om senatorial mansions,--the
gold, the silver, the brass, the precious marbles,--were all transported to
the ships. The Empress Eudoxia, herself, stripped of her jewels, was
carried away captive, with her two daughters, the sole survivors of the
family of Theodosius.

(M1178) Such was the doom of Rome, A.D. 455, forty-five years after the
Gothic invasion. The haughty city met the fate which she had inflicted on
her rivals, and nothing remained but desolation and recollections.

(M1179) While the Vandals were plundering Rome, the Huns--a Sclavonic race,
hideous and revolting barbarians, under Attila, called the scourge of God,
were ravaging the remaining provinces of the empire. Never since the days
of Xerxes was there such a gathering of nations as now inundated the Roman
world--some five hundred thousand warriors, chiefly Asiatic, armed with
long quivers and heavy lances, cuirasses of plaited hair, scythes, round
bucklers, and short swords. This host, composed of Huns, Alans, Gepidae,
and other tribes, German as well as Asiatic, from the plains of Sarmatia,
and the banks of the Vistula and Niemen, extended from Bash to the mouth
of the Rhine. The great object of attack was Orleans--an important
strategic position.

(M1180) The leader of the imperial forces was Aetius, banished for the
death of Boniface, composed of Britains, Franks, Burgundians, Sueves,
Saxons, and Visigoths. It was not now the Romans against barbarians, but
Europe against Asia. The contending forces met on the plains of Champagne,
and at Chalons was fought the decisive battle by which Europe was
delivered from Asia, and the Gothic nations from the Mongol races, A.D.
451. Attila was beaten, and Gaul was saved from Sclavonic invaders. It is
said that three hundred thousand of the barbarians, on both sides, were
slain.

The discomfited king of the Huns led back his forces to the Rhine,
ravaging the country through which he passed. The following year he
invaded Italy.

(M1181) Aetius had won one of the greatest victories of ancient times, and
alone remained to stem the barbaric hosts. But he was mistrusted by the
emperor at Ravenna, whose daughter he had solicited in marriage for his
son, and was left without sufficient force. Aquileia, the most important
city in Northern Italy, fell into the hands of Attila. He then resolved to
cross the Apennines and give a last blow to Rome. Leo, the intrepid
bishop, sought his camp, as he had once before entreate