The history of the Huns still full of secrets. Why is only one of many peoples of Asia moved his tents to remote Rome? Why other barbarians, winning many lands of the Roman Empire, retreated under pressure from the Huns cavalry? Where did the Huns after the death of his terrible leader Attila? Finally, where hidden treasures looted by the Huns?

The ancestors of the Huns tribe of nomadic Huns lived in the steppes of Central Asia thousands of miles away from Rome. The ancient chronicle reported that "they have no homes and do not process the land, and live in tents; respect the seniors and at the set time of the year are going to regulate their Affairs". Said the same thing the Roman historian Ammianus Marcellinus: "They're wandering through the hills and forests; none of them doesn't work and never touched the plow... they Feed on roots of wild herbs and half-cooked meat of all the beasts that they put on the backs of horses under my thigh and give it a little popret".

Most likely, here Ammianus somewhat exaggerating. The Xiongnu were pastoralists and could eat boiled meat, horse meat and mutton. As for the "rotten meat", the historian could not know that in this way many of the nomadic tribes were treated backs of horses, rubbed the saddle.

King of the Huns - Attila. Medieval relief

From late III century BC Huns were making regular raids on the North-Western border of China. Energetic and talented leader of the Huns, made rallied his tribe, and conquered a part of neighboring peoples and after victories forced the Emperor of China to make him "Treaty of peace and kinship", according to which the Empire was actually required to pay Hunnam tribute! But, as often happens in the history of all peoples, after leaving a strong leader "from the scene" replaced by a series of minor figures. It happened in the camp of the Xiongnu: civil strife in fact shared the tribe into two hostile camps - Northern and southern.

In 55 BC, the southern tribes came to the side of China, North headed great Zhi-Zhi have migrated to the West and established a new Kingdom in the steppes of Eastern Kazakhstan.

434, the Huns reached the Danube, invaded the Roman Empire and besieged Constantinople. At this time, as if from beyond the grave, and crawled into the light "son of the Devil sent to punishment for sins" - Attila.

In Pannonia (Hungary)where the rate was Hun leader Rugeli, after his death in 445, there was a dramatic event. Two of his nephew - bled and Attila, who became the leaders of the Huns, did not share the throne, and soon bled was killed treacherous brother.

Attila inspired fear not only European Nations, before him trembled warriors of his own army, which was dominated by iron discipline and combat skills. Besides Huns, were well versed in the tactics: "the battle they rush now they are wedge, and publish this terrible sawyali cry. Light and mobile, they suddenly specially scattered and not place themselves in battle line, attack here and there, make a terrible murder... They deserve to be recognized for their excellent warriors, because from afar are fighting arrows equipped skillfully energized ivory ends, and agreeing hand to hand with the enemy, fighting with selfless courage swords and refrain themselves from attack, throw the enemy Arkan, to deprive him of the opportunity to sit on a horse or go on foot".

Then there are the contemporaries, with all its dislike of the Huns, could not celebrate their courage and military skill. But Christian writers, and priests believed that the leader of the Huns and his army strong that embody the victory on the earth most of the dark forces. Gothic historian Jordan stated: "Maybe they won not so much by war, suggesting how great his horrible appearance; their way frightened blackness, not casually on the face, and, so to say, on the ugly lump to have holes instead of eyes. Their fierce appearance gave the cruelty of the spirit... the Growth they are small, but fast agility of their movements and are extremely prone to horse riding; they are broad in the shoulders, dexterous in archery and always proudly straightened thanks fortress neck. When human form they live in the brutal savagery".

Consciously or North Huns chose the West? The question that historians difficult to answer unequivocally. Most likely, they could know something about the rich Western lands, because many of the nobles, and the educated Chinese owned information about neighbouring countries, lived among the Xiongnu. Be that as it may, the nomads moved West and along the way, mingled with other tribes, such as with Ugrians living in the Urals and the Lower Volga. In 375, headed by king Balmerom they crossed the don and took the land from the don to the Carpathians, defeated the Goths and Alans, "produced in their lands terrible destruction and devastation". Then for the first time the Xiongnu were in the annals of European Chronicles and became known as the Huns - "scourge of God".

Spared not the Jordan and the Attila: "Tall, with a broad chest and a large head and small eyes with a beard touched with grey, with a flat nose, with a hideous skin color, he had shown all the signs of their origin".

The Huns were able to take possession of the entire barbarian world. Both the Roman empires, Eastern and Western shook under their blows. After Byzantium bought off by paying huge amounts of gold, Attila turned his eyes to the Western Roman Empire, began to tell him then get her tribute too.

In the beginning 451 Hun army moved up the Danube and further North along the banks of the Rhine, and then invaded Gaul. It destroyed all the cities on its way, brutally destroying their populations. Finally the Romans managed to gather enough strength to withstand the onslaught of the wild tribe. In the early morning of June 21, 451, 150 km East of Paris at catalaunian plains come together in a ruthless fight two forces - "light and darkness" - the host of Attila and the Roman army under the command of General Flavius Aetius. Together with the Romans against the Huns were made by many barbarous Nations: the Goths, Franks, Alans, the Visigoths, Burgundians and others. The battle lasted seven days. Killed 165 thousand soldiers.

It was a fierce battle, variable, brutal, hard. About this fight never told no antiquity". Later it was called "battle of Nations".

The Huns were defeated, but after a year Attila again assembled a mighty army, invaded Gaul and attacked Italy, caused terrible destruction in Venice and rushed to Rome. At that moment, when the death of the great Roman seemed inevitable, an unforeseen event has occurred. At the next wedding feast Attila his new wife, young beauty of Ildiko, the daughter of the leader of the German tribe Burgundians, killed the Lord of half the world, him in revenge for the death of a native tribe.

The Huns have buried their leader at the bottom of the river Tisza in the triple coffin - iron, silver and gold. So says the legend.

Flavius Aetius, rightly demanding from the Roman Emperor Valentinian III recognition of his merits in the form of a hand of the Imperial daughter Eudocia, promised his son was also killed during an audience on September 21, 454, on the Palatine hill.

About treasures looted by the Huns in the campaigns have been a lot of rumors. According to some of them, they are buried somewhere in the last Italian residence Attila - Bibione. However, this city that were in the coastal strip on the Adriatic sea, like several other ancient sea ports, it was flooded due to rising waters of the Mediterranean basin. To find and explore the legendary Bibione - the dream of any archaeologist-submarine.

Professor of archaeology Fontani seemed closer to solving the mystery of Bibione. He had carefully studied the way Hun conquerors on the Roman road from Ravenna to Trieste via Padova. It was waiting for a surprise: the ancient road was cut off, resting in one of the lagoons of the Gulf of Venice. It turned out, and such a curious detail: stone for the construction of their homes residents of the coastal village was extracted from the sea, and they sometimes managed to get it from the bottom of whole blocks of stone. Local fishermen told the Professor that not once found on the seabed ancient coins, which, for remuneration passed to the Museum. These coins Dating from the first half of the V century were All talking about what it should look for the missing one and a half thousand years ago the Bibione.

Fontani gathered a group of experienced divers, who examined a fairly large section of the bottom of the Bay. They found massive walls and watchtowers of the ancient fortresses, the remains of stairs, different buildings. Divers have recovered from the seabed many coins, ancient household items and even urns. But no evidence that found it Bibione, was not. There was nothing to show that found the coin is part of the treasure of Attila.