the desert wolf hunts the imperial eagle- an althistory of the huns

Note: this is my very first TL expect many mistakes in this. Feed back is welcome. March 17 161 CE. 20 km north of the parthian empire.

TÖMÖRBAATAR, leader of the warriors of tengri, rode through the plains of central Asia raiding individual city states that still stood, his army waiting for a battle to prove their might. Then they stopped at a lone city state on the coast of the Caspian sea. The city was rich in gold and livestock: a prime target for all hunnic tribes. While seeming to be an easy target, TÖMÖRBAATAR saw that the city had large walls, had many military patrols, indicating of a large military presence, and had the bones of horses and hunnic solders meaning that others had tried to invade the city and failed to destroy it. TÖMÖRBAATAR then knew that he could not just charge in and burn the city, he would need a few days to make a battle plan to minimize losses.


March 18 161 CE.

TÖMÖRBAATAR sat on his horse on a hill viewing the city. His son, Çöl kurt, suggested a plan to first burn down the wooden walls, then charge at night from three directions forward, left flank, and right flank. If done correctly and at night time, the defenders would retreat into the water where they would be destroyed with ease. TÖMÖRBAATAR approved this plan and promoted his son to command the right flank.

March 19 161 CE

Çöl kurt sent the scouting party to burn the walls while they enemy sleeps. Let them walk to their home on flame he thought. Then he waited for a signal to charge. Bewildered men came out of the barracks, that was the signal, he charged into the right flank. The enemy did not even try to stand once they saw a swarm of horsemen charging at them in all three directions firing arrows. They went right where he wanted them to go to, into the water. The battle was easy just hacking at the defenders until there were none left. He rewarded his men with the richest gold, the finest livestock, and the most beautiful women. He noticed that his father drank from the city wells, even though it had many dead around it. Çöl kurt let some of the defenders escape south towards the parthian desert to spread the fame of the warriors of tengri.

March 21 161 CE

TÖMÖRBAATAR starts coughing and running with fever. He is unable to move from his horse.

March 30th 161 CE

Vologases IV of the parthian empire is planning a campaign against the roman empire, parthia's worst enemy. The romans thought they had defeated the children of zoroaster, but that will be there downfall, Vologases would teach the prideful romans who the real master of Mesopotamia... Vologases then learned of survivors of a raid from the tribes of the north. Normal, except that the city was well defended and the way it was captured was the work of a great general. While Vologases IV was weary of the tribes of the north and the trouble it caused his country, he thought to unleash that trouble on the romans who had never experienced such kind of foe ever before . yes this man and his army would be good to have to trouble the romans while his army crushed the cities that the Romans left open. After the romans were pushed back they would be in shock a the new super power of Mesopotamia. Of course he would make the tribe fight the roman armies while his army would take cities, this way there would be less mercenaries to pay in the end. He would sent his diplomats to lure the tribe into the battlefield with promise of weath. What can stop him now?
April 1-16 161 CE

TÖMÖRBAATAR died of typhoid and was succeeded by his son. His scouts have found a parthian diplomat escorted by armed guards towards their general location. Çöl kurt ordered his clan to wait for this diplomat to arrive. He was interested to see what parthia wanted with a unrecognized clan following the ways tengri. He did not know that time was over for normal hunnic life and the beginning of something that will change history.
 
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It's not really comfortable to read : too big and use of bold is clearly not attractive.

Eventually, I'd want to point some things, that might (or not) interests you.

- Huns were, at this time, no longer an ethnically homogenous entity. Samartians, Caucasians, Finno-Ugrians, proto-Slavs maybe already composed their confederacy in large parts. At this point they can't be described as proto-Mongols anymore, but largely Sarmatized.

-Giving where they're supposed to be, in the mid-IInd century, it's more along the Dniepr (Caucasus-side) than along Caspian itself. What pushed these Huns south? Migrations? Division of the Hunnic confederacy?

- Huns aren't unknown for the Parthians : a different branch already pressured their borders before and didn't let a glorious remembrance. Emperors may be more wary about them. (If we accept the Xiongnu origin hypothesis or the part of Xiongnu confederacy hypothesis)
 
It's not really comfortable to read : too big and use of bold is clearly not attractive.

Eventually, I'd want to point some things, that might (or not) interests you.

- Huns were, at this time, no longer an ethnically homogenous entity. Samartians, Caucasians, Finno-Ugrians, proto-Slavs maybe already composed their confederacy in large parts. At this point they can't be described as proto-Mongols anymore, but largely Sarmatized.

-Giving where they're supposed to be, in the mid-IInd century, it's more along the Dniepr (Caucasus-side) than along Caspian itself. What pushed these Huns south? Migrations? Division of the Hunnic confederacy?

- Huns aren't unknown for the Parthians : a different branch already pressured their borders before and didn't let a glorious remembrance. Emperors may be more wary about them. (If we accept the Xiongnu origin hypothesis or the part of Xiongnu confederacy hypothesis)

The huns were not a confederation. They are simply multiple tribes and clans. They stayed this way for a long time. It was only unified under attila. Also since the huns are nomadic they do not stay in one place. Also nomads general stated near civilizations to trade (and maybe some raiding) so it would not be to far of to say that some tribes were so what near parthia. And for about huns and parthia... remember mercenaries are useful and while it may seem far fetched just remember that rome is pretty much at its highest power and for any enemies of this power would like to have some random tribe take the casualties in the initial conflict. Also having mercenaries mean you can focus more of your army on you current objective while the foreigners do the rest. But I will revise it.
 
The huns were not a confederation. They are simply multiple tribes and clans. They stayed this way for a long time. It was only unified under attila.
One of the earliest sources mentions they were ruled by Suni, without mention of another ruler. At this point, it's safe to assume Huns looked like their neighbours : as in a domination of Hunnic clans over the (more important) non-ethnically Hunnic peoples, composing one entity.

From what can be seen about their graves, the only other source about Huns on this period, it seems they recieved a large Sarmatic influence, implying they were no longer "purely" Hunnic but including other peoples as well.

Also since the huns are nomadic they do not stay in one place.
Nomadic doesn't mean going anywhere without reasons (Huns remained on same territories long enough, the same way Mongols or other steppe people after them) : at this point the northern Caucasus region is still under Alan control, and a firm one (it's likely that Alans dominated Huns at this time).
These were the real deal in this region, and actually raided Parthian Caspian coast at this exact same moment IOTL.

Also nomads general stated near civilizations to trade (and maybe some raiding) so it would not be to far of to say that some tribes were so what near parthia.
Not generally : for instance, Huns didn't historically at this point (it's why you have to "move" them after all). While organised states (rather than civilisation : basically, Persian and Sarmatians both participated to the same Iranic civilisation, for exemple) represented an important attraction we know better the tribal confederacies and people around them because they are better sourced by their powerful neighbours.

Also having mercenaries mean you can focus more of your army on you current objective while the foreigners do the rest. But I will revise it.
If you don't mind : I'll suggest you to use Huns as some form of rear-alliance against Alans. It would make sense, for Parthians. That said, it would ask for Alan hegemony to significantly weaken for a time, but it could work.

I'm not sure, though, how much it fits with what you planned : if it doesn't, nevermind.
 
One of the earliest sources mentions they were ruled by Suni, without mention of another ruler. At this point, it's safe to assume Huns looked like their neighbours : as in a domination of Hunnic clans over the (more important) non-ethnically Hunnic peoples, composing one entity.

From what can be seen about their graves, the only other source about Huns on this period, it seems they recieved a large Sarmatic influence, implying they were no longer "purely" Hunnic but including other peoples as well.


Nomadic doesn't mean going anywhere without reasons (Huns remained on same territories long enough, the same way Mongols or other steppe people after them) : at this point the northern Caucasus region is still under Alan control, and a firm one (it's likely that Alans dominated Huns at this time).
These were the real deal in this region, and actually raided Parthian Caspian coast at this exact same moment IOTL.


Not generally : for instance, Huns didn't historically at this point (it's why you have to "move" them after all). While organised states (rather than civilisation : basically, Persian and Sarmatians both participated to the same Iranic civilisation, for exemple) represented an important attraction we know better the tribal confederacies and people around them because they are better sourced by their powerful neighbours.


If you don't mind : I'll suggest you to use Huns as some form of rear-alliance against Alans. It would make sense, for Parthians. That said, it would ask for Alan hegemony to significantly weaken for a time, but it could work.

I'm not sure, though, how much it fits with what you planned : if it doesn't, nevermind.
One problem I have is I don't know the size of parthia at this time period(and the surrounding countries) so it is hard for me to see threats to parthia itself
 
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