Storm Over Europe - Episode 2

Good morning, we are continuing our storm over Europe series.  This episode features the Huns and how they were a feared group of barbarians.

This documentary recreates the face of a Visigoth man and traces his journey throughout Europe.  This man found a home in Southern France.  He survived many battles and changes over the years.  He was a man who got away from the Huns just in time.  The Huns were on the move.  This caused many of the Germanic tribes to move south to Rome out of fear.  The Huns struck fear in the tribes.  They were always looting.  The Visigoths tried to escape from them.

The Visigoths told stories about the Huns’ weapons and their appearance.  They were described as two-legged animals.  The only way for the Visigoths to escape was across the Danube River.  They fled to Rome.  Once there, they promised to become Christians.  They also vowed to submit to the rule of the emperor.  The emperor took mercy on the Visigoths and allowed them to stay in Rome. 

Unfortunately, the Roman Empire was very weak and could not defend itself.  So, therefore, the Visigoths’ arrival was fortuitous.  They were warriors and could defend Rome from the Hun Menace.  The Visigoths agreed to protect Rome for shelter.  The Huns had come from the steppes of Asia.  They had subjugated many people along their way to the march to Rome.  They were the most feared warriors.  They were brutal warriors on horseback.  Their weapons were highly effective against their enemies.  They did not touch a plow and roam the land.  They stole everything they needed.

The Huns were more than what the old histories say.  They submitted to powerful leaders.  They were capable of wide-reaching strategic campaigns.  Their weapon of choice was a bow.  It was feared for its range and penetrating power.  The Hun warriors were well trained in its use.  It was a wonder weapon to the people who encountered them.  The Huns were the people who first used saddles on their horses.  They could shoot up to thirty arrows per minute.

One finds that was discovered a sacrificial cauldron was found.  It quite possibly belonged to Atilla the Hun, one of the more powerful Hun Leaders.  He had a grand palace near the Danube River.  The Huns eventually conquered Hungary.  Their enemies described them as having distorted faces with pinholes for eyes.  However, the bones tell a different story.  The horse-riding people of Mongolia have the same faces as the Huns. 

The Ostrogoths were the first people who fell under the Huns.  The Legendary Ostrogoth King committed suicide rather than face the Huns.  However, his death gave the Huns over the people.  The Visigoths would rather flee than submit to the Huns.  More and more tribes fled from the Huns, over 100,000 people, and the exiles were welcomed into the Roman Empire. 

A horde of gold belonging to the Visigoths is housed in a Romanian Museum in Bucharest.  The gold is so precious it is kept under high security.  The barbarians created a variety of priceless treasures, a gift for their gods in the afterlife.  The Visigoths crafted a variety of eagle motifs in their goldwork.  The eagle was their symbol.  The Visigoths wandered for forty years before resettling in Rome.  In their wanderings, they were looking for land that could support a high amount of people.  The nomadic life became second nature to the Visigoths.

At the same time, other tribes were moving.  The Huns drove the Vandals away and they still moved forward, raiding and looting along the way.  The Vandals crossed into Africa and settled there.  Despite this, due to prejudices, the Vandals were made the villains of the story.  They were, like the Visigoths fighting for their survival.  When they arrived in Africa, the Vandals adapted local culture and liked what they saw.  They did not destroy what they found in Africa but lived in the buildings that were occupied by Romans.  They put an end to gladiator combat in Africa.  They respected the surroundings.  To discover more about the Vandals in Africa continue to watch this documentary.
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This is another excellent documentary to show in the classroom, even if it has an old-school feel to it.  Just facts and not anything frivolous.