Attila, king of the Huns, is a name almost universally known even 1,500 years after his death. His meteoric rise and legendary career of conquest left a charred trail of destroyed cities across the Roman Empire. At its height, his vast domain commanded more territory than the Romans themselves, and those he threatened with attack sent desperate embassies loaded with rich tributes to purchase an always tenuous peace. Yet as quickly he appeared, Attila and his empire vanished with startling rapidity. His two decades of terror, however, had destabilized the Roman world and left an indelible mark...