Dining with Attila, and the wonderful awfulness of the 5th century
Here's an actual eyewitness description of Attila the Hun http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/attila.htm
After all the analysis of longer-term problems such as inflation, the expense of policing frontiers, and power-crazed rulers, it all comes down to the collapse of the western Roman Empire like a pack of cards in the 5th century. By 476 nobody was daft enough to declare themselves emperor any more.
If we drew a simple (over simple) timeline, it could go:
If you want an oddly accurate but very witty account of these times, then this link to Uncyclopedia is an easy read, but please be aware that some parts of the Uncyclopedia site deal with 'strong language and adult themes':http://uncyclopedia.wikia.com/wiki/Honorius
After all the analysis of longer-term problems such as inflation, the expense of policing frontiers, and power-crazed rulers, it all comes down to the collapse of the western Roman Empire like a pack of cards in the 5th century. By 476 nobody was daft enough to declare themselves emperor any more.
If we drew a simple (over simple) timeline, it could go:
- Goths hurtle from Greece into Europe, 400 onwards
- 406: mass invasion across the Rhine frontier of loosely allied Vandals, Alans, Suebi, and any other chancers
- 406-409 Vandal alliance 'moved on' towards Spain (muy gracias amigos, said the people of Spain)
- 406-410: Britain followed by parts of Gaul break away
- 410 Rome sacked by Goths
- 423 Important 'granary' of Carthage broke away
- 451 Huns make massive attack on western empire
- 453 Rome sacked by Vandals
- 476 last emperor (Romulus Augustulus) and first king of Italy (Odoacer)
If you want an oddly accurate but very witty account of these times, then this link to Uncyclopedia is an easy read, but please be aware that some parts of the Uncyclopedia site deal with 'strong language and adult themes':http://uncyclopedia.wikia.com/wiki/Honorius