Editing Theodosius II (section)

===Wars with the Huns, Vandals, and Persians===
The situation between the Romans and the Sassanids deteriorated in 420 due to the Persian persecution of Christians, and the Eastern empire declared [[Roman–Sasanian War of 421–422|war against the Sasanian empire]] (421–422); the war ended in an indecisive stalemate, when the Romans were forced to accept peace as the Huns menaced [[Constantinople]].{{sfn|Treadgold|1997|p=90}}{{sfn|Greatrex|2002|p=36}} Peace was arranged in 422 without changes to the ''status quo''. The later wars of Theodosius were generally less successful.

The Eastern Empire was plagued by raids by the [[Huns]]. Early in Theodosius II's reign Romans used internal Hun discord to overcome [[Uldin]]'s invasion of the Balkans. The Romans strengthened their fortifications and in 424 agreed to pay 350 pounds of gold to encourage the Huns to remain at peace with the Romans. In 439 with the rise of [[Attila]] and [[Bleda]] to unify the Huns, the payment was doubled to 700 pounds.<ref>{{harvnb|Kelly|2009|p=140}}; {{harvnb|Bury|1958|pp=[https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/secondary/BURLAT/9*.html 271–273]}}, however, dates this treaty to 433.</ref>

Theodosius became engaged with the affairs of the West after installing Valentinian III as his Western counterpart. When Roman Africa [[Capture of Carthage (439)|fell]] to the [[Vandals]] in 439, Theodosius sent forces to [[Sicily]], intending to launch an attack on the Vandals at Carthage. In 441 seeing the borders without significant forces, the Huns attacked the Balkans, pushing as far as Naissus ([[Niš]]) and [[Serdika|Serdica]] ([[Sofia]]) and sacking nearly all the major cities on the middle [[Danube]]. This led to the expeditionary force in Sicily being recalled in 442.{{sfn|Kelly|2013b|p=223}}{{sfn|Bury|1958|p=255}} In 447 Huns [[Battle of the Utus|defeated]] the Roman armies in [[Vit (river)|Utus]] and [[Gallipoli|Chersonese]], and went through the Balkans, destroying among others the city of Serdica and reaching Athyra ([[Büyükçekmece]]) on the outskirts of Constantinople.{{sfn|Heather|2005|pp=[https://www.google.com/books?id=MmXFrafifw0C&pg=PA307 307–309]}} In 443 or 447, [[Anatolius (consul)|Anatolius]] negotiated a peace agreement; the Huns withdrew in exchange for humiliating concessions, including an annual tribute of 2,100 Roman pounds (c. 687&nbsp;kg) of gold and an additional payment of 6,000 pounds.<ref>{{harvnb|Bury|1958|p=[https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/secondary/BURLAT/9*.html 271f]}}, dates the treaty to 443; {{harvnb|Kelly|2009|pp=140, 309}}, however, puts it to 447; {{harvnb|Heather|2005|p=307}} has two separate treaties in 442/3 and 447.</ref> In 449, an Eastern Roman attempt to assassinate Attila failed, however the relations between the two did not deteriorate further.