OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE 417 insert the name of Attila among their native kings, may affirm with truth that the hordes which were subject to his uncle Roas, or Rugilas, had formed their encampments within the [Kou»] hmits of modern Hungarj^/^ in a fertile country which liber- ally supplied the wants of a nation of hunters and shepherds. In this advantageous situation, Rugilas and his valiant brothers, who continually added to their power and reputation, com- manded the alternative of peace or war with the two empires. His alliance with the Romans of the West was cemented by his personal friendship for the great Aetius ; who was always secure of finding in the Barbarian camp a hospitable reception and a powerful support. At his solicitation, in the name of John the usurper, sixty thousand Huns advanced to the confines of[A.D. 425] Italy ; their march and their retreat were alike expensive to the state ; and the grateful policy of Aetius abandoned the possession of Pannonia to his faithful confederates. The Romans of the East were not less apprehensive of the arms of Rugilas, which threatened the provinces, or even the capital. Some ecclesiastical historians have destroyed the Barbarians with lightning and pestilence ; ^ but Theodosius was reduced to the more humble expedient of stipulating an annual payment of three hundred [^i^.ow] and fifty pounds of gold, and of disguising this dishonourable tribute by the title of general, which the king of the Huns condescended to accept. The public tranquillity was frequently inten-upted by the fierce impatience of the Barbarians and the perfidious intrigues of the Byzantine court. Four dependent nations, among whom we may distinguish the Bavarians, dis- claimed the sovereignty of the Huns ; and their revolt was en- couraged and protected by a Roman alliance ; till the just claims and formidable power of Rugilas were effectually urged [a.d. 432] by the voice of Eslaw his ambassador. Peace was the unani- mous wish of the senate ; their decree was ratified by the emperor ; and two ambassadors were named, Plinthas, a general 2 Hungary has been successfully occupied by three Scythian colonies: i, The Huns of Attila ; 2, the Abares, in the sixth century ; and 3, the Turks or Magyars, A.D. 889 : the immediate and genuine ancestors of the modern Hungarians, whose connexion with the two former is extremely faint and remote. The Prodromus and Notitia of Matthew Belius appear to contain a rich fund of information con- cerning ancient and modern Hungary. I have seen the extracts in Biblioth^que Ancienne at Moderne, torn. xxii. p. 1-51, and Bibliotheque Raisonnte, tom. xvi. p. 127-175. 3 Socrates, 1. vii. c. 43. Theodoret, 1. v. c. 36. Tillemont, who always de- pends on the faith of his ecclesiastical authors, strenuously contends (Hist, des Emp. tom. vi. p. 136, 607) that the wars and personages were not the same. VOL. III. 27
