ðə sˈɛntɹəl stˈɛp ɹˈiːdʒən hæd lˈɔŋ bˌɪn ɪnhˈæbɪɾᵻd baɪ hˈɔːɹsmˈaʊntᵻd nˈoʊmædz hˌuː kʊd ɹˈiːtʃ ˈɔːl ˈɛɹiəz ʌv ˈeɪʒə fɹʌmðə stˈɛps.
The central steppe region had long been inhabited by horse-mounted nomads who could reach all areas of Asia from the steppes.