Scottas

Scottas was one of the leading men around Attila. He was the brother of Attila’s chief minister Onegesius.^[1] He belonged to the circle whom Priscus calls logades.^[2] Some scholars count him among the most eminent of Attila’s lieutenants.^[3]

The gold of the peace of Anatolius

Under the peace of Anatolius the eastern Romans had to hand back the fugitives and pay Attila 6,000 pounds of gold in arrears.^[4] The treasuries were emptied. The gold and the fugitives were sent to the Scythians, for Scottas had come to receive them.^[4] One reckoning dates the peace to 443, and a second to the autumn of 447.^[3]^[5] Some scholars have Scottas come to Constantinople for the gold. In this version he announced a further demand of Attila, about the prisoners held by the town of Asemus.^[3]

The embassy of 449

In 449 Scottas was among the leading men who came to the tent of the Roman envoys. Edeco and Orestes came with him. They asked the purpose of the Roman embassy.^[6]^[7] The Romans said that they would speak only to Attila. Scottas took offence. His leader had ordered him to ask, he said, and he had not come of his own accord.^[6] The Huns ordered the envoys to leave.^[8]

Onegesius was away. Priscus went to Scottas with the interpreter Rusticius. He promised him many gifts from the envoy Maximinus if he obtained an audience.^[9] Priscus said that the embassy concerned matters of great benefit to the Romans, to the Huns and to Onegesius himself. The emperor wished Onegesius to come to him and would load him with gifts. Since Onegesius was absent, Scottas should help the Romans, or rather his own brother.^[10]^[11]

Priscus added that he had heard that Attila trusted Scottas greatly, but would not believe it without proof. Scottas answered: “Doubt no longer. I have as much influence with Attila as my brother, in word or deed.” He mounted his horse and rode to Attila’s tent.^[12]^[11] Soon afterwards Attila summoned the envoys through Scottas.^[12] Some scholars hold that Scottas had resented the slight on his authority.^[13]

According to a modern account, Attila survived, a few years before his death, two attempts on his life by Onegesius and his brother Scottas.^[14]

Name

ScottaLatinPriscus
SkottasEnglish

The origin of the name is not clear. Some scholars hold that its double consonant at the beginning hardly allows a Turkish origin. Others derive it from a Germanic Skutta, marksman.^[15] The first group adds that Priscus himself may have shaped the name after the Greek word for a Scythian. It counts the name among the Hun names of unknown origin.^[16]

References

^ Priscus; Müller 1851, fr. 8, p. 79–81
^ Maenchen-Helfen 1973, p. 192
^ a b c Thompson 1948, p. 86
^ a b Priscus; Müller 1851, fr. 5, p. 74
^ Maenchen-Helfen 1973, p. 124
^ a b Priscus; Müller 1851, fr. 8, p. 79
^ Thompson 1948, p. 106, 220
^ Priscus; Müller 1851, fr. 8, p. 79–80
^ Priscus; Müller 1851, fr. 8, p. 80
^ Priscus; Müller 1851, fr. 8, p. 80–81
^ a b Bury 1923, p. 280
^ a b Priscus; Müller 1851, fr. 8, p. 81
^ Thompson 1948, p. 108
^ Yavuz 2025, p. 103
^ Maenchen-Helfen 1973, p. 420
^ Maenchen-Helfen 1973, p. 420, 441

Sources

Priscus

Literature

Karl Müller (ed.), Fragmenta Historicorum Graecorum, Bd. IV (darin: Menandri Protectoris fragmenta, griechisch mit lateinischer Übersetzung) (1851)
J. B. Bury, History of the Later Roman Empire from the Death of Theodosius I to the Death of Justinian, vol. I (1923)
Otto J. Maenchen-Helfen, The World of the Huns: Studies in Their History and Culture (1973)
E. A. Thompson, A History of Attila and the Huns (1948)
Emre-E. Yavuz, The Gokturk Empire: 2nd Edition (2025)