Honorius, in the meantime, was at Bononia, on his way from Ravenna to Ticinum, when the news reached him of his brother's death in May 408.
Glavni vzrok za takšno stanje je bila preobremenjenost cesarstva zaradi množičnih napadov Alanov, Svebov in Vandalov, katere so leta 406 sicer pregnali iz Italije, vendar so se 31. decembra 406 prestavili v Galijo in leta 409 prišli v Hispanijo.