Attila the Hun

Attila: The Barbarian King Who Challenged Rome


John Man has written a thoroughly researched history of Attila the Hun and his times. In his book, in Attila: The Barbarian King Who Challenged Rome, he gives the historical background that gave rise to the Huns, and the circumstances that weakened Rome, making them an appealing target for Attila. Man also spends a lot of time explaining the military strategy that made the Huns the most powerful and feared kingdom on the northern frontier of Rome: the ability of the Huns to shoot rapidly and accurately while riding a horse at full gallop.

One of the things I found very interesting was the discussion of a modern day Hungarian who spent several decades learning and perfecting the Huns’ riding and shooting skills. He became so proficient that he is now able to shoot six arrows in twelve seconds while riding at full gallop and not miss a single target. He is able to shoot from any direction, including straight behind.

The Huns, with each mounted soldier able to shoot an arrow every two to three seconds, attacking in large fast moving formations, could launch 15,000 arrows within a very short period of time, making their tactics as devastating as a machine gun.

The other major advantage the Huns had was their powerful bows that could launch arrows faster and farther than any of their enemies. This gave them a huge advantage on the battlefield, enabling them to devastate opponents without suffering many losses. This powerful bow combined with the ability to shoot quickly and accurately from a horse made the Huns a nearly unbeatable army.

Attila was more like a robber baron than a king and he was unable to break out of his limiting environment. Instead of solidifying his empire, he spread himself too thin and reached beyond his grasp, leaving him vulnerable and unable to defend his kingdom from the combined forces of Rome, Constantinople and the unified Barbarian tribes. His desire to sack Rome and fill his treasury with Rome’s wealth failed and he was finally defeated in Gaul.

Attila is known for the terror he unleashed on the tribes on the northern frontier. Even after a millennium and a half, Attila is still known for his brutality and his name is synonymous with terror. However, those living in Hungary, distant heirs of the Huns, who had settled along the Danube, view Attila with pride and admiration. Even today, the name Attila is given to boys born in Hungary, just as in Mongolia boys are still named Genghis. One nation’s brutal savage is another nation’s national hero; it all depends on perspective.

In spite of his exploits, Attila led a very austere life. He lived in simple dwelling and had very few amenities to make life pleasant. He succeeded in uniting the Huns and building a powerful military, but he failed to leave any lasting legacy behind. His attack on Rome may have contributed a small part to its final decline and fall, but he didn’t have any real impact on history, either positively or negatively. He terrorized some nations for a few decades and then he died, leaving nothing of lasting value behind. The only thing that remains today is his reputation of brutality and terror.