Who Was Attila the Hun?: Attila was the fierce 5th century leader of the barbarian group known as the Huns who struck fear in the hearts of the Romans as he plundered everything in his path, invaded the Eastern Empire and then crossed the Rhine into Gaul.
Occupation: Ruler
Dates: We don't know when Attila was born. It could have been around 406 A.D. He ruled from about 433 until his death in 453.
Offices and Titles: Attila was the king of the Scythian hordes known as the Huns. For devastating much of Europe, Attila the Hun is also known as the Scourge of God.
Military: Attila successfully led his forces to invade the Eastern Roman Empire in 441. In 451, on the Plains of Chalons, Attila suffered a setback against the Romans and Visigoths, but he made progress and was on the verge of sacking Rome when in 452 the pope dissuaded Attila from sacking Rome.
Death: The death of Attila was on his wedding night, supposedly of a nosebleed. There are other explanations, including an assassination plot. With Attila's death the Huns fade from prominence as a foe of the Romans.
Sources: We know about Attila through Priscus (5th century A.D.) and Ammianus Marcellinus (4th century A.D.).
