ALARIC I, king of the Visigoths. — A descendant of the noble line of the Balti, he was born in the year 370 and for some time commanded part of the federated Goths attached to the army of Theodosius. In 395 he was elected king of the Visigoths and in the same year invaded Macedonia and Greece. Repulsed by Stilicho, he succeeded in taking refuge in the part of Illyricum belonging to the Eastern Empire, where he remained with the consent of Arcadius, who also granted him the coveted office of Magister militum. But soon, with a very powerful army, he advanced into Italy. Defeated by Stilicho first at Pollentia on the Tanaro on 6 April 402, and then near Verona, he nevertheless managed to cross the Alps undisturbed and even obtained the prefecture of Illyricum under the authority of the Western emperor Honorius. In 408, taking advantage of the death of Stilicho, he descended again into Italy and this time succeeded in pushing as far as Rome and laying siege to the city. Since no agreement could be reached with Honorius, on 24 August 410 he entered Rome through the Salarian Gate and remained there for three days.
Despite the many acts of violence and plunder committed in the city, the basilicas of St Peter and St Paul were mainly respected, where many Romans had taken refuge. From Rome he moved toward southern Italy and advanced, sacking as far as Reggio Calabria, with the intention of crossing over into Africa. He did not succeed in carrying out this plan, turned back with his army, but suddenly fell ill and died. He was buried beneath the bed of the Busento River, near Cosenza, in 410.