The Romans knew very little about the Huns. In the 4th century A.D., the Roman historian Ammianus Marcellinus described this people as follows: «The Hun tribe lives outside the Maeotian swamp, near the Arctic Ocean. Their wild nature surpasses all limits of imagination. They have strong bodies and powerful necks. Their appearance is so frightening that it seems as if they are two-legged animals or roughly carved statues that are placed on bridges. They are not engaged in agriculture, as well as any other work in the fields.»
The army of the Huns. Art from the game «Total War: Attila».
The Huns had no permanent place of residence, laws, or established customs. They roamed with caravans that served as their homes. In these mobile homes, their wives wove clothes, gave birth and raised children. The Huns did not know exactly where they were born: conception took place in one place, birth in another, and childhood took place somewhere else. In peacetime, they were fickle and fickle, easily succumbing to impulses of hope. Their rage was as wild as an animal’s. They did not know what honesty was, did not adhere to religions and superstitions, but had an unquenchable thirst for gold.
A shot from the miniseries «Attila the Conqueror», 2001
Despite these descriptions, it became clear after several decades that the Huns were not as wild as they were thought to be. Moreover, some of them served in the Roman army. So the Roman Empire had a cavalry corps made up entirely of Huns. One of his fighters was a young Hun named Attila. It is unknown how long he spent in the Roman army. But at some point Attila decided to return to his people. Due to his noble birth, he soon became the leader and then the sole ruler of the Huns. Under his leadership, the Huns waged wars for two decades, mainly against the Roman Empire. The Eastern Roman Empire paid huge tribute to them, and the western territories were plundered.
Monument to Attila in the town of Niederrimsingen, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It was established on April 1, 1979.
Attila ruled the Huns for about 20 years and participated in many battles. However, his death did not come on the battlefield. The only description of the circumstances of the death of the great leader was left by Priscus, the Roman ambassador to the court of Attila. This story has come down to us in the retelling of the Gothic historian Jordan (VI century A.D.). According to Jordan, Priscus wrote: «After many marriages, as was customary among the Huns, Attila married the girl Ildiko, who was distinguished by her extraordinary beauty. On the day of the wedding, weakened by her caresses, he drank too much wine and fell asleep. He often had nosebleeds, but this time the bleeding stopped and burst through his throat, suffocating him.»
«Ildiko and Attila» by J. Wilclair, XIX century.
Historians suggest that Ildiko was a German princess named Hildegund, who was brought to the Huns as a gift. Many suspected her of murdering Attila, but the Huns had no evidence to prove her guilt. British historian John Man offered a different version of events. He pointed out that the Huns consumed a lot of alcohol: both their barley beer and wine, which was imported from Byzantium and the Western Roman Empire. Probably, the long-term alcohol abuse affected Attila’s health.
Attila in the view of the 15th-century Hungarian artist Janos Turotsi.
Excessive alcohol consumption can cause varicose veins of the esophagus. Weakened vein walls can rupture, causing profuse bleeding. If a person is intoxicated and lies on his back, blood can enter the lungs, which becomes fatal. If Attila had been sober or awake, he could have risen and survived. But the combination of alcohol intoxication, high blood pressure and weakened blood vessels probably caused his death.