How big was the Hunnic Empire

[Tuskin]

So do we know just how large the Hunnic Empire was? In various maps it shows the empire dominating almost all of central and eastern Europe and some even go as far as southern Sweden to Georgia and Armenia. Hunnic artifacts have been found in northern Dacia(modern day Hungary) and they had vassals in Pannonia, Dacia and Hunnic and Sarmatian tribes north of the Black Sea.

Maps

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This one may be accurate.

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[Magister Militum Flavius Aetius]

These maps are horribly overexaggerated. Although Dr. Kim argues the Huns did indeed extend their domain from the Rhine to the Volga, I thoroughly disagree. Attila's power base was centered in the Carpathians and on the Danube bend, and he had nominal control of the Akatir Huns East of the Dniester, according to Priscus. It's quite clear his Western border extended up towards the Oder because the Lombards and Thuringians were Hunnic vassals at one point. It did not, however extend to the Rhine or the Volga. The Burgundians on the Rhine defeated Octar in 430 and prevented Hunnic Vassalization, while the Alemanni remain entirely independent through this period, barring their alliance with the Romans after 430-ish. Hunnic activities on the Don/Volga were dominated by groups outside of Attila's control, and there was still a heavy Alan presence in the region.

Attila's power was based on the Danube Bend, because the flow of Amber into the Roman Empire was the key to that region's economy, and what made it such a desirable place to control. The routes went all through modern Hungary, meaning he was in a prime position to make a heavy profit off of trade with the Western Empire, without having to extort it like he did the East (although he later sought the lucrative pillaging option).

[wulfgar610]

So do we know just how large the Hunnic Empire was? In various maps it shows the empire dominating almost all of central and eastern Europe and some even go as far as southern Sweden to Georgia and Armenia. Hunnic artifacts have been found in northern Dacia(modern day Hungary) and they had vassals in Pannonia, Dacia and Hunnic and Sarmatian tribes north of the Black Sea.

The top is where they were by the 440's. The Huns "settled" scattered amongst another peoples, they didn't displace the other people. They found themselves some nice pasture, they liked big lakes best of all to settle around. And to make ends meet they demanded goods as tribute from those around them. Essentially the conquered remained as serfs.

[Magister Militum Flavius Aetius]

If you're arguing about the overall range of settlement of Hunnic peoples, that would stretch from the Danube to the Great Wall...

Attila's actual "Hunnic Empire" hardly stretched from the Crimea to the Upper Danube, and certainly not north into Slavic territories and the Baltic coast.

[wulfgar610]

The Hun leadership may have been brutes, but they weren't dumb. They like the much later Mongols had the nous to envisage a great Empire. It rose and fell rather quickly though.