| Under the rule of [[Emperor Wu of Han]], also known as Han Wudi (r. 141-87 BCE), the Han expanded militarily into Vietnam, and into parts of [[Manchuria]] and [[Lelang|northern Korea]]. While some parts of these regions eagerly adapted Han agricultural technologies and practices, while resisting to some extent Han political impositions, the nomadic steppe peoples of Manchuria and other northern areas, including most especially the [[Xiongnu]], were not agricultural by tradition, and more powerfully resisted Han control, leading many uprisings, attacks, and raids. | | Under the rule of [[Emperor Wu of Han]], also known as Han Wudi (r. 141-87 BCE), the Han expanded militarily into Vietnam, and into parts of [[Manchuria]] and [[Lelang|northern Korea]]. While some parts of these regions eagerly adapted Han agricultural technologies and practices, while resisting to some extent Han political impositions, the nomadic steppe peoples of Manchuria and other northern areas, including most especially the [[Xiongnu]], were not agricultural by tradition, and more powerfully resisted Han control, leading many uprisings, attacks, and raids. |
| + | Han armies generally consisted of large numbers of foot soldiers armed with halberds and bows, accompanied by cavalry. Encounters with the Xiongnu and other groups led to the Han military expanding its use of cavalry, using swift raids, technology such as the crossbow, and other efforts as countermeasures against the superior ability of Xiongnu mounted archers. Obtaining horses for this cavalry expansion was difficult, and largely involved obtaining horses from nomadic people's territories.<ref>Gallery labels, Royal Ontario Museum.[https://www.flickr.com/photos/toranosuke/48532560612/in/photostream/]</ref> |