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.
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Question
How was the Goths' sacking of Rome different from the Romans' earlier attacks on Goths throughout the Empire?
Question
How did Rome's emperor respond to the sacking of the former capital city?

