Alaric Needed a Home for the Goths
Alaric, King of the Goths, tried means other than sacking Rome to get his way with the Roman Emperor of the West, Honorius. Twice before he had entered Italy with his troops, intending to fulfill his destiny, but talks and promises kept the Goths at bay.Alaric's first invasion of Italy was in 401-403. Before then, Alaric and the Goths were settled in the province of New Epirus, with Alaric holding an imperial office. J.B. Bury suggests he might have been Master of Soldiers in Illyricum. 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, possibly in conspiracy with Alaric, led his Vandals into Noricum. Honorius sent Stilicho to deal with them. Alaric picked this moment of distraction to lead his troops into Aquileia, which he captured. Alaric proceeded to win cities in Venetia and was about to march on Milan where Honorius was stationed. However, by this time Stilicho had suppressed the Vandals and turned them into auxiliary troops, which he took with him to march on Alaric.Alaric marched his troops westward to the river Tanarus where he told his hesitant troops about the vision of his conquest. Evidently persuaded by this, Alaric's men fought Stilicho and his Roman-Vandal troops. Although there was no decisive victory, Stilicho's capture of Alaric's family seems to have prompted Alaric to form a treaty with Stilicho. As a result, Alaric left Italy.
Stilicho Settles With Alaric
In 403 Alaric crossed the border again, to attack Verona, but this time, Stilicho defeated him. Instead of pressing his lead, Stilicho came to an agreement with Alaric: the Goths could live between Dalmatia and Pannonia in return for Alaric supporting Stilicho when he moved to annex Eastern Illyricum.Early in 408, Alaric marched to Virunum in Noricum. From there he sent demands to Rome for payment for 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 succeeded Stilicho and faced two unresolved issues, the usurper in Gaul and the Visigoths. Alaric offered to withdraw to Pannonia if the hostages taken earlier were returned and if Rome paid him more money. Olympius and Honorius rejected Alaric's offer, so Alaric crossed the Julian Alps that fall, marking 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 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 fell out of favor and was replaced by the duplicitous Jovius, a guest-friend of Alaric.
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