Flavius Aetius

One of the most famous Roman generals you should know is Flavius Aetius. He (c. 390 – 454) was a Roman general and statesman of the Western Roman Empire's final years. For two decades, he was a military leader and the most powerful man in the Empire (433–454). He oversaw policy in response to barbarian federate raids throughout the West. Notably, he led a large Roman and allied (foederati) army in the Battle of the Catalaunian Plains, which ended Attila's devastating invasion of Gaul in 451, though the Hun and his subjugated allies still managed to invade Italy the following year, an incursion best remembered for the ruthless Sack of Aquileia and Pope Leo I's intercession.

Aetius was commonly referred to as the "Last of the Romans." For his victory on the Catalaunian Plains, Edward Gibbon refers to him as "the man generally revered as the fear of Barbarians and the support of the Republic." Aetius is widely regarded as a superb military commander; indeed, the Eastern Roman Empire held him in such high regard that he became known as the last true Roman of the west. Historians have always regarded the Battle of the Catalaunian Plains as crucial in hurting Attila by undermining his illusion of invincibility. From 433 to 454, Aetius effectively administered the western empire and strove to establish its European borders in the face of a deluge of barbarians. One of his most notable accomplishments was the formation of the coalition against Attila.

Aetius is widely regarded as one of the finest Roman military commanders of all time, as well as an outstanding diplomat and administrator. Because of his foresight in the capacity to provision treaties and commitments, the Battle of the Catalaunian Plains is more a monument to his political aptitude than his military abilities. Aetius and his army are claimed to have been one of the most effective Roman armies ever, with their speed and mobility indicating a highly efficient logistics and manpower resupply system.