Attila
Ruler of the Huns from 434 to 453, known as the Scourge of God.
Attila (c. 406 – 453), frequently called Attila the Hun and also known by his nickname The Scourge of God, was the ruler of the Huns from 434 until his death in early 453. He was also the leader of an empire consisting of Huns, Ostrogoths, Alans, and Gepids, among others, in Central and Eastern Europe. Alongside his elder brother Bleda, Attila inherited the throne from their uncle Rugila in 435, ruling jointly until Bleda’s death in 445. During his reign, he became one of the most feared adversaries of both the Western and Eastern Roman Empires. He crossed the Danube on two occasions, plundering the Balkans, yet failed to capture Constantinople due to its formidable double walls. A second Roman army was defeated near Callipolis. In 441, he invaded the Eastern Roman Empire, a success that encouraged him to turn westward. Attila attempted to conquer Roman Gaul, crossing the Rhine in 451 and advancing as far as Aurelianum (Orléans), but was halted at the Battle of the Catalaunian Plains. He then invaded Italy, devastating its northern provinces, though he could not take Rome. Further campaigns were planned, but Attila died in 453. Following his death, his close adviser Ardaric of the Gepids led a successful revolt, causing the rapid collapse of the Hunnic Empire. Attila endured as a figure in Germanic heroic legend. The etymology of his name is debated; most scholars argue for a Gothic origin meaning “little father,” while others propose Turkic or other derivations, though no consensus has been reached. Historical knowledge of Attila relies heavily on Greek and Latin sources written by his enemies, most notably the Byzantine diplomat Priscus, who visited the Hunnic court in 449 and provided the only known physical description of him.
- born
- c. 406
- died
- 453
- field
- Ruler, military leader
- nationality
- Hunnic
- known_for
- Ruling the Huns, invading the Roman Empires, known as the Scourge of God
Lore & Background
As nephews to Rugila, Attila and his elder brother Bleda succeeded him to the throne in 434, ruling jointly until the death of Bleda in 445. During his reign, Attila was one of the most feared enemies of the Western and Eastern Roman Empires. He crossed the Danube twice and plundered the Balkans but was unable to take Constantinople, stopped by the double walls of the Eastern capital. The Huns defeated a second army near Callipolis (Gelibolu). In 441, he led an invasion of the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire. He also attempted to conquer Roman Gaul (modern France), crossing the Rhine in 451 and marching as far as Aurelianum (Orléans), before being stopped in the Battle of the Catalaunian Plains. He subsequently invaded Italy, devastating the northern provinces, but was unable to take Rome. He planned for further campaigns against the Romans but died in 453. After Attila's death, his close adviser, Ardaric of the Gepids, led a successful revolt against Hunnic rule, after which the Hunnic Empire quickly collapsed. Attila lived on as a character in Germanic heroic legend.
Reader's Guide
The historiography of Attila is faced with a major challenge, in that the only complete sources are written in Greek and Latin by the enemies of the Huns. Attila's contemporaries left many testimonials of his life, but only fragments of these remain. Priscus was a Byzantine diplomat and historian who wrote in Greek, and he was both a witness to and an actor in the story of Attila, as a member of the embassy of Theodosius II at the Hunnic court in 449. He wrote a history of the late Roman Empire in eight books covering the period from 430 to 476. Only fragments of Priscus's work remain. It was cited extensively by 6th-century historians Procopius and Jordanes, especially in Jordanes's The Origin and Deeds of the Goths. Marcellinus Comes also describes the relations between the Huns and the Eastern Roman Empire. Numerous ecclesiastical writings contain useful but scattered information. The literature and knowledge of the Huns themselves was transmitted orally. Archaeological investigation has uncovered some details about the lifestyle, art, and warfare of the Huns, but the tomb of Attila and the location of his capital have not yet been found.
Did You Know?
- Attila's name may derive from Gothic atta ('father') with a diminutive suffix -ila, meaning 'little father'.
- Attila's father Mundzuk was the brother of Kings Octar and Ruga, who reigned jointly over the Hunnic empire in the early fifth century.
- The Huns were a group of Eurasian nomads whose main military techniques were mounted archery and javelin throwing.
Notable Quotes (Wikiquote)
"For what fortress, what city, in the wide extent of the Roman empire, can hope to exist, secure and impregnable, if it is our pleasure that it should be erased from the earth?" — Attila "If Attila the Hun were alive today, he'd be a drama critic." — Attila "Darius Arya, as quoted in Ancients Behaving Badly: Attila the Hun. History Channel, 13 November, 2009. Documentary." — Attila "What devil or what witch was ever so great as Attila, whose blood is in these veins?" — Attila
More in Notable Figures
Elsewhere in the Historical Figures universe
Spotted an error? Know more?
This is a living reference — every entry is fact-audited, and reader corrections feed straight into our audit queue. Suggest an edit · See this site's audit record