Episode 06: Attila Conquers Rome
What if? Scenario
In our What If? Scenario Attila will die an honorable, elderly death many decades later. He will be venerated for his longevity and his conquests. By fortune and luck, Attila passes out face down on his wedding bed and wakes up with a hangover and a bloody nose. But he does wake up.
With this newfound life, he focuses on two goals: taking Honoria as his empress and solidifying his control over modern-day Germany, France, Italy, and the Balkans. Attila understood the Romans, and he knew it was much cheaper for the Romans to pay him tribute than it was to wage a sustained war against his vast army.
Attila would use this knowledge like a vice to negotiate the hand of Honoria to be his wife. Although the Eastern Roman Empire is under the rule of Marcian, marriage to Honoria would carry both prestige and recognition of Attila as a world leader. A few years ago, Marcian had stopped paying an annual gold tribute to Attila, but he sees the marriage as an opportunity to reduce tensions. Hoping to keep the Huns at bay, the marriage is arranged and she becomes his wife in 454 CE.
It’s easy to see where the story goes next. Empowered by the diplomatic victory, and showcasing the strength of his position, Attila launches a full-scale invasion of the Eastern Empire. And European history, as we know it, will forever change.
