The second division of the Huns gradually advanced to wards the north-west ; and, by their intercourse with tribes more savage than themselves, their native fierce ness was exasperated. As late as the 13th century, their transient residence on the eastern banks of the Volga was attested by the name of Great Hungary. In the winter they descended with their flocks and herds towards the mouth of that river.
It is impossible to give even an outline of the history of the Huns from this period till they became known to the Romans ; but there is reason to believe that the same force which had driven them from their native seats, still continu ed to impel their march towards the frontiers of Europe. In their first irruption into the Roman empire, they are mentioned by ancient historians under a variety of appella tions, all comprised under the general name of Ugri or Hunni. The more general distinction, however, was the Nephthalite or White Huns, who possessed a rich country on the north of Persia ; and the Sarmatian or Scythian Huns. The latter are exhibited to us under the character of savages, without faith, laws, or any form of religion : living in the open air without houses, or huts, which they denominated the sepulchres attic living ; quite unacquaint ed with the use of fire, their only food being roots and raw meat, and their only clothing the skins of animals. They were also distinguished by their broad shoulders, flat noses, small black eyes deeply buried in the head, and the want of beards. This race, inured to all manner of hardships and deprivations, and having no fixed settlements, were delight ed with the first accounts which they received of the rich and fertile kingdoms of the west. Crossing, therefore, the Volga under Balamir, one of their chiefs, they overwhelm ed the Alans and Goths, who inhabited the extensive coun try between the Volga and the Danube ; and, having either driven them out, or forced them to submission, establish ed themselves in Dacia in A. D. 376. Theodosius I. dread ing their presence in the frontiers of the empire, and wish ing to attach them to his service, encouraged many of them, by large sums of money, to enter into the Roman armies. They continued for some time in their new possessions without molestation to the empire, till A. D. 391, when they passed the Danube, and being joined by the Goths, com mitted dreadful ravages in Alcesio and Thrace.—They were soon stopped, however, by the army of Stilicho, the imperial general, who overthrew them with great slaughter, and would have completely destroyed them, had not Theodosius agreed to terms of reconciliation.
Not discouraged by their late disasters, they broke un expectedly into the eastern provinces, penetrated as far as Antioch, destroying all with fire and sword, and commit ting everywhere unheard of cruelties. St Jerome, speak ing of this irruption, says, " All the East trembled when the dismal news were brought, that swarms of Huns, com ing from the far distant Mceotis, and dwelling between the frozen Tanais and the country of the savage Massagetes, flew up and down, and filled all places with blood and slaughter.—The cruel enemy roved without controul, where they pleased, preventing by their speed the report of their coming. They had no regard either to religion or dignity ; no age they spared, nor were they softened by the tears of the crying infant ; but put those to death who had scarce begun to live, and who, not apprized of their danger, smiled, when in their enemies' hands, at those very weapons that were immediately to destroy them." After having overrun and plundered several provinces, they re turned home loaded with spoil, and carrying with them an immense number of prisoners. From this time they made regular incursions into the empire, always extending their settlements; and in 432, we find them in possession of Panonia,` on the south side of the Danube. Their arms, however, were sometimes also employed in defence of the They joined the army of Łtius against the Bur gundians and Goths ; but no sooner was their pay as auxiliaries withdrawn than they renewed their hostility, and Theodosius II. was compelled to buy a peace from Rouas their king, with an yearly pension of 350 pounds weight of gold.
Rouas was succeeded by his nephew Attila, the fiercest and most magnanimous of their kings. The countless nations between the Danube and the Volga obeyed his summons, and he became the terror alternately of the Eastern and Western Empires. The court of Constanti nople complied with his demands with servile submission ; but the court of Ravenna prepared to repel his inroads by force ; and at the memorable battle of Chalons, Attila for the first time sustained a complete defeat, and was com pelled to rccross the Rhine before /Etius the Roman gene ral. For the exploits of Attila, and the progress which the Huns made under his dominion, see ATTILA.