Attila in Mediolanum – Some notes on the iconography of the Huns

Abstract

This article pays attention to the fact that no attested contemporary depictions of the Huns have been identified yet. It is so despite the fact that the Suda lexicon mentions the event when King Attila saw a picture in the imperial palace of Milan in 452 representing the victorious emperors and the defeated deceased Huns. According to the story, Attila re-painted the picture where the Roman emperors bringing sacks of gold are shown before his throne. This scene can be identified with the well-known submission scenes of late Roman triumphal monuments of Constantinople, but here, naturally, the Barbarians were depicted kneeling before the emperor(s). The author examined all these monuments (esp. the base of the Theodosius’ Obelisk and the Arcadius’ Column) and came to the conclusion that these Barbarians cannot be identified as Huns. On the other hand, it cannot be ruled out that the Eastern Barbarians (generally identified as Persians) depicted in the pedestal of the Arcadius Column were Huns. Studying the evidence of later ivory diptychs, the author suggests that there was no significant iconographic distinction between the bearded Persian male figures, the Huns and other nomad peoples. Most probably they were also depicted in trousers with Phrygian caps.