Alaric (c. 370-410)

Visigothic king 395-410 who campaigned against the Romans in the Balkans and Italy. On 24 August 410 he captured and sacked Rome. After three days he led the Goths south, intending to invade Sicily and then Africa, but died of a sudden illness.

Alaric was buried in the bed of the river Busento in southern Italy. The river was diverted to allow him to be buried, then redirected to flow over the grave. Those who worked on the burial were killed so that his final resting place would never be known.

After successfully leading the Visigothic contingent in the Battle of Frigidius in 394, Alaric was angered when the Eastern Roman emperor Theodosius (I) the Great refused to give him a permanent command in the Roman army. He led the Visigoths against his former employer, and in 400 receiveda Roman command position in the Balkans. He attempted several invasions of Italy but was defeated each time by the Roman general Stilicho. When Stilicho was executed in 408, Alaric marched unopposed on Rome, his army swelled by Roman troops who had been loyal to Stilicho. In 410 the gates were opened to him and he led the first foreign army in 800 years into the city.