CHAP. III.] 



ROMAN CAVALRY. 



117 



even sleeping resting upon the necks of their horses.' 

 They charged in battle without order, in separate bands 

 under different chiefs, and fell upon their opponents with 

 loud shouts. In case of solid resistance, they retreated, 

 scattering to rally and charge again at the first opportu- 

 nity. They knew nothing of fighting on foot, or of the 

 art of defending or attacking fortifications. They used 

 the bow with wonderful skill, their arrows being pointed 

 with bone instead of iron, and having a very extended 

 range. For close quarters they used a snare or net, to 

 entangle their enemy, while they destroyed him with the 

 blows of the sword which they carried. Besides the 

 Huns, Attila had also in his army many other nations, 

 some of whom wore cuirasses of horn mail, and carried 

 enormous lances.^ There were contingents from all parts 

 of Germany and Scythia. At the head of this horde 

 Attila invaded Gaul in 451, and besieged Orleans. On 

 the approach of the Roman General -<Sltius, with his allies, 

 Theodorio, king of the Visigoths, and Sangipan, king of 

 the Alans, Attila raised the siege, and retreated to the 

 fields of Catalaun, and in the neighbourhood of Chalons 

 was fought one of the greatest battles in the world's 

 history. 



Attila commanded the centre of his army, where were 

 placed his best troops. His right wing was commanded 

 by Ardaric, king of the Gepidae, his left by the kings of 

 the Ostrogoths, ^tius commanded the right wing of 

 the allied forces. King Theodoric the left, while Sangipan, 

 king of the Alans, whose fidelity was suspected, was 

 placed in the front line in the centre. 



A height which occupied an advantageous position 

 between the two armies had been taken possession of by 

 Thorismond, King Theodoric's son, with some Visigoth 

 cavalry. This gave ^Etius a great advantage. Attila, 

 seeing the importance of the post, sent some squadrons 

 to occupy it. Thorismond, having reached the summit, 

 charged the Huns with vigour, and drove them off 

 without difficulty. Attila then made a furious attack 

 upon this portion of the Roman line, and supported it 

 ' Ammianus Marcellinus, xxxi. 2. ^ Thierry, i. 1 33. 



