The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-08-17
TREASURE Of ALAR|C
Is to be Sought by the italian
Government.
SP0ILS OF ANCIENT ROME
If Found Will Make Italy a
CroesuS of Nations.
SPOILS OF ANCIENT ROME


a search for the resting place of ,Aiarc.
the Goth, and the vast treasure buried
with him. Professor Vegas has discovered
that Alaric was buried beneath che River
Busento, in Calabria-
In 40 A. D. Alaric captured Rome and
despolled the richest city in the world
Of all its treasure. For six days he and
his barbarians sacked Rome.
All this treasure was buried with Alaric
under the Busento.
1t will go TO the Italian government II
it is found The exact burial place of
! Alaric has hitherto been a mystery.
The greatest hidden treasure the world
has ever known is sought for by the Itaii-
an government.
All the spoils Of Rome and Athens and
the greatest and richest cities of the an
Gent world piled in one vast heap and
hidden beneath a river bedi
That is what Italy expects.
This secret mine of untold wealth te the
burial place of Alaric the Goth.
II the Italian government finds II, then
1t will be no longer the most poverty
stricken great power In Europe. Bank
ruptcy and disgrace will be averted. Gold
Will overflow in nationtl Golfers depleted
by foolishness and dishonesty. The mon
archy will be saved.
Not alone for mere gain of gold is AL
aries last resting place sought. It is
believed that 1t will yield the world the
greatest collection of ancient objects of
art that have ever been found together
at one time and place
Alaric'S treasure wes of incalcuIable
value, worth untold millions in modern
money. When he sacked Rome he car
ried away every coin of gold or silver he
could find, every portable object of value
in the Eternal City. Rome then had over
a milhonpeople and was infinitely the rich
est city in the world so rich that 1T was
rotting from its own wealth and luxury.
He also sacked Athens and nearly every
great city of the Empire, from Rome 10
Constantnople. All his spoils were buri-
ed with him.
Indications OF the exact burial place of
Alaric have just been found The italian
Government is persuaded by the value of
this discovery.
The Minister Of Public Works has given
his permission to a society of scientists
and men interested IN archaeological dis
covery to search for the great Goth's
grave.
According to the terms of the Ministerial
decree giving this permission, all coins.
articles of precious metal and precious
stones are to be delivered to the govern
ment. OF all objects of art that may be
found, two-thirds will go to the govern
ment and one-third to the searchers.
This one-third Will be all the reward
they will receie for their labor and ex-
penditure, but. should their .expecta-
tons be realized, 1t will be ample
The hiding place of Alaric and his treas
ure is beneath the River Busento. at its
junction with the Grail. This is where the |
latest researches Of the present investi-
gators have placed it. 1t was ALWAYS |
known that Alaric mad been buried be-
meath the Busento, but the exact location |
was mystery. The Busento is in Gala !
bria- the extreme southern province of |
the Italian mainland. The work will /
begin at once.
The proposal to search for Alaric's grave |
originated with Professor Vegas, the Ger
man sculptor, and with Franz Won Len
bach. the most famous artist in Germany.
Vegas is considered the ideal artist by the
Emperor William. who honors him with
his personal friendship
The sculptor was engaged in a study
OF ancient art in Rome when he came
across forgotten manuscript Of the fifth
century, by JOrdanes, the Gothic histo-
rian, who wrote the work known as
DE Rebus Gothics.''
The manuscript IS the original, in the
n n t.
much more detailed and lucid account
of the burial of Alaric and his treasure
than the version Of Jordanes work which
IS familiar to scholars and has been much
changed from the original
That Aaric was buried under the Bus
ento is recorded in all the histories
but the river is long and no one knew ex-
actly where to look II is also stated that
he was buried near the Roman city OF
Consentia. This name is preserved in
the modern Italian city Of Consenza, but
II was improbable that this occupied the
exact site OF the ancient city, and there
was no more precise information to be
had.
These points have been made clear
by the lately discovered manuscript Of
Jordanes- 1t IS known that the present
city Of ConsenZa is considerably removed
from the ancient Consienta- The modern
city lies on the River Grail. a tributary
TO the Busen1o, and is two hours walk
ing distance from the Mediterranean.
The Jordanes manuscript states that Con
sencia was washed BY the Busento. and
was three hours walking distance from
the Mediterranean. Consen;ia lay in a
hollow. Consenza is 900 feet above the
sea level.
Near the junction OF the Busen+o and
the Grail great masses of Roman masonry
have recently been unsarthed. They were
covered insome places by 200 feet of earth.
They mark me site OF ancient Consentia-
and near them in the river must be toe
burial place OF Alar.c-
Signor Sicci, a famous archa Aologist.
who lives in the modern city Of Conseaza,
says that he has been on the track %
AlsTic's grave for years and that MS dzs-
ooveries coincide With the statements
in the Jcrdanes manuscript
JordaneSe. who was himself a Goth.
though a Christian and Z Roman bishop,
SAYS;
The army and the people Of the great
Aing spent many days and nights after
his death Al Co1sencia in earnest Eeliber-
axiom He was 70 have i c-uly royal burr
a. Ms mauso,eun was to be worthy Of
his great fame, and q; the same tine It
70 be ne most wonderful ever conceived
Bat who would guard the grave when
the Goth's had departed for the new
country q their hopes. Africa? Italy.
from which they were sooa 70 depa-t-
would come once more under zhe sway
y ne trescherous Roman Emperor. Eono