THE FALL OF THE WEST
In mid 410, Alaric reopened negotiations with Honorius. However Sarus, a fellow Gothic commander who was allied to Honorius, attacked Alaric’s forces, and negotiations promptly failed. Alaric was victorious and Alaric laid siege to Rome a third time. On August 24, 410, Visigoths poured in the city and looted for three days. Honorius was killed. Alaric declared himself the Emperor of the Visigoths, and journeyed south to take ships to Africa.
In Arles, Constantine III, an usurper, was defeated and captured by Constantius III. Soon afterward, Constantius learned the news that Honorius was killed and Rome conquered. Constantius III declared himself the new Emperor. But there was another usurper, down in Hispania, Maximus Tiranus.
Alaric arrived in Carthage in May 411. The Visigothic troops poured into the city. There seemed to be no defenders. Almost everyone was attending the races at the hippodrome. The Visigoths easily took the city. Alaric died after the conquest due to a sudden, severe fever. Ataulf, his brother in law, became the new Emperor of the Visigoths and prepared to invade Corsica and Sardinia (well... arrive and declare it his own. After all, nearly all Roman resistance was gone.) after securing Africa. However what he didn’t know is that the Vandals were marching east through Mauretania.
Maximus Tiranus and Constantius III fought in Tarraco in late June 411. After 12 days of fighting, Constantius III was killed and his army defeated. Maximus Tiranus became the emperor of the Western Roman Empire. But now the only thing that remained of the Western Roman Empire was Hispania--and not even that, because of the Suevi in Gallaecia.
The Visigoths and Ataulf had just reached Leptis Magna when a messenger arrived. Apparently the Vandals were sieging Constantine. Ataulf headed west.
Ataulf reached the city of Constantine on September 25, 412. Coincidentally, Constantine had just surrendered to the sieging Vandals. The Visigoths rushed into the city and fighting occurred in the streets for 2 days. After that the Vandal army routed. The Vandals agreed to recognize Ataulf, Emperor of the Visigoths, as the ruler of Italia and Africa. The Vandals settled in Mauretania.
Meanwhile, Gaul had erupted into chaos and so did Britannia.
In mid 410, Alaric reopened negotiations with Honorius. However Sarus, a fellow Gothic commander who was allied to Honorius, attacked Alaric’s forces, and negotiations promptly failed. Alaric was victorious and Alaric laid siege to Rome a third time. On August 24, 410, Visigoths poured in the city and looted for three days. Honorius was killed. Alaric declared himself the Emperor of the Visigoths, and journeyed south to take ships to Africa.
In Arles, Constantine III, an usurper, was defeated and captured by Constantius III. Soon afterward, Constantius learned the news that Honorius was killed and Rome conquered. Constantius III declared himself the new Emperor. But there was another usurper, down in Hispania, Maximus Tiranus.
Alaric arrived in Carthage in May 411. The Visigothic troops poured into the city. There seemed to be no defenders. Almost everyone was attending the races at the hippodrome. The Visigoths easily took the city. Alaric died after the conquest due to a sudden, severe fever. Ataulf, his brother in law, became the new Emperor of the Visigoths and prepared to invade Corsica and Sardinia (well... arrive and declare it his own. After all, nearly all Roman resistance was gone.) after securing Africa. However what he didn’t know is that the Vandals were marching east through Mauretania.
Maximus Tiranus and Constantius III fought in Tarraco in late June 411. After 12 days of fighting, Constantius III was killed and his army defeated. Maximus Tiranus became the emperor of the Western Roman Empire. But now the only thing that remained of the Western Roman Empire was Hispania--and not even that, because of the Suevi in Gallaecia.
The Visigoths and Ataulf had just reached Leptis Magna when a messenger arrived. Apparently the Vandals were sieging Constantine. Ataulf headed west.
Ataulf reached the city of Constantine on September 25, 412. Coincidentally, Constantine had just surrendered to the sieging Vandals. The Visigoths rushed into the city and fighting occurred in the streets for 2 days. After that the Vandal army routed. The Vandals agreed to recognize Ataulf, Emperor of the Visigoths, as the ruler of Italia and Africa. The Vandals settled in Mauretania.
Meanwhile, Gaul had erupted into chaos and so did Britannia.
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