Uncovering the Diversity of Mongolia's First Nomadic Empire through Ancient DNA

New ancient DNA evidence and archaeological excavations shed light on the Xiongnu, the world's first nomadic empire that arose on the Mongolian steppe 1,500 years before the Mongols. The Xiongnu empire was a multiethnic empire, with high genetic diversity and heterogeneity present at all levels, confirming the characterization of the Xiongnu Empire as a multiethnic empire. Women played especially prominent political roles in the expansion and integration of new territories along the empire's frontier. The findings point to the enduring social and cultural legacy of the Xiongnu.