Under this striking symbol we have a description of the third important step in the downward course of Rome—­the short but eventful career of Attila, with his terrible Scythians, or Huns.  Singularly, Attila was said to “possess the iron sword of the war-god Mars,” and he claimed for himself the designation or title “The Scourge of God”; while his followers were even more cruel and barbarous, if possible, than the Goths and the Vandals.

Coming from the remote solitudes of Asia under the leadership of their fierce king, they poured like a tornado, first upon the inhabitants of the Eastern empire (in 442, 445) and then turned their attention westward.  Attila ruled over “nearly all the tribes north of the Danube and the Black sea,” and under his banner fought Ostrogoths, Gepidae, Alani, Heruli, and many other Teutonic peoples.  Says Gibbon:  “The whole breadth of Europe, as it extends above five hundred miles from the Euxine to the Adriatic, was at once invaded, and occupied, and desolated by the myriads of barbarians whom Attila led into the field.”  It was the boast of Attila that the grass never grew on the spot which his horse had trod.  In 451 he led his forces, seven hundred thousand strong, through the center of Germany into the heart of Gaul, where he was met at Chalons by the combined forces of the Visigoths, Alans, Franks and Romans, and was defeated, with the loss of one hundred and seventy thousand of his men.  This was one of the most gigantic as well as one of the most important battles of history.  A rivulet flowing through the field of battle is said to have been colored and swollen by the blood of the slain.  The next year, however, with a greater force at his command, he fell with headlong fury upon northern Italy; but he did not attack Rome.  Suddenly and seemingly without cause, he withdrew his army; and this peculiar action of his has been the wonder of historians ever since.  Says the Encyclopaedia Britannica:  “Attila at once withdrew from Italy, but the motive which led him to act thus is not known.”  According to the prophecy, he was to fall upon the “rivers and fountains of waters” only.  A short time later, in 453, he died, and “the vast empire over which he had ruled broke up immediately after his death, no one chief being powerful enough to seize the supremacy.”  Thus his short but wonderful career of about twelve years ended suddenly, like a meteor falling into a river.

But the effects of this invasion were farreaching.  Rome in her declining strength, being unable to cope with these immense hordes of barbarians, was forced to call to her assistance the half-civilized tribes of Gothic barbarians against a more dreaded foe.  The success that attended these conflicts of the combined forces were the means of giving greater political importance to these Gothic tribes and securing their independence.  But while they rose, Rome fell.  By the very act of employing such weapons in defense, Rome robbed herself of the little political strength remaining, and she was obliged to accept the bitter consequences.