05-15-2014, 12:33 AM
After the discussion on Late Roman unit sizes really yielded some semi-definitive results, here's a new one:
Who really won the Battle of the Catalaunian Plains? I decided to bring this up after reading Hyun Jin Kim's view that it was a decisive, if Pyrrhic, Hunnic victory.
Let's look at a factual summary of the Battle:
- Both armies roughly numbered about 50,000 to 70,000 men each.
- The Battle took place on a ridge running North-South, with the Huns on the East side and Romans on the West side.
- The Battle took place at the Ninth Hour of the Day, which in Roman times on June 20th, 451, would have been between 2:29 and 2:31 PM.
- The Romans were on the Left side facing the Gepids, the Alans were in the center facing the Huns, and the Visigoths were on the Right facing a number of disunited Gothic groups.
- The Romans, Alans, and Thorismund attained the crest of the ridge, but Theodoric and the Gothic infantry did not.
- In the fighting, there was a brief lull in the battle (in which Jordanes claims Attila made a speech)
- The fighting grew fiercer, and Theodoric was slain beginning a Gothic withdrawal.
- The Alans begin to retreat, and Thorismund leads the Gothic cavalry in a (presumably downhill) charge against the Hunnic center.
- Attila retreats, and Thorismund and Aetius find themselves near the Gothic camp amongst Hun forces, while the Hunnic forces are unable to approach the Roman camp due to their archers (and presumably Scorpiones)
- On the following day, Attila is prepared to fight again if he has to, and the Roman side assumes they won due to the sheer number of bodies.
- Aetius sends the Franks and the Visigoths Home, allegedly to secure their kingdoms.
- Attila retreats accross the Rhine, leaving only Aetius on the Battlefield who collects whatever remains from the past few days of looting the dead.
- Allegedly the Alans find the Huns and fight them again that year or the next.
I will post my views soon. Would like to get some opinions first.
Who really won the Battle of the Catalaunian Plains? I decided to bring this up after reading Hyun Jin Kim's view that it was a decisive, if Pyrrhic, Hunnic victory.
Let's look at a factual summary of the Battle:
- Both armies roughly numbered about 50,000 to 70,000 men each.
- The Battle took place on a ridge running North-South, with the Huns on the East side and Romans on the West side.
- The Battle took place at the Ninth Hour of the Day, which in Roman times on June 20th, 451, would have been between 2:29 and 2:31 PM.
- The Romans were on the Left side facing the Gepids, the Alans were in the center facing the Huns, and the Visigoths were on the Right facing a number of disunited Gothic groups.
- The Romans, Alans, and Thorismund attained the crest of the ridge, but Theodoric and the Gothic infantry did not.
- In the fighting, there was a brief lull in the battle (in which Jordanes claims Attila made a speech)
- The fighting grew fiercer, and Theodoric was slain beginning a Gothic withdrawal.
- The Alans begin to retreat, and Thorismund leads the Gothic cavalry in a (presumably downhill) charge against the Hunnic center.
- Attila retreats, and Thorismund and Aetius find themselves near the Gothic camp amongst Hun forces, while the Hunnic forces are unable to approach the Roman camp due to their archers (and presumably Scorpiones)
- On the following day, Attila is prepared to fight again if he has to, and the Roman side assumes they won due to the sheer number of bodies.
- Aetius sends the Franks and the Visigoths Home, allegedly to secure their kingdoms.
- Attila retreats accross the Rhine, leaving only Aetius on the Battlefield who collects whatever remains from the past few days of looting the dead.
- Allegedly the Alans find the Huns and fight them again that year or the next.
I will post my views soon. Would like to get some opinions first.
Evan Schultheis | MODERATOR
Rhomaios Living History Society
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