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Rome is sacked, and its emperor demonstrates his lack of leadership.

When the Goths, led by the Visigoth king Alaric, marched on Rome in 410 CE, Emperor Honorius had no army to defend the city. Stilicho was dead, the army mutinied, and no strong leader had stepped in to take control. Giving up, Honorius sheltered in his new capital at Ravenna and abandoned Rome to its fate. See how the city fell as you click each image below.

These images show the sack, or capture and destruction, of Rome by the Visigoths in 410 CE.

Question

How was the Goths' sacking of Rome different from the Romans' earlier attacks on Goths throughout the Empire?

Their king, Alaric, ordered his men to exercise restraint and not kill any more Roman citizens than necessary to take control of the city. When the Romans attacked Goths living on Roman lands, they slaughtered entire families in an attempt at ethnic cleansing.

Question

How did Rome's emperor respond to the sacking of the former capital city?

Emperor Honorius showed little concern and did nothing. His leadership continued to weaken as Romans completely lost respect for him.