Our current awareness of the impact of climate change, its causes and consequences has led researchers to look at past history to see if similar or analagous factors played a part or even determined events then. I have linked to some examples of this in previous posts.
The latest instance of this is a recently published study based on tree-ring evidence for significant droughts in the early to mid-fifth century which correlate to major raids into the western Roman Empire by Attila the Hun. Whilst it is not suggested that there is a single simple cause and effect relationship the argument would suggest that this warlike tribe in the central Danube basin felt compelled to go on the quest for adequate pasture for their herds and to seek resources across the Imperial frontier.
The research is summarised in several online articles. They are from phys.org at Drought encouraged Attila's Huns to attack the Roman empire, tree rings suggest,from sciencealert.com at Attila The Hun Attacked Rome to Save His People From Starvation, New Study Suggests, from downtoearth.org.in at Climate change may have made Attila and his Huns, feared raiders of the Roman Empire: Cambridge research, and from Heritage Daily at Tree ring study suggests drought encouraged Attila’s Huns to attack the Roman Empire.
Whether this portends a new interpretation of Attila the Hun as a fluffy eco-warrior is another, and non-academic, matter altogether ….
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