Alaric, King of the Visigoths, one of the conquerors who ravaged the Roman Empire. History first mentions him about A.D. 395 (three years before he was elected king), when the Goths were united with the armies of Theodosius the Great in order to repel the Huns, who menaced the Western Empire.
This alliance disclosed to Alaric the weakness of the Roman Empire, and inspired him with the resolution of attacking it himself. The dissensions between the two sons and successors of Theodosius, Arcadius and Honorius, and their ministers, Rufinus and Stilicho, facilitated the execution of his purpose.
He first attacked Arcadius in the East, but when Stilicho, the minister of Honorius, came to the aid of the eastern provinces the jealousy of Arcadius led him to make peace with Alaric, and even to appoint him governor of Eastern Illyria.
Alaric then invaded Italy, but the brave Stilicho routed him first at Pollentia, a town in Liguria at the confluence of the Stura and Tanarus, and afterwards near the modern Verona. Both battles were fought in 403. A few years later he concluded, by the mediation of Stilicho, a compact with Honorius, conformably to which he was to advance to Epirus, and from thence to attack Arcadius, in conjunction with the troops of Stilicho, receiving for his services a sum of 4000 lbs of gold yearly.
After the death of Stilicho, however, the Roman government refused to carry out this compact, whereupon Alaric advanced with his army to Italy and invested Rome. The city was saved only by consenting to pay a heavy ransom. Negotiations took place between Honorius in Ravenna and Alaric, with a view of putting an end of the war; but the parties could not agree, and Alaric besieged Rome a second time. By cutting off the supplies to the city he soon compelled a capitulation, by virtue of which the senate declared the prefect of the city, Attalus, emperor instead of Honorius.
But Attalus evinced so little prudence that Alaric obliged him publicly to resign the empty dignity. Negotiations again took place Honorius, but were unsuccessful as the former, and Alaric besieged Rome for the third time. The city having been delivered into his hands by treachery of some slaves, the Goths penetrated into it, sacked it, burned part of it, and destroyed a great quantity of ancient works of art.
But the moderation of Alaric is praised because he gave orders to spare the churches and those who had fled to them for shelter. The treasures collected during a thousand years from all quarters became the prey of the barbarians. Alaric left Rome after a residence of six days, with the view of reducing Sicily and Africa, but death overtook him at Cosenza, a Calabrian town, A.D. 410.
Rome and Italy celebrated public festivals on the occasion, Sicily and Africa saw themselves freed from imminent danger, and the world enjoyed a moment of peace. But the march of desolation was soon renewed; the barbarians had learned the way to Rome; Alaric had taught them the weakness of the former queen of the world.