A bold new account of Attila the Hun as empire builder and political threat to Rome reframes the warrior king as a political strategist, capturing the story of how a small, but dedicated, opponent dealt a seemingly invincible empire defeats from which it would never recover.

Originally published: Attila the Hun: barbarian terror and the fall of the Roman Empire. London : Bodley Head, 2008.

The Strava of Attila the Hun --Before Attila. First contact ; The axis of evil ; A backward steppe ; Romans and barbarians ; How the West was won -- Huns and Romans. A tale of two cities ; War on three fronts ; Brothers in arms ; Fighting for Rome ; Shock and awe ; Barbarians at the gates ; The price of peace -- Dinner with Attila. Mission impossible ; Close encounters ; Eating with the enemy ; What the historian saw ; Truth and dare ; End game -- The failure of empire. Hearts and minds ; The bride of Attila ; Taking sides ; The fog of war ; The last retreat ; Endings ; Reputations. The Strava of Attila the Hun -- pt. 1. Before Attila -- First contact -- The axis of evil -- A backward steppe -- Romans and barbarians -- How the West was won -- pt. 2. Huns and Romans -- A tale of two cities -- War on three fronts -- Brothers in arms -- Fighting for Rome -- Shock and awe -- Barbarians at the gates -- The price of peace -- pt. 3. Dinner with Attila -- Mission impossible -- Close encounters -- Eating with the enemy -- What the historian saw -- Truth and dare -- End game -- pt. 4. The failure of empire -- Hearts and minds -- The bride of Attila -- Taking sides -- The fog of war -- The last retreat -- Endings -- Epilogue : Reputations