Attila, frequently called Attila the Hun, entered Italy around around June 8, 452 CE, sacking several cities and facing little resistance, the situation seemed dire for Rome. The turning point came when Pope Leo I intervened, traveling to meet Attila in a dramatic encounter near Mantua in the Italian region of Lombardy.
Although the details of their conversation are unknown, Attila retreated following this meeting, leaving Italy behind without achieving his goal of capturing Rome. Attila died the following year. Attila, known to the Romans as the Flagellum Dei or "Scourge of God" ruled the Hunnic Empire from 434 until his death in 453. He united several Germanic and nomadic tribes into a formidable military force that stretched across Central and Eastern Europe. More
