Miniseries about Attila the Hun, the ruthless 5th century warrior who helped unite his people in an area that is now Hungary. Tells the story of two worlds colliding and of the two men who embody the values and essence of those worlds. Attila, King of the Huns, is a visionary who sees more in his people than they see in themselves. While the Huns are content to plunder and extort the surrounding nations, Attila looks beyond to the possibility of an empire to a new world order. Roman General Flavius Aetius is motivated by one overriding goal: Rome must continue to rule the world.Brutally orphaned while still a young boy, Attila grows up quickly. Eventually when he's adopted by his uncle, King Rua, the grown Attila becomes a hardened war-leader. His chief rival is his half-brother Bleda. Their mutual hatred intensifies when Bleda notes Attila's interest in a slave girl named N'Kara, and claims her himself, making the rivalry personal as well as political. Attila is talked out of taking revenge by the village soothsayer named Galen, who tells Attila that he is destined for great things and reminds him of the Hun legend of the long-lost sword of the War God, which fell to Earth eons ago. Whoever finds it will unite the Huns and rule the world. She tells Attila that the gods have chosen him for greatness, if he waits for the proper time. dwarfd
In the meantime, Attila draws the attention of Roman general Flavius Aetius, who takes the young warrior under his wing, hoping to establish a friendship that will turn the Huns into allies of Rome. Their relationship is complex, including mutual respect and even affection, mixed with a growing suspicion that the world isn't big enough for both of them. Aetius entices Attila to visit Rome, where he's tempted by its many pleasures, including the charms of an ambitious Roman princess, Honaria. When King Rua dies, Attila returns home and fights a duel with Bleda. Attila wins, claims N'Kara as his own, and becomes leader of the tribe, determined to fulfill the ancient prophecy by uniting all Huns under his own rule. His triumph is marred by the death in childbirth of his beloved N'Kara.
Attila grows in power, conquering other Hun tribes as well as the surrounding nations. Attila is capable of justice and even compassion, but he lives by a single credo: submit to my absolute rule and live, or resist and be destroyed. In the end, he controls more territory than Rome itself and extorts huge payments from the Eastern Roman Empire. There remains only one unconquered region -- the Western Roman Empire, under the effective rule of Attila's old friend and rival, Aetius. As Attila's power increases, he faces an assassination attempt, and the distraction of a woman who seems to be the reincarnation of his beloved N'Kara, but who in fact has a far more sinister purpose in mind. Eventually, Attila turns his attention to the West, and he and Aetius gather their forces for the final confrontation known to history as the Battle of the Chalons, whose outcome decided the fate of Western civilization.
