Aetius: Attila's Nemesis
"...a lively, often insightful account of the declining years of Roman power in the West which will be of interest to students of Roman history, the onset of the Dark ages and early Byzantine history." – NYMAS Review

In AD 453 Attila, with a huge force composed of Huns, allies and vassals drawn from his already-vast empire, was rampaging westward across Gaul (essentially modern France), then still nominally part of the Western Roman Empire. Laying siege to Orleans, he was only a few days march from extending his empire from the Eurasian steppe to the Atlantic. He was brought to battle on the Cataluanian Plain and defeated by a coalition hastily assembled and led by Aetius.

Who was this man that saved Western Europe from the Hunnic yoke? While Attila is a household name, his nemesis remains relatively obscure. Aetius is one of the major figures in the history of the Late Roman Empire and his actions helped maintain the integrity of the West in the declining years of the Empire. During the course of his life he was a hostage, first with Alaric and the Goths, and then with Rugila, King of the Huns. His stay with these two peoples helped to give him an unparalleled insight into the minds and military techniques of these barbarians which he was to use in later years to halt the depredations of the Huns. That this savior of Rome was himself half Scythian is indicative of the complexity of the late Roman world.

Ian Hughes assesses his fascinating career and campaigns with the same accessible narrative and analysis he brought to bear on Belisarius and Stilicho. This is a long-overdue biography of a major, yet neglected, player in the Late Classical world.
1112063822
Aetius: Attila's Nemesis
"...a lively, often insightful account of the declining years of Roman power in the West which will be of interest to students of Roman history, the onset of the Dark ages and early Byzantine history." – NYMAS Review

In AD 453 Attila, with a huge force composed of Huns, allies and vassals drawn from his already-vast empire, was rampaging westward across Gaul (essentially modern France), then still nominally part of the Western Roman Empire. Laying siege to Orleans, he was only a few days march from extending his empire from the Eurasian steppe to the Atlantic. He was brought to battle on the Cataluanian Plain and defeated by a coalition hastily assembled and led by Aetius.

Who was this man that saved Western Europe from the Hunnic yoke? While Attila is a household name, his nemesis remains relatively obscure. Aetius is one of the major figures in the history of the Late Roman Empire and his actions helped maintain the integrity of the West in the declining years of the Empire. During the course of his life he was a hostage, first with Alaric and the Goths, and then with Rugila, King of the Huns. His stay with these two peoples helped to give him an unparalleled insight into the minds and military techniques of these barbarians which he was to use in later years to halt the depredations of the Huns. That this savior of Rome was himself half Scythian is indicative of the complexity of the late Roman world.

Ian Hughes assesses his fascinating career and campaigns with the same accessible narrative and analysis he brought to bear on Belisarius and Stilicho. This is a long-overdue biography of a major, yet neglected, player in the Late Classical world.
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Aetius: Attila's Nemesis

Aetius: Attila's Nemesis

by Ian Hughes
Aetius: Attila's Nemesis

Aetius: Attila's Nemesis

by Ian Hughes

Paperback

$26.95 
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Overview

"...a lively, often insightful account of the declining years of Roman power in the West which will be of interest to students of Roman history, the onset of the Dark ages and early Byzantine history." – NYMAS Review

In AD 453 Attila, with a huge force composed of Huns, allies and vassals drawn from his already-vast empire, was rampaging westward across Gaul (essentially modern France), then still nominally part of the Western Roman Empire. Laying siege to Orleans, he was only a few days march from extending his empire from the Eurasian steppe to the Atlantic. He was brought to battle on the Cataluanian Plain and defeated by a coalition hastily assembled and led by Aetius.

Who was this man that saved Western Europe from the Hunnic yoke? While Attila is a household name, his nemesis remains relatively obscure. Aetius is one of the major figures in the history of the Late Roman Empire and his actions helped maintain the integrity of the West in the declining years of the Empire. During the course of his life he was a hostage, first with Alaric and the Goths, and then with Rugila, King of the Huns. His stay with these two peoples helped to give him an unparalleled insight into the minds and military techniques of these barbarians which he was to use in later years to halt the depredations of the Huns. That this savior of Rome was himself half Scythian is indicative of the complexity of the late Roman world.

Ian Hughes assesses his fascinating career and campaigns with the same accessible narrative and analysis he brought to bear on Belisarius and Stilicho. This is a long-overdue biography of a major, yet neglected, player in the Late Classical world.

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9781526778840
Publisher: Pen and Sword
Publication date: 08/05/2020
Pages: 304
Product dimensions: 6.00(w) x 9.25(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Ian Hughes specializes in Late Roman history and is the author of Belisarius, the Last Roman General (2009); Stilicho, the Vandal who Saved Rome (2010); Aetius: Attila’s Nemesis (2012); Imperial Brothers: Valentinian, Valens and the Disaster at Adrianople (2013); Patricians and Emperors (2015); and Gaiseric, the Vandal Who Destroyed Rome (2017). A former teacher whose hobbies include football, wargaming, and restoring electric guitars, Ian lives near Barnsley in South Yorkshire.

Table of Contents

List of Plates vi

List of Maps vii

Acknowledgements viii

Foreword x

Introduction xii

1 Historical Background and Early Years 1

2 Aetius the Hostage 10

3 Aetius Takes the Stage 24

4 The Late Roman Army 34

5 The Barbarians 48

6 Magister Militum per Gallias 57

7 Magister Militum Praesentalis 74

8 Undisputed Leadership 88

9 The Fall of Africa 106

10 The Treaty of 442 116

11 After Africa 130

12 The Calm Before the Storm 141

13 Crisis 151

14 The Battle of the Catalaunian Plains 163

15 Attila's Invasion of Italy 176

16 The End 184

17 Aftermath 192

Conclusion 197

Outline Chronology 207

Imperial Family Tree 213

Select Personalities 214

Notes 222

Bibliography 258

Index 266

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