Venice Was a Watery Fortress

Venice grew up from mainlanders escaping Attila’s Huns. It started as a swampy refuge, then grew over time until it covered 118 islands and had as many canals as most cities have streets. Apparently the Huns were such landlubbers that they had never heard of boats, nor could they swim!

Attila himself died from a chronic nosebleed on his wedding night. His battlefield enemies had obviously been aiming too low. His burial party was killed so no one could ever find his grave, and the eventual sacking of Rome was left to the Vandals, who said, “we gotta do it, it’s in our name.” (we know it was them because they left graffiti!)