Attila the Hun in popular culture
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Attila the Hun has had many depictions in popular culture. Many of these depictions either portray him as a great ruler or a ruthless conqueror. Attila has also appeared in numerous German and Norse epics, under the names Etzel and Atli, both with completely different personas. His sudden death remains a fascinating unsolved mystery.


Naming

*Attila is one of the most popular names in Hungary, as for the result of the Royal Court in Hungary proclaimed Attila as the ancestral leader of the ancient Hungarians.


Epic poetry

*The German epic poem ''
Nibelungenlied The ( gmh, Der Nibelunge liet or ), translated as ''The Song of the Nibelungs'', is an epic poem written around 1200 in Middle High German. Its anonymous poet was likely from the region of Passau. The is based on an oral tradition of Germani ...
'' portrays Etzel as a noble and generous ally, while Atli in the '' Volsunga Saga'' and the ''
Poetic Edda The ''Poetic Edda'' is the modern name for an untitled collection of Old Norse anonymous narrative poems, which is distinct from the ''Prose Edda'' written by Snorri Sturluson. Several versions exist, all primarily of text from the Icelandic med ...
'' (as well as Ætla in
Widsith "Widsith" ( ang, Wīdsīþ, "far-traveller", lit. "wide-journey"), also known as "The Traveller's Song", is an Old English poem of 143 lines. It survives only in the ''Exeter Book'', a manuscript of Old English poetry compiled in the late-10th c ...
) is a cruel miser. It is the latter description which appears in J.R.R. Tolkien's adaptation of the legend, which was published in 2009 and titled,
The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrun ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the ...
. *Attila is briefly mentioned in the Italian epic ''
The Divine Comedy The ''Divine Comedy'' ( it, Divina Commedia ) is an Italian narrative poem by Dante Alighieri, begun 1308 and completed in around 1321, shortly before the author's death. It is widely considered the pre-eminent work in Italian literature an ...
'' in the outer ring of the seventh circle of the ''
Inferno Inferno may refer to: * Hell, an afterlife place of suffering * Conflagration, a large uncontrolled fire Film * ''L'Inferno'', a 1911 Italian film * Inferno (1953 film), ''Inferno'' (1953 film), a film noir by Roy Ward Baker * Inferno (1973 fi ...
'' (Inferno XII 133–138) in which Dante describes Attila as the "scourge of the earth", charging him with the destruction of
Florence Florence ( ; it, Firenze ) is a city in Central Italy and the capital city of the Tuscany Regions of Italy, region. It is the most populated city in Tuscany, with 383,083 inhabitants in 2016, and over 1,520,000 in its metropolitan area.Bilan ...
. However this is a blunder by Dante, who confuses Attila with the
Ostrogothic The Ostrogoths ( la, Ostrogothi, Austrogothi) were a Roman-era Germanic people. In the 5th century, they followed the Visigoths in creating one of the two great Gothic kingdoms within the Roman Empire, based upon the large Gothic populations who ...
king and warlord
Totila Totila, original name Baduila (died 1 July 552), was the penultimate King of the Ostrogoths, reigning from 541 to 552 AD. A skilled military and political leader, Totila reversed the tide of the Gothic War, recovering by 543 almost all the t ...
. *Hungarian poet
János Arany János Arany (; archaic English: John Arany; 2 March 1817 – 22 October 1882) was a Hungarian poet, writer, translator and journalist. He is often said to be the "Shakespeare of ballads" – he wrote more than 102 ballads that have been transl ...
wrote an epic poem about Attila and his brother Bleda called ''Buda halála'' (The Death of King Buda) which is part of a larger work titled ''A Csaba-trilógia'' (The Csaba Trilogy).


Historical fiction

* G. P. R. James' ''Attila'' (1837) is a three-decker novel about the leader's life. * Hungarian Géza Gárdonyi's novel ''A láthatatlan ember'' (1901) (published in English as '' Slave of the Huns'' and largely based on Priscus) offered a sympathetic portrait of Attila as a wise and beloved leader. This reflects the positive way in which Attila, his last wife Ildikó and his brother Bleda are viewed in Hungary and Turkey. * Dahn, Felix. * Seredy, Kate wrote the novel '' The White Stag'', the
Newbery Medal The John Newbery Medal, frequently shortened to the Newbery, is a literary award given by the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), a division of the American Library Association (ALA), to the author of "the most distinguished cont ...
winning book of 1938, which is a retelling of the legend of the rise of Attila the Hun written in lyric prose. *
Will Cuppy William Jacob Cuppy (August 23, 1884 – September 19, 1949) was an American humorist and literary critic, known for his satirical books about nature and historical figures. Early life Cuppy was born in Auburn, Indiana. He was named "Will" i ...
, in his satirical work ''The Decline and Fall of Practically Everybody'' (1950), said "Attila's name does not rhyme with vanilla, as it used to in my day. It is now believed that, if children can be taught to accent Attila on the first syllable, things may take a turn for the better." * Harold Lamb's short story "The Secret of Victory" (1953) features Attila. * Costain, Thomas. (1959) '' The Darkness and Dawn'' is written from the point of view of Nicolan, carried into slavery from his home on the Danube and after many adventures becoming Attila's aide – but also becoming romantically involved with the beautiful Ildico, which is quite dangerous. * ''The Death of Attila'' by
Cecelia Holland Cecelia Holland (born December 31, 1943) is an American historical fiction novelist. Early life and education Holland was born December 31, 1943, in Henderson, Nevada. She grew up in Metuchen, New Jersey, where she started writing at age 12, rec ...
(1973) takes place in 453, with the tensions and uncertainty of Attila's last year being the background for an unlikely friendship between Tacs, a young, ne'er-do-well Hunnish warrior, and Dietric, son of a Germanic subject king. * Burgess, Anthony. This British writer wrote a biographical novella about Attila entitled ''Hun'' which was published in the story collection ''The Devil's Mode'' (1989). * Stephan Grundy included Attila in his novel ''Rhinegold'', a retelling of the entire
Sigurð Sigurd ( non, Sigurðr ) or Siegfried (Middle High German: ''Sîvrit'') is a legendary hero of Germanic heroic legend, who killed a dragon and was later murdered. It is possible he was inspired by one or more figures from the Frankish Meroving ...
cycle. (1994) * Stephan Grundy: Attila's Treasure, Bantam, 1996, ISBN 0-553-37774-4 (1996) * Dietrich, William. (2005) ''The Scourge of God: A Novel of the Roman Empire'' ( HarperTorch, ) Set in the final days of the Roman Empire, Dietrich's fifth novel follows the attempt of Attila the Hun to conquer the West. * Ford, Michael Curtis (2005) ''The Sword of Attila: A Novel of the Last Years of Rome'' St. Martin's . * Attila is a powerful and charismatic figure in William Napier's ongoing trilogy, ''Attila'' **''Attila'' (Orion Books Ltd, 2005, ). **''The Gathering of the Storm'' (Orion Books Ltd, 2007, ) **''Attila: Judgement (2008).


Other fiction

*
Count Dracula Count Dracula () is the title character of Bram Stoker's 1897 gothic horror novel ''Dracula''. He is considered to be both the prototypical and the archetypal vampire in subsequent works of fiction. Aspects of the character are believed by some ...
in Bram Stoker's novel '' Dracula'' claims to be descended from Attila: ''"What devil or what witch was ever so great as Attila, whose blood is in these veins?"'' * R.K. Narayan's '' Malgudi Days'' has a chapter on a
mongrel A mongrel, mutt or mixed-breed dog is a dog that does not belong to one officially recognized breed and including those that are the result of intentional breeding. Although the term ''mixed-breed dog'' is sometimes preferred, many mongre ...
dog named after Attila, King of the Huns. * Wess Roberts has used Attila as a fictional mouthpiece for his thoughts on management, "Leadership Secrets of Attila the Hun" and "Victory Secrets of Attila the Hun". * The plot of
Clive Cussler Clive Eric Cussler (July 15, 1931 – February 24, 2020) was an American adventure novelist and underwater explorer. His thriller novels, many featuring the character Dirk Pitt, have reached ''The New York Times'' fiction best-seller list m ...
's 2012 thriller, ''The Tombs'', revolves around a fictional race to discover Attila the Hun's tomb and multiple caches of secret treasure, between competing groups of treasure-hunters/archaeologists and an eastern European crime syndicate. * In
Poul Anderson Poul William Anderson (November 25, 1926 – July 31, 2001) was an American fantasy and science fiction author who was active from the 1940s until the 21st century. Anderson wrote also historical novels. His awards include seven Hugo Awards and ...
's novel ''The Dancer from Atlantis'', four time-travelers from different periods are accidentally thrown together. When the American protagonist finds that one of his fellow castaways is a Hunnish warrior, he asks him about Attila – but the Hun is from an earlier period, and had never heard the name.


Non-fiction

* In the 2011 book ''The Global Industrial Complex: Systems of Domination'', Sociologist David Nibert compared the animal–industrial complex to Attila the Hun for the complex's being destructive in its ruthless pursuit of resources such as land and water to rear all animals as a source of profit.


Film and television

*A TV miniseries, '' Attila'', which was produced in 2000 and was broadcast in 2001, stars
Gerard Butler Gerard James Butler (born 13 November 1969) is a Scottish actor and film producer. After studying law, he turned to acting in the mid-1990s with small roles in productions such as '' Mrs Brown'' (1997), the James Bond film '' Tomorrow Never ...
as Attila and
Powers Boothe Powers Allen Boothe (June 1, 1948 – May 14, 2017) was an American actor. He won an Emmy in 1980 for his portrayal of Jim Jones in '' Guyana Tragedy: The Story of Jim Jones''. He also played saloon owner Cy Tolliver on '' Deadwood'', "C ...
as
Flavius Aëtius Aetius (also spelled Aëtius; ; 390 – 454) was a Roman general and statesman of the closing period of the Western Roman Empire. He was a military commander and the most influential man in the Empire for two decades (433454). He managed pol ...
. Directed by Dick Lowry and written by Robert Cochran. Winner of 2002 ASC award and nominated for 2 Golden Reel awards. *
Anthony Quinn Manuel Antonio Rodolfo Quinn Oaxaca (April 21, 1915 – June 3, 2001), known professionally as Anthony Quinn, was a Mexican-American actor. He was known for his portrayal of earthy, passionate characters "marked by a brutal and elemental v ...
played the title role in '' Attila'', a 1954 Franco-Italian film, co-starring Sophia Loren as Honoria. *Attila was portrayed by
Jack Palance Jack Palance ( ; born Volodymyr Palahniuk ( uk, Володимир Палагню́к); February 18, 1919 – November 10, 2006) was an American actor known for playing tough guys and villains. He was nominated for three Academy Awards, all fo ...
in
Douglas Sirk Douglas Sirk (born Hans Detlef Sierck; 26 April 1897 – 14 January 1987) was a German film director best known for his work in Hollywood melodramas of the 1950s. Sirk started his career in Germany as a stage and screen director, but he left for ...
's ''
Sign of the Pagan ''Sign of the Pagan'' is a 1954 American historical drama film directed by Douglas Sirk, shot in CinemaScope (color by Technicolor), and released by Universal Pictures. The film stars Jeff Chandler, Jack Palance, Ludmilla Tchérina, and Rita ...
'' (1954). *Attila was portrayed by
Rudolf Klein-Rogge Friedrich Rudolf Klein (24 November 1885 – 29 May 1955), better known as Rudolf Klein-Rogge, was a German film actor, best known for playing sinister figures in films in the 1920s and 1930s as well as being a mainstay in director Fritz Lang's ...
in
Fritz Lang Friedrich Christian Anton Lang (; December 5, 1890 – August 2, 1976), known as Fritz Lang, was an Austrian film director, screenwriter, and producer who worked in Germany and later the United States.Obituary ''Variety'', August 4, 1976, p. 6 ...
's 1924 fantasy epic ''
Die Nibelungen ''Die Nibelungen'' ("The Nibelungs") is a two-part series of silent fantasy films created by Austrian director Fritz Lang in 1924, consisting of ''Die Nibelungen: Siegfried'' and ''Die Nibelungen: Kriemhild's Revenge''. The scenarios for bo ...
: Kriemhild's Revenge'' where he is a main and sympathetic character in this retelling of the ''
Nibelungenlied The ( gmh, Der Nibelunge liet or ), translated as ''The Song of the Nibelungs'', is an epic poem written around 1200 in Middle High German. Its anonymous poet was likely from the region of Passau. The is based on an oral tradition of Germani ...
'' and the Siegfried legend. *In 2016's
History Channel History (formerly The History Channel from January 1, 1995 to February 15, 2008, stylized as HISTORY) is an American pay television network and flagship channel owned by A&E Networks, a joint venture between Hearst Communications and the Disney ...
docu-drama mini-series,
Barbarians Rising ''Barbarians Rising'' is an American docudrama television series executive produced by Adam Bullmore and produced by Chloe Leland and Michael Waterhouse that airs on History Channel. It premiered on June 6, 2016. Synopsis The series is told fr ...
- several 'barbaric' leaders are explored in the context of the rise and fall of
Ancient Rome In modern historiography, ancient Rome refers to Roman civilisation from the founding of the city of Rome in the 8th century BC to the collapse of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century AD. It encompasses the Roman Kingdom (753–509 BC ...
, including Attila- played by
Romanian Romanian may refer to: *anything of, from, or related to the country and nation of Romania **Romanians, an ethnic group **Romanian language, a Romance language *** Romanian dialects, variants of the Romanian language ** Romanian cuisine, tradition ...
actor
Emil Hostina Emil or Emile may refer to: Literature *'' Emile, or On Education'' (1762), a treatise on education by Jean-Jacques Rousseau * ''Émile'' (novel) (1827), an autobiographical novel based on Émile de Girardin's early life *'' Emil and the Detecti ...
. * In an episode of "The Dick Van Dyke Show," Rob Petrie sings: *In the ''
Garfield and Friends ''Garfield and Friends'' is an American animated television series based on the comic strip ''Garfield'' by Jim Davis. The show aired on CBS as part of its Saturday morning children's lineup from September 17, 1988 to December 10, 1994. The sho ...
'' episode ''Fine-Feathered Funny Man'', Roy dresses up as a warrior with fake arrows pretending to have been speared and lies to Wade the Duck that Attila the Hun is coming. Wade the Duck stated that Attila the Hun was dead for 1500 years, then Roy states that's what he wants them to believe. Wade then panics and runs for his life with Roy laughing. *One episode of
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
's docudrama
Heroes and Villains "Heroes and Villains" is a song by the American rock band the Beach Boys from their 1967 album '' Smiley Smile'' and their unfinished ''Smile'' project. Written by Brian Wilson and Van Dyke Parks, Wilson envisioned the song as an Old West-the ...
features Attila. *Patrick Gallagher played Attila in the 2006 movie ''
Night at the Museum ''Night at the Museum'' is a 2006 fantasy comedy film directed by Shawn Levy and written by Robert Ben Garant and Thomas Lennon. It is based on the 1993 children's book of the same name by Croatian illustrator Milan Trenc. The film had an ense ...
'', as a misunderstood and abused man looking for someone to reach out to. In the film he appears to be of Asian ancestry, having more in common with the
Mongols The Mongols ( mn, Монголчууд, , , ; ; russian: Монголы) are an East Asian ethnic group native to Mongolia, Inner Mongolia in China and the Buryatia Republic of the Russian Federation. The Mongols are the principal membe ...
than the actual Huns, and it's possible that the character may have originally been written to be Genghis Khan. Gallagher reprised the role in the sequels, '' Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian'' in 2009 and '' Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb'' in 2014. * Monty Python in one episode, presented a parody of a sitcom entitled, ''The Attila the Hun Show!'' and later an animated ''Attila the Bun Show''. *Attila the Hun appeared in the '' Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius'' episode ''Carl Wheezer, Boy Genius'', when Carl mistakenly brought him back instead of a Swedish poet as he intended to. In this series, he is voiced by Jim Cummings. Also, in another, a comedian clone of Jimmy said that a bad clone of Jimmy is so bad, he makes Attila look like
Bambi ''Bambi'' is a 1942 American animated drama film directed by David Hand (supervising a team of sequence directors), produced by Walt Disney and based on the 1923 book ''Bambi, a Life in the Woods'' by Austrian author and hunter Felix Salten ...
. *On the ''
Simpsons ''The Simpsons'' is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical depiction of American life, epitomized by the Simpson family, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, a ...
'' episode "
Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire" (titled onscreen as "The Simpsons Christmas Special") is the series premiere of the American animated television series ''The Simpsons''. It first aired on Fox in the United States on December 17, 1989. Intro ...
", Bart mentions Attila towards the end of the song "
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer is a fictional reindeer created by Robert L. May. Rudolph is usually depicted as the ninth and youngest of Santa Claus's reindeer, using his luminous red nose to lead the reindeer team and guide Santa's sleigh on ...
". Homer strangles him for doing so. *Attila the Hun appeared in an episode of ''
Johnny Test ''Johnny Test'' is an animated television series created by Scott Fellows, originally produced in the United States by Warner Bros. Animation and later produced in Canada by Cookie Jar Entertainment. It premiered on Kids' WB on September 17 ...
'', who was brought by Johnny and Dukey to help the weakest
hockey Hockey is a term used to denote a family of various types of both summer and winter team sports which originated on either an outdoor field, sheet of ice, or dry floor such as in a gymnasium. While these sports vary in specific rules, numbers o ...
team, The Porkbelly Ice Pigs, along with a caveman,
vikings Vikings ; non, víkingr is the modern name given to seafaring people originally from Scandinavia (present-day Denmark, Norway and Sweden), who from the late 8th to the late 11th centuries raided, pirated, traded and ...
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Mongolia Mongolia; Mongolian script: , , ; lit. "Mongol Nation" or "State of Mongolia" () is a landlocked country in East Asia, bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south. It covers an area of , with a population of just 3.3 million, ...
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warrior A warrior is a person specializing in combat or warfare, especially within the context of a tribal or clan-based warrior culture society that recognizes a separate warrior aristocracies, class, or caste. History Warriors seem to have be ...
, and a knight. *In the movie ''a.w.o.l'', Jean-Claude Van Damme's final opponent is a huge fighter named Attila, who is played by Abdel Qissi. Attila is not only a large fighter, he is known for first toying with his opponents, then tearing them apart ruthlessly. *In the episode " Kif Gets Knocked Up a Notch" of '' Futurama'', Attila was one of several simulations of evil characters accidentally brought to life (others included
Jack the Ripper Jack the Ripper was an unidentified serial killer active in and around the impoverished Whitechapel district of London, England, in the autumn of 1888. In both criminal case files and the contemporaneous journalistic accounts, the killer w ...
and Professor Moriarty). *In the anime '' Pokémon'', two members of Team Rocket are named Attila and Hun. *The History Channel's ''Ancients Behaving Badly'' episode ''Attila the Hun'' (
History Channel History (formerly The History Channel from January 1, 1995 to February 15, 2008, stylized as HISTORY) is an American pay television network and flagship channel owned by A&E Networks, a joint venture between Hearst Communications and the Disney ...
, A&E Television Networks, original airdate 2009-11-13) features Attila, naming him "history's first great terrorist" interested only in "naked power and money", "creating nothing, building nothing" and scoring the highest (worst) score on the show's "psycho-meter", finding Attila one of the greatest psychopaths in history. *The second episode of season two of Spike TV's ''
Deadliest Warrior ''Deadliest Warrior'' is an American television program in which information on historical or modern warriors and their weapons are used to determine which of them is the "deadliest" based upon tests performed during each episode. The show was c ...
'', which features computer simulated battles between historical warriors, features Attila the Hun versus
Alexander the Great Alexander III of Macedon ( grc, Ἀλέξανδρος, Alexandros; 20/21 July 356 BC – 10/11 June 323 BC), commonly known as Alexander the Great, was a king of the ancient Greek kingdom of Macedon. He succeeded his father Philip II to ...
, in which Attila defeated Alexander, winning 596 fights out of 1000. *One of the Punk Frogs in the '' 1987 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoon'' was named Atila the Frog. *The villain of ''
Superman III ''Superman III'' is a 1983 superhero film directed by Richard Lester from a screenplay by David Newman and Leslie Newman based on the DC Comics character Superman. It is the third installment in the ''Superman'' film series and a sequel to '' ...
'', Ross Webster, attributes the following quote to Attila the Hun, "It is not enough that I succeed. uteveryone else must fail." *Attila the Hun appeared in the episode "Damn Bundys" of the television show '' Married... with Children'' in which he played football for the
devil A devil is the personification of evil as it is conceived in various cultures and religious traditions. It is seen as the objectification of a hostile and destructive force. Jeffrey Burton Russell states that the different conceptions of ...
's team. *Attila makes a few appearances in the French series ''
Kaamelott ''Kaamelott'' is a French comedy medieval fantasy television series created, directed, written, scored, and edited by Alexandre Astier, who also starred as the main character. Based on the Arthurian legends, it followed the daily lives of King Arth ...
'', in which he attempts to ransom King Arthur for British gold. In the series, Arthur encounters Attila expecting to meet the bloodthirsty conqueror everyone is afraid of, but instead faces a short, nervous, comically naïve warrior commanding an army of two (including himself), who always gets persuaded out of Britain without a fight. This version of Attila, played by
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ese actor Lan Truong, is depicted as Eastern Asian, including a fake Chinese accent. *A line in the ''
Animal House ''National Lampoon's Animal House'' is a 1978 American comedy film directed by John Landis and written by Harold Ramis, Douglas Kenney and Chris Miller. It stars John Belushi, Peter Riegert, Tim Matheson, John Vernon, Verna Bloom, Thomas Hu ...
'' theme song says "Chip, Doug and Greg, they're second to none/They studied under Attila the Hun". *On ''
Animaniacs ''Animaniacs'' is an American animated comedy musical television series created by Tom Ruegger for Fox Broadcasting Company's Fox Kids block in 1993, before moving to The WB in 1995, as part of its Kids' WB afternoon programming block, until ...
'', Atilla was the subject of two separate shorts: the first, "Valuable Lesson", opens with him being harassed by the Warners, before they are abruptly taken away by obnoxious network censors. Seeking revenge, Attila follows them to the network (committing acts of vandalism along the way) and corners the kids, but ends up pummeling the censors instead when they call him a "naughty man." His other appearance is in a musical number, "Here Comes Attila", in which Yakko sings about his exploits, facetiously adding that he liked to steal trivial items like socks and pillows. *One of the verses in the ''
Pinky and the Brain ''Pinky and the Brain'' is an American animated television series that was created by Tom Ruegger that premiered on Kids' WB on September 9, 1995. It was the first animated television series to be presented in Dolby Surround and the fourth col ...
'' musical short "A Meticulous Analysis of History" is about Attila. Brain describes him as having "ransacked
Asia Minor Anatolia, tr, Anadolu Yarımadası), and the Anatolian plateau, also known as Asia Minor, is a large peninsula in Western Asia and the westernmost protrusion of the Asian continent. It constitutes the major part of modern-day Turkey. The re ...
just for fun" and cites his defeat at the Battle of the Catalaunian Plains. *In ''
Love and Death ''Love and Death'' is a 1975 American comedy film written and directed by Woody Allen. It is a satire on Russian literature starring Allen and Diane Keaton as Boris and Sonja, Russians living during the Napoleonic Era who engage in mock-serious ...
'', Boris and Sonja are debating the morality of their plan to assassinate Napoleon. She says, "Violence is justified in the service of mankind." He asks, "Who said ''that?''" She answers, "Attila the Hun."


Music

*In 1846 Giuseppe Verdi composed an opera, '' Attila'', based on the play ''Attila, König der Hunnen'' ("Attila, King of the Huns") by
Zacharias Werner Friedrich Ludwig Zacharias Werner (November 18, 1768 – January 17, 1823) was a German poet, dramatist, and preacher. As a dramatist, he is known mainly for inaugurating the era of the so-called "tragedies of fate". Biography Werner was born at ...
. *In 1981, American progressive-jazz-rock group
Dixie Dregs The Dixie Dregs is an American rock band from Augusta, Georgia. Formed in 1970, the band's performance consists entirely of instrumentals that fuse elements of diverse genres such as rock, classical music, country, jazz and bluegrass into an e ...
released ''
Unsung Heroes ''Unsung Heroes'', also known as ''Unknown Heroes'' or more literally as ''Nameless Heroes'', is a North Korean war drama mini-series about a spy in Seoul during the Korean War. Over twenty hours long, it was filmed and released in multiple part ...
'', voted best guitar album of 1981 by the readers of ''
Guitar Player ''Guitar Player'' is an American popular magazine for guitarists, founded in 1967 in San Jose, California San Jose, officially San José (; ; ), is a major city in the U.S. state of California that is the cultural, financial, and politica ...
'' magazine. Track 6 is called "Attila the Hun". *In 1993, Hungarian musician Levente Szörényi premiered his rock opera titled ''Attila-Isten kardja'' ("Attila, Sword of God"). *The 1994 debut album of the Norwegian
black metal Black metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Common traits include fast tempos, a shrieking vocal style, heavily distorted guitars played with tremolo picking, raw (lo-fi) recording, unconventional song structures, and an emp ...
band
Dimmu Borgir Dimmu Borgir () is a Norwegian symphonic black metal band from Jessheim, formed in 1993. The name is derived from Dimmuborgir, a volcanic formation in Iceland, the name of which means "dark cities" or "dark castles/fortresses" in Icelandic, ...
has a song entitled "Hunnerkongens Sorgsvarde Ferd Over Steppene" ("The King of the Huns' Sorrowful Black Journey Across the Steppes" in English). The song, as the title suggests, is about Attila. *In the song "Say What You Say" by Eminem, from his 2002 album ''
The Eminem Show ''The Eminem Show'' is the fourth studio album by American rapper Eminem. After it had originally scheduled for release on June 4, 2002, the album was released nine days earlier on May 26, 2002, through Shady Records, Aftermath Entertainment, and ...
'': "When I was little I knew I would / blow up and sell a mil' or / grow up to be Atilla, / go nuts and be a killa." *In the song ''I'm Bad'' by LL Cool J, from his 1987 album ''
Bigger and Deffer ''Bigger and Deffer'' (abbreviated as ''BAD'' on the album cover) is the second studio album by American rapper LL Cool J, released on May 29, 1987 by Def Jam Recordings and Columbia Records. It features the hit single “I’m Bad”, and th ...
'': ″You're a novice I'm noble and I decipher my tongue/ not Attila the Hun nor Abdullah his son″. *The song ''Attila'' from
Iced Earth Iced Earth is an American heavy metal band formed in Tampa, Florida and currently based in Columbus, Indiana. They were formed in 1984 under the name the Rose, then Purgatory, by guitarist and main songwriter Jon Schaffer and original drummer ...
's 2004 album ''
The Glorious Burden ''The Glorious Burden'' is the seventh studio album by the American power metal band Iced Earth. It is a concept album, which explores various moments in military history, such as the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the American Revol ...
'' relates to the events around the Battle of Chalons. * The song ''Atilla'' from album ''Fhoenix'' 2011 russian metal-bands
Aria In music, an aria ( Italian: ; plural: ''arie'' , or ''arias'' in common usage, diminutive form arietta , plural ariette, or in English simply air) is a self-contained piece for one voice, with or without instrumental or orchestral accompa ...
. * Rapper Watsky refers to Attila in his 2012 song "Gummy Bear Hundrednaire" with the lyrics "I'm working on my Carter flow/I'm Atilla the Hun/I'm bucking the run of mill/I'm a fucking gorilla/I'm coming to thrill 'em/and I'm no bigger than a garden gnome."


Comics

* BD series ''Attila... mon amour'' of Franck Bonnet published in six albums by Glénat from 1998 to 2003 is the story of a relationship between Attila and the fictional feral woman Luva. *The syndicated comic strip ''
Hägar the Horrible ''Hägar the Horrible'' is the title and main character of an American comic strip created by cartoonist Dik Browne and syndicated by King Features Syndicate. It first appeared in February 1973 and was an immediate success. Since Browne's retirem ...
'' features Attila as an occasional rival to main character Hägar. *The comic strip witch '' Broom Hilda'' is Attila's ex-wife. *In
Fawcett Comics Fawcett Comics, a division of Fawcett Publications, was one of several successful comic book publishers during the Golden Age of Comic Books in the 1940s. Its most popular character was Captain Marvel (DC Comics), Captain Marvel, the alter ego of ...
, one of the four historical villains the Captain Marvel villain
Ibac Ibac is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Fawcett Comics and DC Comics. He is often depicted as a foe of Captain Marvel. Publication history Created by writer Otto Binder and artist C.C. Beck, he first appear ...
gets his powers from are Attila, who gives him fierceness. Attila appears in Ibac's first appearance where
Lucifer Lucifer is one of various figures in folklore associated with the planet Venus. The entity's name was subsequently absorbed into Christianity as a name for the devil. Modern scholarship generally translates the term in the relevant Bible passa ...
summons up the beings that give Ibac power. In another story he is in a limbo-like state with the other three villains and is able to telepathically communicate with Ibac and take away his powers when he fails. In an earlier story the mad scientist
Doctor Sivana Doctor Thaddeus Bodog Sivana is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Bill Parker and C. C. Beck, the character is a recurring enemy of the superhero Captain Marvel/Shazam, both of whom first appe ...
brings Attila back to life using a reincarnation machine, but sends Attila back with Cap's help when Attila tries to take over from him. Here Attila is shown as possessing
superhuman strength Superhuman strength is a superpower commonly invoked in fiction and other literary works such as mythology. A fictionalized representation of the phenomenon of hysterical strength, it is the power to exert force and lift weights beyond what is ph ...
, able to break three men's necks with a single blow. *In All-Star Comics #38 he is one of a group of historical villains who are committing murders and battle the
Justice Society of America The Justice Society of America (JSA, or Justice Society (JS)) is a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The team was conceived by editor Sheldon Mayer and writer Gardner Fox during the Golden Age of Comic Boo ...
, Attila murders Johnny Thunder. They are revealed to all be a wax museum guard in disguise, who is killed at the end when he falls into a vat of hot wax. *In
Leading Comics ''Leading Comics'' is a 1942–1955 comic book published by what is now DC Comics during the 1940s and early 1950s, a period known to fans and historians as the Golden Age of Comic Books. At the title's inception, DC was actually two companies, Na ...
#3 he is one of five historical tyrants summoned up by Doctor Doome to steal materials to power his time machine and send him into the Future. He tries to steal
Tantalum Tantalum is a chemical element with the symbol Ta and atomic number 73. Previously known as ''tantalium'', it is named after Tantalus, a villain in Greek mythology. Tantalum is a very hard, ductile, lustrous, blue-gray transition metal that ...
in South Dakota, but is defeated by the
Vigilante (comics) Vigilante is the name used by several fictional characters appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Notable individuals to assume the alias include Greg Saunders and Adrian Chase. An original incarnation of Vigilante named Vince ...
and returns to his own time. * ''
The Far Side ''The Far Side'' is a single-panel comic created by Gary Larson and syndicated by Chronicle Features and then Universal Press Syndicate, which ran from December 31, 1979, to January 1, 1995 (when Larson retired as a cartoonist). Its surreali ...
'' depicts a vagrant who is nearly assaulted by soldiers from upon high on the castle walls. The comic captures the man at a moment of panicked explanation in which he says "No, No....I'm Al Tilly, The Bum." * In the Turkish comic named Tarkan, the character Tarkan is Attila's raider. Attila appears here as a supporting character. This comic was later filmed in a series of Turkish movies, which starred
Kartal Tibet Kartal Tibet (27 March 1939 – 1 July 2021) was a Turkish actor and film director. Some of his famous films include ''Ölmeyen Aşk'', ''Dağlar Kızı'', ''Senede Bir Gün'', ''Sultan'', ''Zübük'', ''Gol Kralı'', and '' Şalvar Davası''. T ...
as Tarkan. * IDW Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Arnold Casey Jones Sr. who formed the Purple Dragon gang was nickname Attila the Hun or just Hun.


Toys

*In June 2004
McFarlane Toys McFarlane Toys is an American company founded by comic book creator Todd McFarlane which makes highly detailed model action figures of characters from films, comics, popular music, video games and various sporting genres. The company, a subsidia ...
released
action figure An action figure is a poseable character model figure made most commonly of plastic, and often based upon characters from a film, comic book, military, video game or television program; fictional or historical. These figures are usually mark ...
of Attila, series of "'' McFarlane's Monsters III: 6 Faces of Madness''" and recommended for mature collectors.


Games

*In '' Age of Empires II: The Conquerors'' expansion, Attila the Hun is a campaign hero. *In the game '' The Dig'' (
LucasArts Lucasfilm Games (known as LucasArts between 1990 and 2021) is an American video game licensor that is part of Lucasfilm. It was founded in May 1982 by George Lucas as a video game development group alongside his film company; as part of a large ...
) the asteroid is named Attila after the leader of the Huns. *Attila is the general leading the Hunnic Army on '' Rome Total War: Barbarian Invasion'' on one of the Historical Battles, the Battle of Châlons. *Attila appears in ''
Dante's Inferno ''Inferno'' (; Italian for "Hell") is the first part of Italian writer Dante Alighieri's 14th-century epic poem ''Divine Comedy''. It is followed by ''Purgatorio'' and '' Paradiso''. The ''Inferno'' describes Dante's journey through Hell, gui ...
'' in the Seventh circle of Hell, Violence, where he can be punished or absolved by Dante Alighieri. *In '' Civilization V: Gods & Kings'', Attila appears as Leader of the
Huns The Huns were a nomadic people who lived in Central Asia, the Caucasus, and Eastern Europe between the 4th and 6th century AD. According to European tradition, they were first reported living east of the Volga River, in an area that was part ...
. *In '' Total War: Attila'', Attila is the leader of the Hunnic faction and the main focal point of the game. *In the mobile game
Fate/Grand Order is a free-to-play Japanese mobile game, developed by Lasengle (formerly Delightworks) using Unity, and published by Aniplex, a subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment Japan. The game is based on Type-Moon's ''Fate/stay night'' franchise, and w ...
, Attila is manifested as a female Saber-class Servant. * In the game Fate/Extella: The Umbral Star, Attila appears as one of the primary antagonists to the player. *Attila is a playable character in the Mobile/PC Game
Rise of Kingdoms Rise or RISE may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Fictional entities * '' Rise: The Vieneo Province'', an internet-based virtual world * Rise FM, a fictional radio station in the video game ''Grand Theft Auto 3'' * Rise Kujikawa, a vide ...
.


Politics

* Senator
Kelly Loeffler Kelly Lynn Loeffler (, ; born November 27, 1970) is an American businesswoman and politician who served as a United States senator for Georgia from 2020 to 2021. Loeffler was chief executive officer (CEO) of Bakkt, a subsidiary of commodity and ...
described herself as being "more conservative than Attila the Hun" during her campaign for the
2020–21 United States Senate special election in Georgia The 2020–21 United States Senate special election in Georgia was held on November 3, 2020, and on January 5, 2021 (as a runoff), to elect the Class III member of the United States Senate to represent the State of Georgia. Democrat Raphae ...
.


References

{{Huns Fiction set in the 5th century