HUNS ARMY
The Huns were a nomadic nation from the plains of central Asia, although their exact origin remains a mystery to this day. Their riding and shooting ability, extraordinary resistance to the hardship of war, absolute ruthlessness for enemy soldiers and civilians always inspired fear among their opponents. For nearly one hundred years the Huns army terrorized Europe and the Middle East, fought against the Romans, Persians and Germans.
It is believed that they were a remains of the Xiongnu people, who defeated by the Chinese people, went in a west direction. There is not, however, clear evidence. The official Huns’ history begins with their appearance at the borders of the kingdom of Ostrogoths in IV century, which, as the first known (after the Alans), fell a victim to wild Huns hordes. Most likely, it looked like this: in 376 A D, the officers of the Roman garrison, on the Rome side of the Danube river, received reports of unusual movements of barbarians up to the north of their posts. The population, residing in areas from the Black Sea to Theiss, was leaving their households in haste and fear of some wild barbarians, who with whole ruthlessness attacked the powerful Ostrogothic federation. The experience of the Roman officers told them that nothing unusual had happened. Fights among barbarians had taken place quite frequently. Nevertheless, this time, rumours about new invaders did not fade, and the number of refugees fleeing before the dark spectrum was growing every day. The Gothic kingdom lies in ruins. The Roman authorities had admitted into their country over 200 thousand barbaric immigrants. The Huns stood before the borders of the powerful Roman Empire.
The Huns’ bands crossed the Caucasus, attacked rich eastern provinces of the Empire, mainly Syria, taking away enormous loots, cattle and people. On the way of their march remained ruins, burnt villages and towns. Eventually, the Huns settled down on the Great Hungarian plain, where they enslaved the Germanic Gepids and where from they attacked their neighbours, mainly western provinces of the Roman Empire. Roman Emperors, especially the east ones, paid huge contributions in exchange for peace. Opinions about wild and ruthless Huns terrified the Romans. In Roman sources can be found descriptions of the crimes which the Huns had committed. According to them they did not even spare pregnant women. For the Christian inhabitants of the Roman state they were the riders of apocalypse.
The Huns, like other nomad people based their military power on cavalry, for the sake of its advantages (speed and ability to manoeuvre) as well as on choice of a composite bow, having huge penetrative power (effective to a distance of 60 metres and range to about 175 meters). The Huns, as the men of grasslands, were warriors throughout their lives, learning and perfecting the art of horsemanship and using the bow, throughout their livers. According to the some Roman sources, the Huns lived, ate and even slept on their horses, because walker's life was not in their custom. While this opinion may be slightly exaggerated, it pretty well reflects the essence of life of this nomadic peoples who, in comparison with Europeans, valued horse as the necessary factor for hunting, shift movement and combat. The horse was the essence of being and life for the Huns.
After years of wandering, the nomads had been able to breed the animal, which very well bore cold and hunger. Because of that the animal gave them an advantage over horses of European armies. It is therefore no surprise that the fight tactic of Huns was based on the cavalry, which in a secure, long-distance shot, hailed their enemies with arrows, still approaching the opponent, and then suddenly, retreating but still shooting arrows. This tactic was extremely effective, particularly in clashes with barbarian armies (such as the Germanic ones), who based their strength on infantry. Also well trained Roman legions were not mobile enough to be able to destroy the swift Huns riders. Thanks to their speed, the Huns were able to surprise the enemy on the march or during mobilization and without greater difficulties smash unexpected of their presence, enemy.
The Huns did not usually attack by large forces. They prefer bushfighting way of combat . Their squads numbered from 100 to 200 men, but thanks of their mobility, multiplied in the eyes of terrified civilians and soldiers of a hostile country. Sometimes the Huns got involved in regular battles. They hit on their opponent formed in regular columns, raising huge cry, which had a psychological impact on the enemy. Also, garment and warriors, dressed in thick skin, played a large role. In direct clash Huns fought with great courage, using the large and heavy swords and spears. Often, Huns were using a net which thrown on body, tied soldier’s movements.
The Huns did not usually attack by large forces. They prefer bushfighting way of combat . Their squads numbered from 100 to 200 men, but thanks of their mobility, multiplied in the eyes of terrified civilians and soldiers of a hostile country. Sometimes the Huns got involved in regular battles. They hit on their opponent formed in regular columns, raising huge cry, which had a psychological impact on the enemy. Also, garment and warriors, dressed in thick skin, played a large role. In direct clash Huns fought with great courage, using the large and heavy swords and spears. Often, Huns were using a net which thrown on body, tied soldier’s movements.
The Huns during their life in Hungary underwent a significant change in combating. The main strength had become then infantry, which consisted of incorporated elements of foreign troops, mainly Ostrogothic ones, and other Germanic people who were forced to join the Huns army. For the Romans, the Huns still remained the riders, although the size of the cavalry had to be significantly smaller than in period of the Huns wander through Asiatic grasslands. The Hungarian Plain, where they settled down, were not giving enough opportunities for the maintenance of huge quantities of food and horses.
It is hard to describe the organization of the Hunnish army. Only after the federation of nomad tribes, created by Attila, it was possible to see its structure. The leader this re-organised army, based it on the decimal system. The basic unit was ten men group (squad) of riders. Ten squads formed one hundred men company, 10 companies made up one thousand men squadron, 10 squadrons made one tumen (unit of 10 thousand warriors) which each Huns tribe was obliged to provide to the main body. Those who objected to Attila rule, were killed. So formed tumens were ready to fight. The main weapon was a bow. It was complemented by swords, clubs and spears used for a direct fight. Additionally, every warrior had at least one horse, which transported arrows, water and food. The Hun warriors did not need cumbersome supply columns of wagons, drawing after the main force. Chariots were the only carts (few), which served as a platform for a number of archers.
In mid-V century the Hunnish army strengthened to 100 thousand warriors. Some scholars assume (which is rather unreliable), that the army could even count to 500 thousand people. They were mostly horse warriors, although Attila added a lot of infantry troops, mainly consisting of subject nations. Their military force was certainly considerable, since after his death, the Huns were not able to maintain control over them, thus losing their position as a military power. The first serious failure of Huns suffered in the year 451 on the Catalaunian Plains, where the Attila army and united with it Germanic tribes, failed to break the Roman troops and their Germanic allies. Although Roman - German army had no decisive victory, and the Attila army withdrew under cover of arrows, so next year could invade Italy and the Balkans, it was an and of Huns. This first victory over Huns blew the myth about the invincible wild men. The final breakdown of the Huns were no already far. Death during the invasion of Italy, greatly undermined the Huns who were not able to stay united without a strong leader. Also, Huns were not able to maintain obedience among the subjected Germanic tribes.
The army of Atyla was able to lead effective sieges. The siege machine were modelled on the Roman ones. They were built by Roman deserters and slaves. The conquer of cities were often made easier by the opinion about the Huns as a bloodthirsty people. Sometimes the Huns used batter rams and ramps as well. When a situation required special efforts, the Huns tried also starve the defenders or bribe the commanders of sieged cities and fortresses. Sometimes some cities were destroyed, defenders were murdered and the population taken into captivity. It would have sufficient psychological shock effect on other cities, which themselves opened the gates to avoid a similar fate.