From the Steppes - A Late Antiquity Timeline

[Acamapichtli]

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Part I. Controversial peace
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Oescus, Moesia Inferior
December, Year of Our Lord 468 - CDLXVIII​

Dintzic stood before his perished troops, clearly worried and furious, after the catastrophic onslaught in Bassinae, where the Ostrogoths, led by King Valamir, defeated the Huns in the year of Our Lord 468. His mind did not let him rest during the coldest week of December. On one side, the son of Attila and brother of Ernakh planned to sack or even conquer Constantinople to force Eastern Romans to grant him subsidies and lands he demanded; on the other, he knew such a campaign would be risky and would destabilize the last remnants of the Scourge of God's Empire.

Dengizich cannot stop remembering how the Gepids and Goths revolted successfully in Nedao, "Bastards, they will pay for what they have done!" - repeated himself continuously. Finally, the Hun decided to cross the frozen Danube, and the barbarians fought against the Eastern Roman troops with an unclear winner; the situation prolonged the war. The Hunnic army was suffering from war fatigue, and it was of uttermost importance to accept peace if the Hunnic monarch wanted to avoid the tragic results of the last clashes. Dintzic knew he was alone in this, as his brother preferred to maintain peaceful diplomacy with Eastern Rome from the beginning and did not participate in the incursion.

Amidst the conflict, Dengizich understood even a small raid on Constantinople would not be profitable, and the Huns would be defeated again. Finally, Anagast was sent to negotiate with the Hun, who accepted, and conversations started [1]. The precise points discussed are lost in time; however, after weeks of negotiations, peace reigned. The Huns only received the Roman city of Noviodunum, Scythia Minor. Dintzic learned the peace was not as advantageous as he wanted, yet it let him recover from the last matches.

The Hunnic leaders assisted and ratified a treaty signed by the Huns and Eastern Romans on the outskirts of Oescus, a ruined city over the Danube, which was destroyed by the Huns more than 20 years ago. The reasons for Anagastes to hold the treaty in the city are unknown. Some Roman chroniclers, such as Marcellinus Comes thought this move was to keep the Huns far from Constantinople. In any case, the unexpected peace achieved by the Huns was a low blow for the miserable Germanic leaders, who became worried about a Hunnic retaliation.

By this point, Dengizich and Ernak, the last known sons of Attila, were ruling on separate realms but in a dual kingship. Dintzic, as the ruler of the western wing of the Huns, concentrated on increasing the direct control over the last territories the Huns still held in Eastern Europe. Just a month after the peace was signed, Dengizich established his capital, east of the Carpathians, known to Latin and Greek chroniclers as Hunion [2]. The city was founded inspired by the supposed Attila's capital; nevertheless, it would be a permanent settlement with stone buildings.

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Battle of Bolia
Year of Our Lord 469 - CDLXVIII​

Finally, the Huns recovered, and the troops were ready for a massive campaign as in the old days. Dintzic heard Germanic tribes living in Pannonia were fighting among them for supremacy in the region; this was an opportunity he did not let pass. The war started between a coalition of the Suebi, Gepids, Sciri, Heruls, and Sarmartians against the Ostrogoths led by Valamir and Theodemir. Eastern Rome supported the alliance, and the Hunnic brother Kings decided to reinforce them. On an unknown day in the year 469, the Huns marched with a contingent of 20,000 units composed of archers, horsemen, and infantry.

During the war, Theodemir was mortally wounded by an arrow, while Valamir was killed by Dintzic's hand. The battle lasted twelve consecutive days, in which the Ostrogoths lost almost 30,000 men. The Huns conquered most of Pannonia and expelled the Ostrogoths; however, they left the tribes of the coalition to settle in the west of the former Roman province. The battle was so violent that was compared to the bloodshed done by Attila in Italy. The heads of the two Amal Goth kings were exhibited in Pannonia before being hanged in the new Hunnic capital. One more time, the Huns became feared and respected. The Sarmatians led by Babai and Beuca became loyal allies of the Huns.

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I cannot promise this will be a perfect TL due to the scarcity of data (and even contradictory sources) given the obscure nature of the Migration Period (especially outside the Roman world). I expect lots of mistakes. Feedback and suggestions are always welcome!

[1] This is the POD. IOTL, Dengizich/Dintzic King of Huns rejected to talk with Anagastes, a Gothic magister militum for the Eastern Roman Empire. This general killed him, and the Hunnic Empire was finally dissolved.

[2]OTL Barlad, Romania.​

 

[DanMcCollum]

Fascinating concept. I always suspected if the Hunnish state had lasted, the Huns would have been Gemanicized within a few generations (even the name we know Atilla by if a Germanic nickname)

Will definitely watch this one!

 

[Acamapichtli]

Fascinating concept. I always suspected if the Hunnish state had lasted, the Huns would have been Gemanicized within a few generations (even the name we know Atilla by if a Germanic nickname)

Will definitely watch this one!

Thank you, I'm glad you like it!
Well... this is a complex topic. And yes, it has been theorized that "Attila" was a Germanized name. They were not assimilated by Germanic peoples per se. However, IOTL, after the death of Attila and his sons, the Huns were absorbed by other nomads as the Turkic Bulgars.

 

[Marc Anthony]

I Followed the original version of this TL. This looks great and I believe it may even be better

 

[Marc Anthony]

Fascinating concept. I always suspected if the Hunnish state had lasted, the Huns would have been Gemanicized within a few generations (even the name we know Atilla by if a Germanic nickname)

Will definitely watch this one!

It would be interesting to see their presence in TTL Norse mythology in Sagas such as the Saga of the Volsungs and Heidrek's saga

 

[Acamapichtli]

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Part II. Reconstruction

Battle of Scarbantia
November, Year of Our Lord 469 - CDLXIX​

The situation in Panonnia after the Amal Goth defeat was tense; however, the Huns could assert power by sending permanent garrisons and Hunnic settlers. Dintzic knew a new war could happen, yet he maintained a neutral diplomacy with the rest of the coalition members. Now, the next target was the Gepids. Tension was unbearable, and the Gepid King Giesmus, a son of Ardaric, rushed to declare war; what a blunder! The Gepid Kingdom was surrounded by the Huns, with strengthened troops ready to spread terror.

A massive contingent of 35,000 Huns attacked from the East, while 10,000 joined from Panonnia. Giesmus, in despair, called the Germanic alliance to join him. The clash between the Huns and the coalition was fought on the ruins of Scarbentia. The Hunnic forces fought the coalition ones frontally, the latter led by Onolphus of the Sciri and the Suebic King Hunimund, while the Sarmatians attacked the flanks and rear of the Germanic troops.

Before the dramatic loss amount of the Germanic forces, Onolphus and Hunimund convened to capture the ruins and refugee to defend against their enemies; however, they found out the Hunno-Sarmatian troops had already taken Scarbantia and fortified its walls. The Huns left the ruins and destroyed the coalition forces' remnants. Onolphus was killed, and Hunimund fled with most of his people out of Panonnia. The Germanic monarch settled in Hispania after accepting offering military aid to the Suebic Kingdom of Gallaecia against King Euric of the Visigoths.

After this crushing defeat, some Sciri and Heruli deserted and joined the Hunnic army, including more Sarmartians. Scabantia's walls were fortified by the Huns, who refounded the city as a Sarmatian settlement. Dintzic persecuted the Rugii, who moved to the northwest until reaching the Upper Danuvius Valley. King Flaccitheus of the Rugians founded a new domain and allied with the Thuringii.

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Battles of Partiscum
February, Year of Our Lord 470- CDLXX
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Giesmus became diplomatically isolated after the Battle of Scarbantia. In the past years, the Huns already conquered border Gepid territories with relative peace until they reached the ruins of Partiscum. The Gepid King decided to act. Giesmus clashed immediately with the Huns, who only sent 10,000 troops to distract the Germanic forces. The Huns accomplished a false withdrawal and ambushed Giesmus with the 35,000 contingent led by Dintzic.

Giesmus was surrounded and attacked from all the flanks. He and his army withstood the Hunnic attacks; however, war fatigue appeared and destroyed the Germanic forces. The Gepid King continued fighting until an arrow killed him. Dintzic cut off Giesmus' head and used the skull as a vase. It has been said on the night of the same day that Dengizich drank the best of the wines in the East, using Giesmus's skull vase, and expressed: "Ah, those miserable rebels are not more now. They dug their own grave."
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Dintzic with the skull vase.​

The Huns began selling hundreds of Gepids as slaves or directly massacred the local population. This infuriated a Gepid high-ranked noble named Thraustila [1], who decided to march against the Huns in Partiscum. The following morning, he attacked, but the outnumbered Huns encircled his troops. Unwilling to stop the clash, Thraustila kept fighting for weeks. Unlike his predecessor, he could not be killed by the enemy's forces, even after being attacked by the Sarmatians and Ernakh.

His followers starved, and he knew he could not restore the Gepid Kingdom. Thraustila surrendered to Dengizich. The Huns won the battle but suffered significant losses due to Thraustila's courage and brilliant strategy. "My people and my Kingdom will never be yours!" replied Thraustila to Dintzic. Thraustila and his followers migrated westwards with almost 60,000 Gepid inhabitants.

Bards across the Germanic world will sing the Second Battle of Partiscum for centuries. Thraustila would not be seen as a coward but rather as a wise King who knew his people needed to find better lands to live in. The Gepids will establish a noteworthy Kingdom at the most unexpected place...​

[1] IOTL succeeded Giesmus as King of the Gepids.

 

[Sarufiyyun]

Where are Thraustila's Gepids heading off to? Britain?

 

[Acamapichtli]

Where are Thraustila's Gepids heading off to? Britain?

We shall see. 🤔

 

[altwere]

Good start. Please keep going.

 

[Acamapichtli]

Good start. Please keep going.

Thank you, of course!

 

[Acamapichtli]

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Part III. Domino effect

Incursion of Theodoric
April, Year of Our Lord 470 - CDLXX​

A noble of the Ostrogoths named Theodoric the Amal crossed the Danube with 6,000 men and tried to attack the Sarmatians. His surprise was great as he was intercepted by a massive contingent of Hunno-Iranian troops. In an act of absurd arrogance, Theodoric attacked first; however, his troops tasted arrows that perforated their bodies. The arrow rain tactic from the Huns generated great confusion among Ostrogothic lines, which tore away at sunset.

Not satisfied with the heavy losses caused by the arrows, the Huns confronted directly the Germanic forces. As the sun began to sink behind the horizon, only 1,500 Goths survived, and 100 were captured. Theodoric knew that if he did not want to end like those Gepid petty kings, brutally killed by the Huns, he must flee. Nearly 4,000 Ostrogoths lay dead over the plains near the Tisia River, some hours after the battle ended.

The historian Jordanes stated, "After the battle, the Goths left the Huns in peace forever. Before crossing the Danube and returning to Moesia, Theoderic saw with horror 50 of their captive fellows impaled by the Huns while the other half were trampled by Sarmatian cavalry. In the middle of such a horrendous scene, a wood inscription written in Gothic expressed: 'If you return, this will be your fate, Theodoric. Signed. Dintzic, by the Grace of God, King of the Western Huns. The World's Dread.' " Theodoric moved to the Epirus and focused on killing his foes. Five years later, he would be recognized as King of the Ostrogoths after assassinating his namesake and rival, Theodoric Strabo.

After all the victories, the Huns ordered the reconstruction of Sarmizegetusa. The refounded settlement acquired a deep symbolism as a show of power from the Huns to the rest of the nations, as it occurred in Pannonia. Dintzic focused on stabilizing the regions by repopulating them with his people and allies. For instance, at least 30 Hunnic families, 50 Sarmatians, and 20 shepherds from the Carpathian Mountains settled there.
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Battle of the Tisia River.
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The fast reconquest of Western Hunnic territories caused the classical domino effect. Not only Thraustila's Gepids were moving westwards, but Scirians, Goths, and Heruli fled to the Kingdom of Flaccitheus, causing massive instability and distension in the latter. It was a matter of time before Rugiland collapsed in 474, also caused by constant Hunnic and Slavic incursions. Almost half of the Rugii also migrated in search of safer lands to live.

Finally, Dintzic fulfilled his revenge. Although it was not the decisive extermination of the Gepids he planned, it was enough to boost his might.

Only five years after the stabilization of the Empire, the Hunnic realm became a magnet for pagans and heretics who tried to refugee from persecutions in Eastern and Western Rome. The Huns had a religious tolerance policy; nevertheless, perhaps fearing more destabilization, Dintzic and Ernakh agreed to persecute Arians and Manichaeans within their respective domains. Manichaeism reached thousands of followers, but after the expulsion decreed by the Huns, they fled to other nomadic nations, such as the Hephthalites or even the Magyars.
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Hunnic persecution of Arian Christians and Manichaeans.
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[Acamapichtli]

Working on the next chapters, I can only say Thraustila finally establishes with his people, and there'll be plenty of Briton action in Mainland Europe. Also, stuff is happening in the East.

 

[Sarufiyyun]

If Dintzic and Ernakh play their cards right, they could take advantage of the continued Christian persecution of pagans to their advantage. Imagine a Platonic Academy being re-established in Sarmizegetusa, which I'm presuming is the capital of this newly empowered Hunnic Kingdom.

 

[Acamapichtli]

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Part IV. Exodus​

March-August, Year of Our Lord 470 - CDLXX
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Germanic peoples pushed by Dintzic's campaigns moved to Rugiland, but the realm became highly unstable due to the massive number of refugees that fled there. Thraustila could reach Noricum as Romans miraculously let him and his people cross their territory to settle in Gaul. There, the Gepid King met with the famous Roman saint Severinus of Noricum. He helped the exiled Gepids, including other victims of the Hunnic attacks. The exiles were deeply grateful for Severinus' aid; he organized refugee camps and food distribution. Some Gepids converted to the Nicene Church, and his efforts won him the respect of Thraustila.

In August of the same year, the Gepids reached Northern Gaul from the Burgundian Kingdom. The Visigoths attacked, but Thraustila could defeat them with only 3,000 warriors. Gepids and Scirians served the Briton King Riothamus in his war against the Goths, who will gain control over Central Gaul, specifically from the Liger River to Civitas Lemovicum; however, the Briton-Gepid forces were stopped at the outskirts of Augustonemetum, in consequence, Arvernia was not free up of Visigothic yoke.
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Saint Severinus of Noricum​

Thraustila established with his people in Mediolanum Santonum; unfortunately, his new kingdom lasted two years as Gaul entered anarchy again. Euric and his Visigoths invaded Northern Gaul from Arvernian territory and conquered Civitas Biturigum. Using the invasion to their advantage, the Burgundians and Alamanns joined the attack. The first captured Aurelianorum and Senones, while the latter conquered Tricassium, Verodunum, and Durocortorum. If that was not enough, some Saxons settled along the Litus Saxonicum rebelled, and raided inland cities. The Gallo-Roman domain of Soissons was surrounded.
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Year of Our Lord 472 - CDLXXII​

In Suessiones, Syagrius, the last magister militum per Galias, comes Paulus, and his commander Aurelianus fought the Germanic coalition but were brutally crushed. 6,000 Gallo-Roman and Frankish troops participated against 15,000 from the Burgundians and Visigoths. The enemies plundered the settlement and burned it. Alammans and Goths besieged Parisius for three weeks, and the city was ransacked. Western Rome could not bring military support as Emperor Anthemius and his son Anthemiolus were in open war against Ricimer and Anicius Olybrius.

On September 15th, Salians, Ripuarians, and Gepids joined their forces and fought against the Coalition in Autricum, but it was too late. Aurelianus perished, comes Paulus was executed, and Syagrius was severely wounded in Suessiones. Childeric and Thraustila led the troops. Days before dying, the Magister militum per Gallias sent Thraustila to the Litus Saxonicum. Syagrius decided the Gepids could settle in the region if they quelled the rebellion.

On the cold day of October 30th, the battle started. While cool and humid air blew, the respective forces beat their shields with their swords by meters between them. Thraustila attacked by launching arrows against the Saxons, a military tactic that shook the latter. The Gepids and their allies deliberately imitated the famous tactic from the Huns that they and Theodoric troops have already painfully learned. The Saxon forces were reduced, Slavic cavalry companions attacked the right and left flanks, while Thraustila led the frontal clash. Soon, the Saxons fell one by one. If they did not die from the arrows, they were slain by Gepid swords or pierced by Slavic javelins. The victory came on the night when Thraustila captured the city of Bajocassi and slew the remnant Saxon troops gathered there.
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Thraustila and his people settling in the Litus Saxonicum on December 17th, 472.​

Finally, the Gepids moved permanently to the Saxon shore and established the capital in Rotomagus. Thraustila adopted Trinitarianism before leaving Noricum, and conversions increased after their arrival to the northern shores of Gaul. Saint Severinus performed conversions and baptisms, for which he would be known as the Patron Saint of the Gepids. The northwestern coast of Gaul became scarcely populated before the Gepid officially settled. The rebellion, alongside raids from Armorica and Britannia, affected most of the local infrastructure. Despite the conversion, the Gepid Kingdom used the Old Gothic as a lingua franca within the realm. Families and troops from other East Germanic tribes joined Thraustila, such as the Sciri, the Heruli, and even dissident Visigoths. In the subsequent years, Rugians and Theodoric Strabo's Goths refugees settled too.

After the death of Syagrius and his men, Northern Gaul was shattered. Frankish, Alamanni, Burgundian, Gallic, Gallo-Roman, and Gothic chiefs ruled over statelets and frequently confronted each other. For instance, King Hildirik of the Salian Franks conquered Parisius and Suessiones, Euric conquered Aurelianorum, while Alans and Taifali established their independent domains but allied with Riothamus.​

 

[Acamapichtli]

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Interlude. Arrows and tents ​

Year of Our Lord 470 CDLXX - 475 CDLXXIX

In the Far East, the Khan of the Rouran, instead of leading a campaign against Khotan, focused on subjugating the nomadic tribes located westwards. The Rouran attacked the unruly Tiele Turks as a thunderbolt. The latter were practically unprepared, and diverse accounts mention the war was such bloodshed that the Rourans could disintegrate the Tiele confederation, most of which was obliterated; only some surviving clans migrated to the west and displaced the Yueban [1]. During the spring, he repeatedly raided the Hepthalites and subjugated the Wusun. For these impressive victories, the nomadic leader was later compared to Chanyu Modu, who, centuries before, consolidated and expanded the almighty Xiongnu Empire.
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Rouran victory over the Tiele Turks.​

Rouran expansion triggered instability in Central Asia, causing the classical domino effect. The Yueban split into four tribes; one moved southwards and became a remarkable rival of the Hepthalites. Another tribe from the confederation, known in Chinese records as Chuyue, migrated to the northern Caspian Sea shores, fighting constantly against Sabirs, Oghuric tribes, and Magyars. The Khaganate frequently attacked lands up the North Sea [2], forcing hundreds or thousands of natives [3] to follow the migratory flow to the West.

Not all the tribal population that could migrate moved westwards. China fought with its own "Huns". Even the North was ruled by the barbarian Xianbei dynasty of Wei, which was now constantly invaded by Tiele Turks, Kyrgyz, and other nomads that fled from the Rourans' great campaigns over the subsequent years. Only five years after the first incursions, the Pontic-Caspian Steppe would be invaded again by foreigners.
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Year of Our Lord 475 - CDLXXIX

The winter was particularly harsh as the mutual confrontation increased among tribes settled in the Caspian Steppe. The Sabirs moved to the Caucasus due to intense pressure from the Yueban and the Tiele. The Sabirs settled in the Caucasus. Magyars were also expelled, though unlike the Sabirs, they were more decentralized and included diverse peoples, including Yeniseians, Yakuts, Ugrians, and Bashkirs.

The Sabirs became an expansionist confederation, triggering severe problems for the leading powers in the region. Meanwhile, the Magyars and their allies chose the Tanais [5] river source as their new home. The turmoil caused by the massive and fast migration wave will leave an indelible mark in Eastern Europe and the Caucasus...

"Would there be another Attila? What would be their next move?" - These were the words from Orestes, who was hired again as a diplomat for the Hunnic Empire. The Roman general was one of the first people who noticed the great nightmare that was to come.

[1] Tribal confederation founded by Xiongnu remnants.
[2] Ancient Chinese name for Lake Baikal (Běihǎi).
[3] Yeniseian peoples.
[4] Turkic traditional colors for cardinal directions: Black= North, White= West, Blue= East, Red= South
[5] Don river.
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[Yeiro]

a second grand migration? well in ceratin way it was predictable but for the other this is going to be fun

 

[Sarufiyyun]

Congratulations to Thraustila. Hopefully the Gepids can prosper in their new homeland in Gaul...