The Huns
Area of Origin:
The Huns are believed to have originated somewhere
between the eastern edge of the Altai Mountains and
the Caspian Sea, roughly modern Kazakhstan. They
were nomadic and lived in Central Asia, (present-day
Mongolia). They went to war with large parts of Asia
and Europe. Their nomadic way of life, including
raising cattle, enduring both heat and cold and the
invention of bows made them powerful.
Religion:
The Huns were polytheistic, which means that
they believed in many deities and gods. They believed the divine beings of nature had the path
to the future and believed in the Roman gods, and later on Christianity. Many Huns converted
to Christianity because they liked the religion a lot.
Social Structure:
The Hunnic tribes had a social structure with men responsible for war and combat and women
for serving and protecting the territory. There was a noble class but anyone who showed
leadership could be invited to this class, after proving skills as a leader and warrior. Society
allowed easy movement between classes.
Contact With Others:
In roughly 376, the Huns attacked the Visigoths (the western tribe of Goths) and forced them
to seek sanctuary within the Roman Empire. They also fought Romans who called them
barbarians.
Main Events in Dark Ages:
In 395 the Huns began their first big attack on the Roman Empire. Huns attacked in Thrace,
overtook Armenia, and pillaged Cappadocia. They entered parts of Syria, threatened Antioch,
and passed through the province of Euphratesia. At the same time, the Huns invaded the
Sasanian Empire.