Attila
Authors: Ross Laidlaw
ATTILA
THE SCOURGE OF GOD
The story of Flavius Aetius, the last great Roman general, and of his friend who became an enemy: Attila, King of the Huns
Ross Laidlaw
This eBook edition published in 2011 byBirlinn Limited
West Newington House
Newington Road
Edinburgh
EH9 1QS
www.birlinn.co.uk
First published in Great Britain in 2004
This edition published in 2007 by Polygon, an imprint of Birlinn Ltd
Copyright © Ross Laidlaw, 2004, 2007
The moral right of Ross Laidlaw to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form without the express written permission of the publisher.
eBook ISBN: 978 1 85790 071 5
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
To Margaret my wife, Kenneth my son,
Ruth my daughter, Bill her husband, and their
little son William MacKinlay
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
My warmest appreciation to the following for their generous help in supplying me with information from the Internet etc.: Bill Paget, Dr Alberto Massimo, Roy Ellis, and Barbara Halley; also to Helen Simpson for her superb editing. A special word of thanks to my publishers Hugh Andrew (who sowed the seed and made it grow) and Neville Moir, for their steadfast support and encouragement.
ONTENTS
Glossary of Latin Terms and Place Names
 II   Constantinople,
AD
434â50
IIIÂ Â Â The Catalaunian Plains,
AD
451
Journeys of Boniface and Titus in Africa and Byzacena
Titus' Route through the Appenines
Attila's Journey to the Seer Wu Tze
Gaius' Journey to Fort Spolicinum
The East Roman Empire and the Persian Empire
Battle of the Catalaunian Plains, 20 June 451
Note: the short form of compound place names such as Augusta Treverorum or Tigernum Castrum is Augusta or Tigernum.
adscriptus glebae | (lit: tied to the land) serf, villein |
adventus Saxonum | the coming of the Saxons |
Aemilian Plain | Lombardy |
agens | courier-cum-spy |
ala | military âwing' |
Aluatica | Tongres |
Anderida | Pevensey |
angon | barbed javelin |
Appenini | the Appenines |
Aquincum | Budapest |
Aquitania | Aquitaine |
Arar river | the Saône |
Arduenna Silva | the Ardennes |
Arelate | Arles |
Aremorica | Brittany |
Argentaria | Horburg, Alsace |
Argentorate Stratisburgum | Strasbourg |
Ariminum | Rimini |
Arvernum | the Auvergne |
Augusta Taurinorum | Turin |
Augusta Treverorum | Trier |
Aureliani | Orléans |
Autissiodorum | Auxerre |
auxilium | auxiliary infantry unit |
ballista | giant crossbow-like catapult |
Bantisus river | the Ob |
barbaricum | barbarian territory |
barbaricarii | officers' armour-makers |
barritus | battle-cry |
Basilia | Basle |
biarchus | junior officer, equivalent to NCO |
Boiaria, Boii | Bavaria, Bavarians |
bora | regional north wind |
Boreal | far north, Arctic |
Borysthenes river | the Dnieper |
Branodunum | Brancaster |
bucellarii | landowner's private retainers |
bucellatum | military rations biscuit |
bucina | military trumpet |
bucinator | army trumpeter |
byrrus | hooded cloak |
Caesarodunum | Tours |
Caledonia | Scotland |
calidarium | hot room of bath-house |
Cambracum | Cambrai |
Cambria | Wales |
campidoctores | army drill-sergeants |
canonicarius | financial overseer |
Cantium | Kent |
capsarius | army medical orderly |
carae epistolarum | officials in charge of financial correspondence |
carbonarii | charcoal-burners |
cardo | main street |
Carpathus Mountains | the Carpathians |
Carthago Nova | Cartagena |
catafractarius | heavily armoured cavalryman |
Cebenna mountains | the Cévennes |
centenarius | (i) junior army officer; (ii) horse which has won 100 or more races |
Chersonesus of Thracia | the Gallipoli peninsula |
Choson | Korea |
circitor | foreman/NCO of |
clibanarius | armoured cavalryman |
Colchis | trans-Caucasia |
colonus | tenant farmer |
comes | count |
comes rei privatae | Count of the Privy Purse |
comes sacrarum largitionum | Count of the Public Purse |
comitatus | retinue, group of followers |
compulsores | collectors of tax arrears |
conductor | foreman |
cuculli | hooded cloaks |
cuneus | attack formation |
cuniculi | drainage channels |
curialis | leading citizen |
cursor | messenger |
cursus velox | imperial post/courier service |
Danubius river | the Danube |
decemprimi | inner committee of city council |
decurion | (i) army rank; (ii) town councillor |
defensor, defensor civitatis | magistrate |
Deva river | the Dee |
Divonum | Cahors |
Dor river | the Doré |
ducenarius | army officer |
Durocatalaunum | Châlons-sur-Marne |
Durocortorum | Reims |
femenalia | underpants |
Elaver river | the Allier |
Entia river | the Enza |
erectores | chariot-race officials |
Etruria | Tuscany |
Florentia | Florence |
foederatus | ally |
foedus | i) alliance; (ii) oath of allegiance |
follis | money-bag |
francisca | throwing-axe |
Fretum Gallicum | Straits of Dover |
Gallia Narbonensis | Narbonne province |
Garannonum | Burgh Castle |
gladius | short sword |
Grinnicum | Cannes |
Hadrianopolis | Adrianople |
Haemus Mons | Balkan Mountains, Bulgaria |
harpastum | ball game |
Hellespontus | Dardanelles |
Hibernia | Ireland |
Hispania | Spain |
Imaus Mons | the Urals |
insulae | âhigh-rise' buildings |
Italia | Italy |
iugatio | land tax |
iugerum | unit of land measurement |
kontos | heavy spear |
Lacus Benacus | Lake Garda |
Lacus Brigantinus | Lake Constance |
laetus | P.O.W.-turned-soldier |
lanista | gladiatorial instructor |
lares et penates | household gods |
latrocinium | robbery |
Lauriacum | Lorch |
Lerina | Lérins |
Lexovium | Lisieux |
Liger river | the Loire |
limitanei | frontier troops |
Limonum | Poitiers |
lituus | cavalry trumpet |
Locus Mauriacus | the Catalaunian Plains |
ludus latrunculorum | board game |
Lugdunum | Lyon |
Magister militum | Master of Soldiers |
mappa | white cloth used to signal start of chariot races at the Circus |
Mare Caspium | Caspian Sea |
Mare Suevicum | Baltic Sea |
Massilia | Marseille |
Matrona river | the Marne |
Mediolanum | Milan |
Metaris Aestuarium | the Wash |
Metis | Metz |
Mons Matronae Pass | Genèvre Pass |
Mosa river | the Meuse |
Mosella river | the Moselle |
murcus | âDraft-dodger', self-mutilated to avoid conscription |
Naissus | Niš |
Narbo Martius | Narbonne town |
Narbonensis | Narbonne province |
naufragium | (lit: shipwreck) crash in chariot race |
Nemetacum | Arras |
Nicer river | the Neckar |
Nemausus | Nîmes |
Novae | Sistova, Bulgaria |
Noviomagus | Chichester |
numerarius | financial official |
numerus | infantry unit |
nummi | coins |
Oceanus Germanicus | North Sea |
Oechardis river | the Irtish |
Old Dacia | Transylvania; Romania |
onager | (lit: âkicking ass') catapult |
palatini | central groups of the Roman field army |
papilio | army tent |
Paralia | Malabar |
pedites | foot-soldiers |
perditi | criminals, outlaws |
Phrudis river | the Somme |
pilleus pannonicus | soldier's cap |
Placentia | Piacenza |
Pontus Euxinus | Black Sea |
Portus Adurni | Portchester |
Portus Dubris | Dover |
praenomen | forename |
praepositus | regimental commander |
pridie | the day before |
primicerius | most senior NCO in Roman army |
princeps | highest rank in courier service |
principales | inner committee |
procuratores | overseers, managers |
Propontis | Sea of Marmara |
protector | senior army officer |
Provincia | Provence |
quaestor | magistrate |
Rauraris river | the Hérault |
Regulbium | Reculver |
res privata | Emperor's private income |
Revessium | Saint-Paulien |
Rha river | the Volga |
Rhenus river | the Rhine |