Walls Mortared	Unknown Suspected	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Settlements in a Defensive Position	Unknown Suspected	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Modern Fortification	Absent Inferred	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Moat	Unknown Suspected	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Fortified Camp	Unknown Suspected	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Earth Rampart	Unknown Suspected	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Ditch	Unknown Suspected	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Complex Fortification	Unknown Suspected	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Long Wall	unknown Suspected	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Military use of Metals Xianbei Confederation (mn_xianbei)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Steel	Absent Inferred	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Iron	Present	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Copper	Present Inferred	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Bronze	Present	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Projectiles Xianbei Confederation (mn_xianbei)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Tension Siege Engine	Absent Inferred	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Sling Siege Engine	Absent	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Sling	Unknown Suspected	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Self Bow	Unknown Suspected	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Javelin	Unknown Suspected	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Handheld Firearm	Absent	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Gunpowder Siege Artillery	Absent	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Crossbow	Absent Inferred	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Composite Bow	Present	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Atlatl	Absent	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Handheld weapons Xianbei Confederation (mn_xianbei)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
War Club	Present	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Sword	Present	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Spear	Present	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Polearm	Unknown Suspected	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Dagger	Present	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Battle Axe	Present	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Animals used in warfare Xianbei Confederation (mn_xianbei)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Horse	Present	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Elephant	Absent	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Donkey	Present	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Dog	Unknown Suspected	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Camel	Present	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Armor Xianbei Confederation (mn_xianbei)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Wood Bark Etc	Present Inferred	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Shield	Present	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Scaled Armor	Present Inferred	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Plate Armor	Present Inferred	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Limb Protection	Unknown Suspected	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Leather Cloth	Present	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Laminar Armor	Unknown Suspected	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Helmet	Present Inferred	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Chainmail	Present Inferred	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Breastplate	Unknown Suspected	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Naval technology Xianbei Confederation (mn_xianbei)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Specialized Military Vessel	Absent	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Small Vessels Canoes Etc	Absent	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Merchant Ships Pressed Into Service	Absent	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Economy Variables (Luxury Goods)

Religion Variables

Moralizing Supernatural Punishment and Reward Xianbei Confederation (mn_xianbei)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Moralizing Enforcement is Broad	Absent Inferred	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Moralizing Supernatural Concern is Primary	Absent Inferred	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Moralizing Enforcement is Agentic	Absent Inferred	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Moralizing Enforcement in This Life	Absent Inferred	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Moralizing Supernatural Punishment And Reward	Absent Inferred	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Moralizing Religion Adopted by Commoners	Absent Inferred	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Moralizing Enforcement is Targeted	Absent Inferred	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Moralizing Enforcement in Afterlife	Absent Inferred	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Moralizing Religion Adopted by Elites	Absent Inferred	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Moralizing Enforcement of Rulers	Absent Inferred	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Moralizing Enforcement is Certain	Absent Inferred	100 CE 250 CE
Loading...

Human Sacrifice Xianbei Confederation (mn_xianbei)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More