How did the Huns break the Roman army's shield wall? 😮

#shorts #fyp #medieval #history #historymarche

[HistoryMarche]

#shorts #fyp #medieval #history #historymarche

[albertp]

Horse archer hit and run followed by wedge formation, that's a badass maneuver tbh

[flyingbicycles]

From what I remember, the strength of the Roman army was not necessarily their superior weaponry or tactics, but their logistics. Most armies of the day were single fronts. Lose one battle, you lose the war. But Roman logistics and standardization meant that if you lost a legion, another could take its place. And that was the game changer that allowed them to hold onto power for centuries.

[redsol]

Imagine hours of getting shot at with arrows.

[nelsblair]

If the opponent plans to use horses, then you plan to use hills, trenches, mud, water, sand, or pikes. If the opponent uses arrows, use armor, proximity, or walls with few gaps.

[diyartokmurzin]

I read that similar tactic was used by Tamerlan against Tokhtamysh in the battle of Kondurcha on Volga river near modern Samara. It was called "a chisel", when Timur conectrated his fire and fast moving forces on one specific part of the enemy formation

[SageSegsPaths]

Classic Medieval 2 Total War strategy by Attila. I remember the time when horse archers of the Byzantines overpowered French Knights on a plain field. Good times.

[Olddfk]

I was there, can confirm - was pretty brutal.

[jsong]

It's incredible how these horse archers could shot more than a couple of hours.

[fergalosanchez]

Horse archers were a cheat code back then

[mermaidmimsy]

If you play total war you realize how hard it is to defeat horse archers.

[roguerangerroger]

2 things i realise about how the horse archers fight are that
1. They don't mind fighting a battle for a long time
2. They don't prioritize powerful blows tactics, just working ones like whittling them little by little

[xxr]

The Battle of the Catalaunian Plains, also known as the Battle of Châlons, was a major military engagement fought in 451 AD between the forces of the Roman Empire, led by the general Flavius Aetius, and the Huns, led by their king, Attila. This battle is considered to be one of the most significant battles in European history, as it marked the end of Attila's westward expansion and helped to preserve the Roman Empire for a few more decades.

Attila, also known as the Scourge of God, had already invaded and sacked several cities along the way, leaving a trail of destruction in his wake. His goal was to conquer the Western Roman Empire and expand his territory. Flavius Aetius, the Roman general, realized the gravity of the situation and gathered a coalition army of Romans, Visigoths, Burgundians, and others to confront the Huns. The two armies met near the city of Troyes in the region of Champagne, France.

The battle was a complex and bloody affair, with both sides suffering heavy casualties. Attila's forces initially gained the upper hand, and the battle appeared to be turning in his favor. However, Aetius was able to regroup his troops and launch a counterattack that turned the tide of the battle. The Visigoth king, Theodoric, was killed in the fighting, but the coalition forces ultimately emerged victorious.

The battle began with a cavalry charge by the Huns, who had a superior force of horsemen. Attila hoped to overwhelm the Roman and Visigoth cavalry with his own highly skilled horsemen, but the Roman and Visigoth cavalry were able to hold their ground and repel the initial attack. The Visigoth king, Theodoric, was killed in the fighting, which caused some disruption in the coalition army. However, the Romans were able to maintain their position, and Aetius was able to rally his troops and launch a counterattack.

The Roman and Visigoth infantry then advanced towards the Hunnish lines, where they clashed in a fierce battle. The Hunnish archers provided covering fire for their infantry, but the Roman and Visigoth shields were able to withstand the onslaught of arrows. The Roman and Visigoth infantry then engaged the Hunnish infantry in close combat, which was brutal and bloody.

As the battle progressed, the coalition forces gained the upper hand. Aetius was able to make use of his cavalry to encircle the Hunnish army and prevent them from retreating. Attila, realizing that he was in danger of being defeated, ordered a retreat. The Hunnish army withdrew from the battlefield, and the coalition forces emerged victorious.

The exact details of the battle are unclear, as the primary sources are fragmentary and often contradictory. However, it is generally believed that the battle was a significant turning point in the conflict between the Huns and the Western Roman Empire. The battle demonstrated the effectiveness of cavalry and archers in warfare, and it helped to establish these tactics as crucial components of military strategy for centuries to come.

The exact details of the battle are unclear, as the primary sources are fragmentary and often contradictory. Nevertheless, it is generally believed that the battle was a significant turning point in the conflict between the Huns and the Western Roman Empire. It helped to slow down Attila's westward expansion and prevented him from conquering Rome. Attila, who was known for his ferocity and cruelty, never again attempted to invade the Western Roman Empire.

The Battle of the Catalaunian Plains had a profound impact on European history. It marked the end of the Huns' dominance in Europe and helped to preserve the Roman Empire for a few more decades. The battle also had a lasting impact on military strategy and tactics. The use of cavalry and archers was particularly effective in the battle, and these tactics were adopted by armies throughout Europe in the centuries that followed.

[robinkarlsson]

From what I understand, the main problem was that these nomadic, raiding hordes like the Huns and Mongolians usually avoided fighting all together if the conditions were not in their favour. Sure, they sometimes built empires out of the ashes and/or subjugated provinces, but what made them so difficult to deal with was their mobility in general. They could circumvent most large armies and just sack and destroy everything around the large cities, and eventually gain enough control over the landscape to siege the remaining strongly defended positions.

They basically took to heart “The art of war”!

[samwill]

A shield wall can always be countered by a sufficient mass of arrows

[cat_city]

Horse archers are so OP.
I'm so glad guns exist now.

[redtobertshateshandles]

The Huns are still sticking it to the rulers.
In Hungary, god bless them.

[nrt]

The Romans never utilized the power of the bow. This was their weakness. If the Romans had archers to support their infantry they would have been invincible.

[GilgameshofUruk]

That was the cantabarian circle maneuver by horse archers they were the steppe horse archers really fast and skilled.

[TheSecretsOfTheBlackArts]

Imagine standing in a testudo formation for hours and hours, arrows constantly hitting the shield above your head with their surprisingly strong kinetic energy, and you just pray to all the gods for strength in your already shaky arms and for the shield not to fall apart. If you were one of the lucky ones and saw the dream end of the arrow storm, you hear a signal from your commander that a frontal attack of thousands of cavalry is coming. Your shield filled with arrows is heavy and almost immobile and your arms are exhausted. No wonder they were not inspired to fight