Early history History of Hungary

grand prince Árpád crossing carpathians. detail of arrival of hungarians, Árpád feszty s , assistants vast (1800 m²) cycloramic canvas, painted celebrate 1000th anniversary of magyar conquest of hungary, displayed @ Ópusztaszer national heritage park in hungary.

the oldest archaeological site in hungary vértesszőlős, palaeolithic oldowan pebble tools , human fossil nicknamed samu (a 350,000-year-old homo erectus) discovered in 1965.

the roman empire conquered territory west of danube river between 35 , 9 bc. 9 bc end of 4th century ad, pannonia, western part of carpathian basin, part of roman empire. in final stages of expansion of roman empire in centuries of first millennium ad, carpathian basin fell under mediterranean influence of greco-roman civilization short period – town centers, paved roads, , written sources part of advances put end migration of peoples characterized middle ages in europe.

after western roman empire collapsed in 5th century ad under stress of migration of germanic tribes , carpian pressure, migration period continued bring many invaders central europe. among first arrive huns, built powerful empire under attila hun in 435 ad. attila regarded in past centuries ancestral ruler of hungarians, considered inaccurate. believed origin of name hungary not come central asian hun nomadic invaders, rather magyar tribes part of bulgar alliance called on-ogur , in bulgar turkic meant (the) ten arrows . entered hungary in 7th century ad.

after hunnish rule faded in 6th century ad, germanic ostrogoths, lombards , slavs came pannonia, whereas gepids had presence in eastern part of carpathian basin 100 years. in 560s avars founded avar khaganate, state maintained supremacy in region more 2 centuries , had military power launch attacks against neighboring empires. avar khaganate weakened constant wars , outside pressure, , franks under charlemagne managed defeat avars end 250-year rule. in middle of 9th century, slavic balaton principality, known lower pannonia, established franks frontier march when destroyed avar state in western part of pannonian plain, vassal state destroyed in 900 hungarian tribes.