In the 5th century AD, the Hephthalites, called the “White Huns,” rose from the steppes and built an empire. East of the Caspian Sea they founded cities, made laws, and formed a disciplined state admired even by the Byzantines. Procopius of Caesarea called them fair-skinned, organized, and more civilized than other steppe peoples. But some customs were brutal. Wealthy Hephthalites formed oath-bound brotherhoods; when a member died, his companions were buried alive with him as a sign of loyalty.