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A barbaric, nomadic tribe known as the Asiatic Huns began moving into Europe from Asia in two independent tribes of nomadic barbarians, the Germanic Goths and Asiatic Huns.  They launched fierce attacks on the Roman empire in the West in the late 300s (A.D.).  The western Goths were known as "Visigoths".

A barbaric, nomadic tribe known as the Asiatic Huns began moving into Europe from Asia in two independent tribes of nomadic barbarians, the Germanic Goths and Asiatic Huns.  They launched fierce attacks on the Roman empire in the West in the late 300s (A.D.).  The western Goths were known as "Visigoths".

In A.D. 375, the Huns invaded Europe from Asia.  The Huns then settled in present-day Hungary.  This forced the Goths to flee their homeland on the northern shore of the Black Sea.  Specifically, the Huns displaced the Ostrogoths, who in turn displaced the Visigoths.  The Visigoths initially requested and received permission from the Romans to cross the Danube River and settle in the Roman empire.  But soon the Roman authorities were fighting with the Visigoths, and at the Battle of Adrianople in A.D. 378 the Visigoths defeated the Romans and killed the Roman Emperor Valens.   

In A.D. 375, the Huns invaded Europe from Asia.  The Huns then settled in present-day Hungary.  This forced the Goths to flee their homeland on the northern shore of the Black Sea.  Specifically, the Huns displaced the Ostrogoths, who in turn displaced the Visigoths.  The Visigoths initially requested and received permission from the Romans to cross the Danube River and settle in the Roman empire.  But soon the Roman authorities began fighting with the Visigoths, and at the Battle of Adrianople in A.D. 378 the Visigoths defeated the Romans and killed the Roman Emperor Valens.   

Meanwhile, other ethnic groups migrated around Europe in what is called the "Migration of the Peoples."  Times were changing and the Roman empire was not likely to survive.  In A.D. 410, the Visigoths, led by their king Alaric, invaded and "sacked" (ransacked) Rome.

Meanwhile, other ethnic groups migrated around Europe in what is called the "Migration of the Peoples."  Times were changing and the Roman empire was not likely to survive.  In A.D. 410, the Visigoths, led by their king Alaric, invaded and "sacked" (ransacked) Rome.

===Attila the Hun===

===Attila the Hun===

The Huns had tremendous skills of horsemanship that enabled them to strike with lightning speed.  They were also extraordinarily accurate archers from atop the horses, and made ferocious charges on their enemies.  The nomadic Huns defeated everything in their path from A.D. 370 to 455 in southeastern Europe, creating widespread panic throughout the Roman empire.  The fear they inspired in their enemies was worse than anything in history.     

The Huns had tremendous horsemanship skills that enabled them to strike with lightning speed.  They were also extraordinarily accurate archers on horseback, and made ferocious charges on their enemies.  The nomadic Huns defeated everything in their path from A.D. 370 to 455 in southeastern Europe, creating widespread panic throughout the Roman empire.  The fear they inspired in their enemies was worse than anything in history.     

Ultimately two brothers, Attila and Breda, rose to power in leading the Huns, and then Attila took power for himself by killing his brother!

Ultimately two brothers, Attila and Breda, rose to power in leading the Huns.  Then Attila took power for himself by killing his brother.

Attila became King of the Huns from A.D. 434 to 453, and he was perhaps the most vicious and barbaric military leader in history.  Known as "Attila the Hun," everyone was completely terrified of him and called him the "Scourge of God."  One rumor was that Attila was a cannibal.  He married seven women in his lifetime.  The Huns were so barbaric that they did not use fire, and would simply eat raw or semi-raw meat that they found in dead animals.  They were extremely fierce in battle.  Superb horsemen, the Huns could shoot a bow accurately while riding a horse, benefiting from stirrups that their opponents did not have.  The Huns would scream in battle and not follow any system of organized warfare, instead preferring complete chaos on the battlefield.  They would fight to the death without any regard for their own safety.  Defending against them was as difficult as defending against a hundred hornets after disturbing their nest.

Attila became King of the Huns from A.D. 434 to 453, and he was perhaps the most vicious and barbaric military leader in history.  Known as "Attila the Hun," everyone was completely terrified of him and called him the "Scourge of God."  One rumor was that Attila was a cannibal.  He married seven women in his lifetime.  The Huns were so barbaric that they did not use fire, and would simply eat raw or semi-raw meat that they found in dead animals.  They were extremely fierce in battle.  Superb horsemen, the Huns could shoot a bow accurately while riding a horse, benefiting from stirrups that their opponents did not have.  The Huns would scream in battle and not follow any system of organized warfare, instead preferring complete chaos on the battlefield.  They would fight to the death without any regard for their own safety.  Defending against them was as difficult as fighting off hundreds of hornets after disturbing their nest.

Attila the Hun himself lived a simple life, wearing plain clothes consisting of layered animal skin.  An envoy from the Eastern Roman empire who met with Attila once at dinner described it as follows:

Attila the Hun himself lived a simple life, wearing plain clothes consisting of layered animal skin.  An envoy from the Eastern Roman empire who met with Attila once at dinner described it as follows:

But Attila was clever, and redirected his Huns towards Rome by invading Italy.  He was headed towards the heart of the Roman empire:  Rome itself.  He destroyed everything in his path in the Roman countryside.  Unable to stop Attila the Hun by force, a peaceful mission led by Pope Leo I traveled out to meet Attila in 452 and try to persuade him to spare Rome.  Moral persuasion worked where violence had not, and Attila did not invade Rome.

But Attila was clever, and redirected his Huns towards Rome by invading Italy.  He was headed towards the heart of the Roman empire:  Rome itself.  He destroyed everything in his path in the Roman countryside.  Unable to stop Attila the Hun by force, a peaceful mission led by Pope Leo I traveled out to meet Attila in 452 and try to persuade him to spare Rome.  Moral persuasion worked where violence had not, and Attila did not invade Rome.

A year later, at only age 47, Attila died apparently from a mere nosebleed.  It was an ironic cause of death for one of the most feared warriors in the history of the world.

A year later, at only age 47, Attila died apparently from a mere nosebleed, choking to death on his own blood.  It was an ironicly pathetic cause of death for one of the most feared warriors in the history of the world.

===Germanic Tribes===

===Germanic Tribes===

To the Romans and Greeks, the Germans were an uncivilized people incapable of farming, as they lived in clans of 10-20 families, directed by tribal kings in war.  They had no territorial allegiance, operating under fierce personal loyalty instead.   

To the Romans and Greeks, the Germans were an uncivilized people incapable of farming, as they lived in clans of 10-20 families, directed by tribal kings in war.  They had no territorial allegiance, operating under fierce personal loyalty instead.   

The German tribes would raid the Roman civilizations on the frontier along the Rhine, Danube and the north shore of the Black Sea, capturing women and slaves in the raids to send back to do domestic work.  The Roman empire under Caesar was strong enough to repel these attacks, capturing the blond invaders and turning them into slaves of Rome.  But over time the Germans learned to organize themselves and the Roman empire on the frontier became less civilized: the line between civilization and barbarism became blurry.  By the third century A.D., it was not always clear which side was the civilized one!

The German tribes would raid the Roman civilizations on the frontier along the Rhine, Danube and the north shore of the Black Sea, capturing women and slaves in the raids to send back to do domestic work.  The Roman empire under Caesar was strong enough to repel these attacks, capturing the blond-haired invaders and turning them into slaves of Rome.  But over time the Germans learned to organize themselves and the Roman empire on the frontier became less civilized: the line between civilization and barbarism became blurry.  By the third century A.D., it was not always clear which side was the civilized one!

The Germanic nomads caused rural peasants to flee into the cities, which weakened them.  Recall that in A.D. 410 the Visigoths, a wandering nation of Germanic people from the northeast led by King Alaric, sacked Rome itself.  Another German chieftain named Odoacer finished the job off in A.D. 476, when he dethroned the last Roman Emperor of the West: Romulus Augustulus.

The Germanic nomads caused rural peasants to flee into the cities, weakening them.  Recall that in A.D. 410 the Visigoths, a wandering nation of Germanic people from the northeast led by King Alaric, sacked Rome itself.  Another German chieftain named Odoacer finished the job off in A.D. 476, when he dethroned the last Roman Emperor of the West: Romulus Augustulus.

===Persians===

===Persians===

Another powerful enemy was poised to attack from east of the Roman empire.  The Persians had been weakened by internal conflict until Ardashir, grandson of Sassan, killed the last Parthian king in 224.  That heralded the beginning of the Sassanian dynasty, which ruled for hundreds of years until the Arabs arrived in 637-51.

Another powerful enemy was poised to attack from east of the Roman empire.  The Persians had been weakened by internal conflict until Ardashir, grandson of Sassan, killed the last Parthian king in 224.  That heralded the beginning of the Sassanian dynasty, which ruled for hundreds of years until the Arabs arrived in 637-51.

The Sassanians pulled together their crown and the provinces, strengthened their cities and improved their organization.  Ardashir then proceeded to take north Mesopotamia back from the Roman empire.  His son Shapur I (A.D. 240-72) invaded as far west as Antioch and even took the Roman Emperor Valerian prisoner in A.D. 260.  Shapur I even took control of Afghanistan and Turkestan, and his Shapur II (A.D. 309-79) annexed them.

The Sassanians pulled together their crown and the provinces, strengthened their cities and improved their organization.  Ardashir then proceeded to take north Mesopotamia back from the Roman empire.  His son Shapur I (A.D. 240-72) invaded as far west as Antioch and even took the Roman Emperor Valerian prisoner in A.D. 260.  Shapur I took control of Afghanistan and Turkestan, and his son, Shapur II (A.D. 309-79), annexed them.

Shapur I improved the culture of Persia, commissioning translations of Greek and Indian works on philosophy, medicine and astronomy.  He protected religious figures like Mani, who attempted to adapt Christian concepts to ancient Iranian principles of good and evil and thereby create a religion to suit the entire world at the time.  A state church was created, but ultimately Mani was crucified and his followers, the Manicheans, were persecuted.

Shapur I improved the culture of Persia, commissioning translations of Greek and Indian works on philosophy, medicine and astronomy.  He protected religious figures like Mani, who attempted to adapt Christian concepts to ancient Iranian principles of good and evil and thereby create a religion to suit the entire world at the time.  A state church was created, but ultimately Mani was crucified and his followers, the Manicheans, were persecuted.

But the Persians had the same problem plaguing the Romans: raids by uncivilized peoples on their frontiers.  '''The decline of the ancient world was not so much due to one civilized group defeating another, but rather the calamity of barbarians destroying civilization'''.

But the Persians had the same problems which plagued the Romans: raids by uncivilized peoples on their frontiers.  '''The decline of the ancient world was not so much due to one civilized group defeating another, but rather the calamity of barbarians destroying civilization'''.

==Other Reasons for the Fall of the Roman Empire (in the West)==

==Other Reasons for the Fall of the Roman Empire (in the West)==