Hun, Alan, Avar, and other Steppe Nomad Movements

[Flavivs Aetivs]

What about the Chionitae and the Kidaritae? Were they Sarmatians or Altaics in your opinion?

And what do you think of possible mentions of the Huns in the middle East? The Huns of Central Asia and the Caucasus are often called Massagetae by the Byzantines (although Masguts or Massagetae were Sarmatians). It is known the names of the Hunnic groups (Sabir, Saragur, Akatir, Ultinzur, Tongur, Bitugur, Iligur, Bazgur, Alpilcur, Vurugund/Burugund, Bardor, Kutrigur, Utigur, and Onogur) but still nobody makes mention of them from middle eastern sources.

I think it's because they weren't more than just nomads at the time, with not even the beginnings of political organization until the Alpilcurs begin pestering the Alans in the 350's or so. Something caused them to band together and move (Longovicium once linked an article suggesting a disasterous drought on another forum, I have to find that).