Flavius Aetius, The Last Conqueror This book brings to life in sweeping color and romance the last years of the Western Roman Empire. It focuses on the remarkable relationship of Empress Galla Placida and the last great Roman General Flavius Aetius. This turbulent relationship, which this historical romance sets squarely as dramatic and star crossed love affair with the fate of Empire riding on it, frames the history of Rome in the throes of decline, but still flickering its thousand-year light on Europe, keeping the encroaching darkness at bay. The brilliance of the protagonists, who faced down the threats of Alaric, coups, religious conflicts, and Attila, is detailed in a sweeping tale of Rome, fighting for its last gasps of air. Characters such as Theodosius, Stilicho, St. Augustine, Alaric, and others fill the panoply and splendor of a dying empire, and the two individuals who struggled, as they saw it, to maintain their world, even sacrificing their love to achieve that end. Aetius and Galla are portrayed as passionate lovers caught in the maelstrom of power and drawn to oppose each other over policy and events, although always in love. Passion and love underscore historical events and the fictional relationship of these two historical characters. It is a full blooded tale that moves through history and romance, blending both in a comprehensive tale of a world in

Flavius Aetius: Twilight of Empire The story of Flavius Aetius: The Last Conqueror continues in this sequel bringing to life in sweeping color and romance the last years of the Western Roman Empire. It focuses on the remarkable relationship of Empress Galla Placida and the last great Roman General Flavius Aetius. This turbulent relationship, which this historical romance sets squarely as a dramatic and star crossed love affair with the fate of Empire riding on it, frames the history of Rome in the throes of decline, but still flickering its thousand-year light on Europe, keeping the encroaching darkness at bay. The brilliance of the protagonists, who faced down the threats of Alaric, coups, religious conflicts, and Attila, is detailed in a sweeping tale of Rome, fighting for its last gasps of air. Characters such as Honorius, Stilicho, St. Augustine, Alaric, and others fill the panoply and splendor of a dying empire, and the two individuals who struggled, as they saw it, to maintain their world, even sacrificing their love to achieve that end. Aetius and Galla are portrayed as passionate lovers caught in the maelstrom of power and drawn to oppose each other over policy and events, although always in love. Passion and love underscore historical events and the fictional relationship of these two historical characters. It is a full blooded tale that moves through history and romance, blending both in a comprehensive tale of a world in transition and the people whose efforts held the deluge at bay and transformed the very process of change.

High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! Flavius Aetius (c. 396-454), dux et patricius, was a Roman general of the closing period of the Western Roman Empire. He was an able military commander and the most influential man in the Western Roman Empire for two decades (433-454). He managed policy in regard to the attacks of barbarian peoples pressing on the Empire. Notably, he gathered a large Roman and barbarian army to win the Battle of the Catalaunian Plains, ending the famous Hunnic invasion of Attila in 451.

“The history of Aetius’ life and his dealings with Attila . . . [and] of the (western) Roman Empire throughout the pivotal fifth century.” —Ancient Warfare Magazine In AD 453, Attila—with a huge force composed of Huns, allies, and vassals drawn from his already-vast empire—was rampaging westward across Gaul (essentially modern France), then still nominally part of the Western Roman Empire. Laying siege to Orleans, he was only a few days march from extending his empire from the Eurasian steppe to the Atlantic. He was brought to battle on the Catalaunian Plain and defeated by a coalition hastily assembled and led by Aetius. Who was this man that saved Western Europe from the Hunnic yoke? Aetius is one of the major figures in the history of the late Roman Empire and his actions helped maintain the integrity of the West in the declining years of the Empire. During the course of his life he was a hostage, first with Alaric and the Goths, and then with Rugila, king of the Huns. His stay with these two peoples helped to give him an unparalleled insight into the minds and military techniques of these “barbarians” which he was to use in later years to halt the depredations of the Huns. Ian Hughes assesses Aetius’ fascinating career and campaigns with the same accessible narrative and analysis he brought to bear on Belisarius and Stilicho. “A lively, often insightful account of the declining years of Roman power in the West which will be of interest to students of Roman history, the onset of the Dark ages and early Byzantine history.” —The New York Military Affairs Symposium

Only one man has the power and courage to preserve Rome from utter destruction-but to save the Empire, he must first overcome the Sword of Attila. In an epic campaign that historians have called the most crucial in history, two great warriors match strength and tactics in a colossal struggle for the fate of the known world. Ultimate authority in the fragile Western Empire rests on the shoulders of one man. Adhering to the ancient code of honor on which Rome was founded, he wages a single-minded struggle against barbarian invasions and internal decadence to prevent a catastrophic reign of terror. Respected and feared by friends and enemies alike, he is Count Flavius Aetius, Supreme General of the Legions-better known to history as the Last of the Romans. Facing him is a foe who has led his Asian hordes on a rampage of conquest and terror, from the barren steppes of the north to the very sands of Persia, ruthlessly destroying vast swaths of civilization. Now he and his army of fierce horsemen have penetrated deep into Europe and are poised to strike at the heart of the empire, the city of Rome itself. The entire world shudders at mention of this man's name-Attila the Hun. Horrified victims call him the Scourge of God. On a sweltering June day in A.D. 451, the fates of these two titans of antiquity collide in a conflict of such massive carnage and heroism as to dwarf nearly every other single battle in history. Though little known today, this monumental contest on a remote plain in Gaul determined the fate of Europe-and the very course of civilization. In The Sword of Attila, Michael Curtis Ford once again demonstrates his mastery as a chronicler of battle, honor, and ancient worlds.

Early fifth century AD. The Western Roman Empire has been overrun by German tribes. Too weak to expel them, the Imperial government has been forced to grant federate status to the invaders. Aetius, the last of the great Roman generals, becomes the virtual ruler of the West over the heads of a weak and vicious emperor and his ambitious mother. In a series of brilliant campaigns, he takes on the German tribes and forces them to settle peacefully. Meanwhile, his old friend Attila, leader of the Huns, launches a devastating attack on the Eastern Empire, before turning on the West. He is confronted by Aetius, now his bitter enemy. In the epic battle that ensues, the stakes for Attila and Aetius could not be higher as the fates of empires of both Romans and Huns hang in the balance. This arresting novel deals with the rivalry between two great men whose friendship turns to enmity.