The Huns: Attila The Hun

Attila the Hun is a man whose reputation preceded him in life and may live through eternity. Attila was born in 395 A.D. in the back of a chariot into the royal clan of the Hunnic people. The Huns are a nomadic people that do not claim a homeland of their own. The Huns traveled distances ranging from central Asia to the east, Africa to the South, and central Europe to the west. On their journeys, the Huns pillage and ransack villages in order to obtain valuables to trade for food and other necessities. The Huns practice several barbaric traditions such as purposefully deforming the skulls of soldiers in childhood and the searing of adolescents’ faces in order to postpone the growing of facial hair. Also, the Huns regularly ate raw meat that

Bleda allegedly died during a hunt which left Attila as the sole ruler of the Huns. It is rumored that Attila himself killed Bleda during the hunt. Attila immediately sought to unify the entire Hunnic people into a single nation under his solitary reign. Roberts expresses the heavy handed policy Attila created by saying “He (Attila) is said to have spent days in front of his tent in conference with tribal chieftains to confirm their loyalties to his unification plan. Attila summarily executed rebellious chieftains.” (Roberts 6) Attila’s followers learned to fear him as much as his enemies did. Through this fear Attila was able to push his army to the point of starvation without the threat of rebellion or mutiny. Utilizing paranoia and his own strength, Attila managed to unify the various tribes of the Huns. He made clear that the nation’s ultimate goal was to bring under their control “…the Germanic and Slavic nations, to conquer Rome and Constantinople, to march against all of Asia, then on to Africa.” (Roberts 16) He managed to avoid falling victim to the trappings of his new position by continuing to eat out of wooden bowls and dress modestly in common black furs unlike his Roman counterparts. His people quickly began to favor him as a leader as his expeditions lead to acquisition of large bounties pillaged from ransacked cities. His people revered him wherever he went offering

He allowed rumors to fluctuate within his camps whether they were true or not. One such rumor claimed that after Bleda’s death a flaming sword appeared in a field. The sword flew from its resting sight straight into Attila’s hand. They say that the sword appeared as a gift from the god of war, Mars. Attila embraced this story calling his sword, “The Sword of Mars.” By embracing this legend he was able to give divinity to his reign in the eyes of his barbaric followers. Attila’s time in captivity bestowed upon him the ability to think like a Roman and understand the way they operate. His time in captivity proved to be very useful to him during his campaigns against the Roman Empire. He acknowledged the fact that by spreading fear and panic throughout Rome would cause the Romans to send a general to face him. Attila in turn would utilize his horde’s ability to maneuver more quickly than his opponents to attack the location said general just vacated. In addition, he understood that the Romans viewed him simply as a barbarian at least in custom and intellect. Attila would act and use tactics that ordinary barbarians would engage in until a more formidable general or other commander approached him. When battle with this more dangerous opponent occurred Attila would engage in more cunning battle tactics to the surprise of the opposing commander. Attila used his superior knowledge