Alaric

> ***"Cursed be his name."***
>
>

**Alaric** (370-411) was king of the Visigoths, and one of the most monstrous people during the times of Rome's decline. Under him, the Visigoths infiltrated the Roman Empire through the Dacian border, became the Eastern Roman Empire's Magister Militum, and led his people to sack Rome, marking the first time in 800 years that barbarians sacked Rome.

## In "Unbiased History"

### ***"Barbarians at the Gates"***

With Thrace being sacked by the Visigoths due to being driven out by the Huns, Theodosius I sent Stilicho to stop the invading horde. The horde was pushed back, but Alaric, king of the Visigoths, escaped. Theodosius, being a simp for barbarians, went to Alaric to enlist some of his men into the army, fuelling their bloodlust for Roman blood. During the Battle of the Frigidus, Alaric helped out the Romans against the half-barbarian Arbogaust and the puppet Eugenius. After one of Arbogaust's legions defected to Theodosius and a storm blew the traitors' spear and arrows back at them, the coalition, including Alaric, won, resulting in Arbogaust's suicide and Eugenius' capture.

When Rufinus died after Alaric tried to sack Athens, and Eutropius replaced him, Stilicho was sent back to the West, causing Alaric to be named the Magister Militum of the east, despite his crimes against the Romans. Surprising nobody, he terrorised the citizens whilst Eutropius let him do so, with Arcadius being useless.

While Stilicho pushed back the Vandals, Alaric and his army invaded Italy, being kicked out of Mediolanum, starting a chase between him and Stilicho, stopping for a counterattack in Verona. After his defeat, he began to build up his horde of Goths, and thus marched again, this time to Rome itself with the aide of the traitorous Foederati. After demanding Rome to free the Gothic slaves, successfully, Alaric then ordered Honorius to make him the leader of all Roman armies, for which he refused until his brother-in-law invaded the recent capital city of Ravenna. This was after Stilicho was executed two years prior. He then ordered Honorius to be deposed and exiled, for which he refused after Anthemius sent backup.

What Alaric did next was abominable: ransacking Rome. His horde killed innocents, tore down the statue of Deus Sol Invictus, destroyed Rome's buildings, and scattered the ashes of emperors past into the wind, never to be recovered. Satisfied with his bloodlust, at the age of 40, he caught a fever and died, leaving Rome a mess, the Visigoths to be lead by Ataulf, and the era of Classical civilization to near a horrible close.

He is seen in the ending montage with the shadows of Odoacer, Attila, Ricimer, and Geiseric in the background, overseeing Stilicho, Aetius, and Majorian.

## Trivia

* As per usual for the series, Alaric's portrayal is an over-exaggerated version of the real-life figure, as well as some errors.
	+ Alaric did not become the leader of the Visigoths until three years after he joined the Roman Army. In fact, he only became king of the Visigoths when he lost the rank of general... twice.
		- Furthermore, Theodosius' callous decision to send him and his army as cannon fodders--whose roles led to the heavy casualties at Battle of Frigidus--soured the already poor relationship with Romans after Adrianople.
	+ Alaric only marched to Rome because he was suspicious about Honorius's deal after intervention from an Amali ruler, Sarus. Interpreting the attack as Ravenna-directed, and having the Goths be long-standing rivals against the Amali, he went to Rome to take needed food supplies, not necessarily gold.
		- In fact, the sacking of Rome may have been a detriment as it tarnished Alaric's reputation that affected his goal to settle his people in more prosperous areas and a chance to gain prestige in Roman society.
	+ Furthermore, as Alaric--along with his brother Ataulf--was Christians like many Gothic aristocrats, he was known to spare churches--especially St. Paul and St. Peter--during the sack of Rome.