Puttenham Press, 2024. — 265 p.
Rome and Attila - Rome's Greatest Enemy by Nick Holmes is a riveting account of Rome’s decline by a skilled storyteller and great historian. Attila is a household name. But his true character and impact on the Roman Empire have always remained elusive. Until now. In the first major work written about Attila in decades, Nick Holmes rewrites the story of Attila and Rome. Contrary to his brutal legend, Attila was a complex and captivating personality. A great warlord who despised ostentation, admired bravery and valued loyalty. He led his steppe nomads further west than Genghis Khan or Tamerlane. He nearly destroyed the Roman Empire. But his vast ambition undid him. This book is a must read for those interested in Rome, the Huns and military history. This is the third volume in Nick Holmes’ series on The Fall of the Roman Empire. The first volume, The Roman Revolution, covers the little known ‘crisis of the third century’ when barbarian invasions nearly destroyed classical Rome and led to a revolution in Roman government, the army and religion, including the extraordinary growth of Christianity. The second volume, The Fall of Rome, covers the barbarian invasions of the western half of the empire, culminating in the sack of Rome itself by the Goths in AD 410. Further volumes will continue Rome's turbulent history, from its revival under the emperor Justinian to the rise of Islam, the beginnings of Byzantium and the dawn of the Middle Ages.
On 20 June AD 451, Attila the Hun was defeated at the Battle of the Catalaunian Plains in Gaul. The battle marked a turning point in history. The westward expansion of the Huns was halted. Never again would Asiatic steppe nomads reach so far into Europe and threaten to overrun it. To the Romans, Attila was ‘flagrum Dei’ (the ‘scourge of God’). Just his name was sufficient to strike terror into the hearts of not just the Romans but all the peoples of Europe. Remarkably, his legend has endured from late antiquity to this day. But was this deserved? And what was his true place in history? This book searches for the answers to these questions. What emerges is a very different man from the legend. For example, our only eyewitness account describes him as someone who despised ostentation, was respectful towards those he admired, and devoted to his sons. As for his place in history, there is no doubt he dominated the history of western Eurasia in the fifth century. He engulfed Europe in war. His campaigns stretched from Constantinople to Gaul. Cities burned. Kings and generals died in battle. Pitched battles were fought on a scale not seen since the days of Julius Caesar and Trajan.
Contents
Illustrations
Maps
Introduction
Part I
The Origin of Our Destruction
The Huns
Refugees
The Battle of Adrianople
Theodosius the Not So Great
A Tale of Two Barbarians
Disaster in Gaul
A Noble Death
The Sack of Rome
Part II
The False Dawn
Heads on Spears
The Hollow Crown
New Rome
Persia and the White Huns
Empress of the West
The Last of the Romans
Between a Rock and a Hard Place
The Kingdom in the Sun
Part III
The Scourge of God
A Lack of Rainfall
The Empire of Gold
Attila
The Battle for the East
Dinner with Attila
In Search of the Real Attila
Attila’s Bride
Blitzkrieg in the West
The Siege of Orléans
The Battle of the Catalaunian Plains
The Italian Job
The End of Attila’s Empire
Part IV
The Last Days of an Empire
Cutting Off Your Right Hand
The Sack of Rome Part II
Out of the Ashes
The Last Action Hero
Disintegration
The Roman Armada
Once Upon a Time in Noricum
Not with a Bang but a Whimper
Conclusion The Road to Justinian
Extracts from Priscus’ Account of his Journey to Attila’s Court
Find Out More About the Fall of the Roman Empire
Acknowledgements
Roman Emperors
Chronology of theLater Roman Empire
Further Reading