The War on the Edge of the World: Hunnic Origins and the Palus Maeotis

This article looks at the Hunnic origin tale found in some Constantinople-based historians in late antiquity. In their accounts, the Huns are described as trapped for generations in the Palus Maeotis (the modern Sea of Azov), escaping only through the intervention of an animal guide. Rather than a piece of Hunnic lore, the tale reflects the literary traditions of the Mediterranean world. Moreover, it makes no sense in historical terms. The challenge is to understand why so many late antique historians found such an implausible narrative worthy of repetition.