Huns
The Huns were a nomadic group believed to have originated in Turkestan, potentially linked to the ancient Xiongnu. They migrated westward across the Eurasian steppe into Europe during the first and second centuries CE. Renowned for their skilled horseback riding and unique combat tactics, the Huns combined traditional hunting methods with effective warfare strategies, utilizing a powerful short reflex bow to attack from a distance. Their societal practices included ritual facial mutilations, aimed at projecting a fearsome image, and they engaged in trade, acquiring luxurious silks and linens. Under the leadership of Attila the Hun, they expanded their territory significantly, from the Caspian Sea to the Rhine River, although their advances were ultimately halted at the Battle of Châlons in 451 CE. After Attila's death in 453 CE, the Huns faced a decisive defeat at the hands of former Germanic subjects in 454 CE, leading to their dispersion. Today, the legacy of the Huns is often reflected in the geographical name of Hungary.
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Huns
Related civilization: Avars.
Date: c. 300-600 c.e.
Locale: East-central Europe
Huns
The Huns originated in Turkestan and are believed by some scholars to correspond to the Xiongnu, against whom the Han Dynasty in China constructed the first parts of the Great Wall. The Huns migrated westward along the Eurasian steppe toward Europe in the first and second centuries c.e. Mounted on durable horses, the Huns practiced tactics of evasion rooted in age-old hunting techniques. The general low level of Hunnic technology can be contrasted with their highly effective short reflex bow. The bow was employed to pepper their opponents with arrows at a distance, weakening them to be pulled down by lance or lasso. Roman authors reported that the Huns practiced ritual facial mutilations to cultivate a ferocious image and wore silks and linens purchased by barter. Hunnic warlords fought primarily to acquire plunder for distribution among the members of their tribes.
Under their greatest leader Attila (c. 406?-453 c.e.), the Huns extended their influence from the Caspian Sea to the Rhine River but were checked at the Battle of Châlons by Roman and German forces in 451 c.e. After Attila’s death, the Huns were decisively defeated and dispersed by former Germanic subjects at Nedao in 454 c.e. All that remains of the group is the geographical name of Hungary.
Bibliography
Gordon, C. D. The Age of Attila. New York: Dorset Press, 1992.
Maenchen-Helfen, J. Otto. The World of the Huns. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1973.