The Xiongnu and the Scythians were both nomadic tribes. The Xiongnu were a people who inhabited the steppes of Central Asia from the 3rd century BCE to the 1st century CE. The Scythians were a people who inhabited the steppes of Eurasia from the 7th century BCE to the 3rd century CE. Both tribes were skilled horsemen and archers, and they played a significant role in the history of Eurasia.