a nomadic people originating in the Urals region in the second through fourth centuries A.D. from among the Turkic-speaking Hsiung-Nu people, who had migrated there from Central Asia in the second century, and from local Ugrian and Sarmatian elements. The beginning of the mass westward movement of the Huns, which touched off the so-called Great Migrations, dates from A.D. 370–380. Having subdued the Alani in the northern Caucasus, the Huns crossed the Don River under the leadership of their chief Balamber and defeated the Goths of the coastal region north of the Black Sea (in 375), bringing most of the Ostrogoths under their rule and forcing the Visigoths to withdraw into Thrace. In 394–395 the Huns crossed over the Caucasus and laid waste Syria and Cappadocia. Subsequently, they established their base in Pannonia, from where they made raids on the Eastern Roman Empire. (In relation to the Western Roman Empire they served as allies in the struggle against the Germanic tribes up until the middle of the fifth century.) The Hunnic union of tribes included, besides the Huns themselves, certain subject peoples such as the Ostrogoths, Heruli, Gepids, and certain other Germanic and non-Germanic tribes. This alliance reached its greatest territorial extension and power under Attila, who ruled from 434 to 453. Even under Attila the social system of the Huns did not advance beyond the stage of military democracy. (Although inequality of ownership increased among them, slavery became quite widespread, and the chieftainship became hereditary.) The Huns continued to be nomads. They imposed tribute upon their subject tribes and forced them to participate in military campaigns. Under Attila’s leadership they invaded Gaul in 451 along with their allies but were defeated upon the Catalaunian Fields by the combined forces of the Romans. Visigoths, and Franks. After the death of Attila in 453, internecine feuds broke out among the Huns. and the Gepids took advantage of this and led a revolt of the Germanic tribes against the Hunnic rule. The Huns were defeated near the Nedao River in 455 in Pannonia and withdrew to the steppes north of the Black Sea; their alliance fell apart. In 469 attempts by the Huns to penetrate into the Balkan Peninsula were unsuccessful. Gradually the Huns disappeared as a separate people, although their name continued to be encountered for a long time afterward as a general term for the nomadic tribes of the Black Sea area.
L. N. GUMILEV