Forgotten Footprints

Forgotten Footprints

How Did Attila the Hun Die?

Can forensics and history join hands to solve an ancient mystery?

Prateek Dasgupta's avatar
Prateek Dasgupta
Oct 11, 2024
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The year was 453. Attila the Hun, Europe’s most powerful man, had ravaged Italy. After promising the Pope that he would pull his troops back, he was enjoying his wedding with his new wife.

Her name was Ildico.

Attila prepared a sumptuous banquet. Everyone ate, drank, and enjoyed themselves. After the party, Attila and his wife went to their room.

The following day, the world’s most feared man was dead.

His bodyguards found him bleeding from the nose.

Attila, who had brought Rome to its knees and set off a chain of events that eventually led to the fall of the Roman empire, was gone.

Was there foul play involved? Or was his death because of an accident? Could he have died from natural causes?

Let’s begin by analyzing the historical sources about the Hunnic warrior’s strange death. After we round up the possible suspects, don’t forget to vote for the Hun warrior’s cause of death at the end of the story.

What do the historical sources tell us about Attila’s sudden demise?

Hunnic empire at its pe…
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