Alaric Needed a Home for the Goths
Alaric, a King of the Goths and leader of other barbarians, tried means other than sacking Rome to get his way with Honorius, the Roman Emperor of the West from c. 395-August 15, 423. Twice before he ultimately sacked Rome, in 410, Alaric had entered Italy with his troops, intending to fulfill his destiny, but talks and Roman promises kept the barbarians at bay.Alaric first invaded Italy in 401-403. Previously, Alaric and the Goths were settled in the province of New Epirus (modern Albania) where Alaric held an imperial office. J.B. Bury says he may have served as Magister Militum 'Master of Soldiers' in Illyricum [See Map Sect. fG.] Bury thinks that during this time Alaric refitted his men with state-of-the-art weaponry. It isn't known what made Alaric suddenly decide to invade Italy, but he seems to have determined to find a home for the Goths in the Western Empire, possibly in the Danube provinces.
Vandals and Goths vs Rome
In 401, Radagaisus, another barbarian king (d. August 406) who was possibly in conspiracy with Alaric, led his Vandals across the Alps into Noricum. Honorius sent Stilicho, the son of a Vandal father and Roman mother, to deal with the Vandals, leaving a window of opportunity for Alaric. Alaric picked this moment of distraction to lead his troops into Aquileia, which he captured. Alaric then won cities in Venetia and was about to march on Milan where Honorius was stationed. However, by this time Stilicho had suppressed the Vandals. He converted them to auxiliary troops, and he took them with him to march on Alaric.Alaric marched his troops westward to the river Tenarus (at Pollentia) where he told his hesitant troops about the vision about his conquest. Evidently this worked. Alaric's men fought against Stilicho and his Roman-Vandal troops on April 6, 402. Although there was no decisive victory, Stilicho captured Alaric's family. So Alaric made a treaty with Stilicho and left Italy.
Stilicho Settles With Alaric
In 403, Alaric crossed the border again, to attack Verona, but this time, Stilicho clearly defeated him. Instead of pressing his lead, though, Stilicho came to an agreement with Alaric: the Goths could live between Dalmatia and Pannonia. In return for land to live on, Alaric agreed to support Stilicho when he moved to annex Eastern Illyricum.Early in 408, Alaric (following the agreement) marched to Virunum, in Noricum. From there he sent the emperor a demand for the salary of his troops. Stilicho urged Honorius to agree, so Alaric was paid and continued in service to the Western Emperor. That spring Alaric was ordered to take back Gaul from the usurper Constantine III.
Aftermath of Stilicho's Death
On August 22, A.D. 408, Stilicho was beheaded for treason. In the aftermath, Roman troops started killing families of barbarian auxiliaries in Italy. 30,000 men fled to join Alaric, who was still in Noricum.Olympius, the magister officiorum, succeeded Stilicho and faced two unresolved issues: (1) the usurper in Gaul and (2) the Visigoths. Alaric offered to withdraw to Pannonia if the hostages taken earlier (remember: in the indecisive battle at Pollentia, members of Alaric's family were captured) were returned and if Rome paid him more money. Olympius and Honorius rejected Alaric's offer, so Alaric crossed the Julian Alps that fall. This marked Alaric's third entry into Italy.
Details of Alaric's Sack of Rome
Alaric was going to Rome, so, although he traversed Cremona, Bononia, Ariminum, and the Flaminian Way, he didn't stop to destroy them. Stationing his troops behind the walls, he blockaded the Eternal City, which led to hunger and disease within Rome.The Romans responded to the crisis by sending ambassadors to Alaric. The king of the Goths demanded pepper, silk, and enough gold and silver that the Romans had to strip statues and melt ornaments to pay the ransom. A peace treaty was to be made and the hostages would be released to Alaric later, but for the moment, the Goths broke the blockade and left Rome.
The Senate sent Priscus Attalus to the Emperor to urge him to satisfy Alaric's demands, but Honorius again refused. Instead, he ordered 6000 men from Dalmatia to come defend Rome. Attalus accompanied them, and then escaped when Alaric's troops attacked, killing or capturing most of the soldiers from Dalmatia.
In 409, Olympius, having fallen from favor, fled to Dalmatia, and was replaced by the duplicitous Jovius, a guest-friend of Alaric. Jovius was praetorian prefect of Italy and had been made a patrician.
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