Alaric the Visigoth

Alaric was king of the Visigoths from 395-410 A.D. Although his reign was fairly short he made those 15 years count. 

He started off his reign by having a dream that he was driving through the Roman streets in a golden chariot. Alaric thought and thought about this dream and came to the conclusion of wanting to capture Rome and become Emperor. He gathered all his chiefs and told them what he was going to do. They were delighted at what he said. 

First he sieged Constantinople but decided to pull out and captured the city of Athens instead.  Not only did he capture Athens he also annihilated, Sparta, Corinth, Megara, and Argos. Then in 401 Alaric raided Italy but he was defeated by Stilicho. He raided Italy one more time but he was defeated again at the Battle of Verona. Although Alaric did force the Roman Senate to pay a large payment to the Visigoths. In 408 Alaric sieged Rome and he sacked the city and caused the Rome to, eventually, grant him a substantial payment. In addition, Alaric forced the Senate to liberate all 40,000 Gothic slaves in Rome, but the Senate did not grant him Emperor. As an answer he sacked the city for three whole days. After the Visigoths were done with Rome they started marching home in 410, and during that march Alaric died. No one really knows for sure how he died, but most people think it was a fever. 

So Alaric’s reign might not have been the longest but he did do a lot of great things for the Visigoths. He set free 40,000 slaves, and he defeated Rome.  Although he never really captured Rome, or became Emperor, he did defeat one of the greatest armies ever.