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===Augustine and Jerome===

===Augustine and Jerome===

Towards the end of the Roman empire, in the early Fifth Century A.D., Augustine of Hippo (known to many as "Saint Augustine") wrote books entitled ''Confessions'' and ''City of God'', which merged classical and Christian viewpoints, and in particular reconciled the classical (Greco-Roman) view about knowledge and virtue with Christian views of sin.  Born in North Africa to a pagan father and a Christian mother, Augustine went through personal spiritual crises before converting to Christianity and advocating justification by grace alone.  He criticized all the heresies of his time and supported the sacraments of the church.  He also supported the concept of "predestination", which would later be emphasized by the Frenchman John Calvin during the Protestant Reformation in the 1530s (Calvin fled to Switzerland to promote his ideas).     

Towards the end of the Roman empire, in the early 5th century A.D., Augustine of Hippo (known to many as "Saint Augustine") wrote books entitled ''Confessions'' and ''City of God'', which merged classical and Christian viewpoints, and in particular reconciled the classical (Greco-Roman) view about knowledge and virtue with Christian views of sin.  Born in North Africa to a pagan father and a Christian mother, Augustine went through personal spiritual crises before converting to Christianity and advocating justification by grace alone.  He criticized all the heresies of his time and supported the sacraments of the church.  He also supported the concept of "predestination", which would later be emphasized by the Frenchman John Calvin during the Protestant Reformation in the 1530s (Calvin fled to Switzerland to promote his ideas).     

A contemporary of Augustine was Jerome ("Saint Jerome"), who translated the Hebrew Old Testament and Greek New Testament into Latin.  This became known as the Vulgate, and remained the authoritative Bible for over 1000 years.

A contemporary of Augustine was Jerome ("Saint Jerome"), who translated the Hebrew Old Testament and Greek New Testament into Latin.  This became known as the Vulgate, and remained the authoritative Bible for over 1000 years.

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.     

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.  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 more difficult than, for example, fighting off hundreds of 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 more difficult than, for example, fighting off hundreds of hornets after disturbing their nest.

:By mixing up the languages of the Italians with those of the Huns and Goths, [an entertainer] fascinated everyone and made them break out into uncontrollable laughter, all that is except Attila.  He remained impassive, without any change of expression, and neither by word or gesture did he seem to share in the merriment ....

:By mixing up the languages of the Italians with those of the Huns and Goths, [an entertainer] fascinated everyone and made them break out into uncontrollable laughter, all that is except Attila.  He remained impassive, without any change of expression, and neither by word or gesture did he seem to share in the merriment ....

The impression left was that Attila lacked a sense of humor and cared about nothing but brutal warfare.

The impression left was that Attila lacked a sense of humor and enjoyed only brutal warfare.

As a young warrior, Attila had been captured and released by the Romans, and he vowed to return to Rome victorious as king.  Relying on seers and "gods", Attila nearly did conquer the Roman empire.  For five years from A.D. 445 to 450 he devastated the eastern Roman empire, destroying anything in his path between the Rhine and the Caspian Sea.  In 451 he amassed perhaps the largest army in the history of the world until that time, a total of a half-million men, and began marching towards Rome.  He quickly conquered Gaul (present-day France) and devastated any European city in his path.  He was not stopped until an alliance of the Visigoths and Romans surprised the Huns and forced them to retreat by about a hundred miles.  One of the most bloody battles in all of history, the Battle of Chalons, ensued.  The Visigoths and Romans defeated the Huns there.

As a young warrior, Attila had been captured and released by the Romans, and he vowed to return to Rome victorious as king.  Relying on seers and "gods", Attila nearly did conquer the Roman empire.  For five years from A.D. 445 to 450 he devastated the eastern Roman empire, destroying anything in his path between the Rhine and the Caspian Sea.  In 451 he amassed perhaps the largest army in the history of the world until that time, a total of a half-million men, and began marching towards Rome.  He quickly conquered Gaul (present-day France) and devastated any European city in his path.  He was not stopped until an alliance of the Visigoths and Romans surprised the Huns and forced them to retreat by about a hundred miles.  One of the most bloody battles in all of history, the Battle of Chalons, ensued.  The Visigoths and Romans defeated the Huns there.