26 авг 410 г. - Sack of Rome

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"The thicker the hay, the easier it is mowed" - Alaric's response to the Senate's delegation warning him to retreat or face the numerous martial people of Rome, a tremendous threat in the first centuries of the Republic (the mere sight of which had prompted Hannibal to retreat), now the subject of ridicule directed at a decadent and bloated populace of a once proud city brought down by its own hubris and success.

The Gothic king Alaric marches through Italy with little to no resistance from the child Emperor Honorius (depicted in the second picture), arriving in 408 to begin a lengthy siege. The population of Rome at this time has various estimates between 562,000 to 2,265,000, Gibbon places his estimate at at least two million (1776, vol iii, p.273). The city is at the height of its decadence with lavish public baths, tremendous public games and a senate once occupied by ascetic retired military offices, is now infested with pompous gentlemen and merchants attended by vast trains of slaves, sycophants and the eunuchs once so despised as signs of Asiatic effeminacy. In the early centuries of the Republic the entire city would have been trained and ready to arm itself against an enemy invasion force, the senate being expected to lead them into battle. As the city deteriorated into a desperate famine the senate sends a delegation to negotiate with Alaric (in which the introductory quote is ushered). Alaric gives them them this offer as the price of his retreat:

"all the gold and silver in the city, whether it were the property of the state, or individuals; all the rich and precious movables; and all the slaves who could prove their title to the name of barbarians. The ministers of the senate presumed to ask, in a modest and suppliant tone, 'If such O king! are your demands, what do you intend to leave us?' 'YOUR LIVES,' replied the huaghty conqueror: they trembled and retired." (Gibbon, vol iii, p.277).

This demand was shortly dropped for something less substantial and met by the people of the city. Although Alaric did not retreat from Italy - in fact he was reinforced by the liberated slaves and reinforcements of Goths and Huns from the north bringing his force to one-hundred thousand men (Gibbon, vol iii, p.278) - but he allowed the gates of the city to be opened and ships bearing supplies to once again flow down the Tigris and into the city. Alaric then sent a diplomatic offer to Honorius held up in the new capital of the Western Empire Revenna, offering to be made Master-General of the West and given a new Kingdom in the province of Noricum. What follows is a period of great anarchy and turmoil in the imperial court. The corrupt and infamous minister Olympius (the man who successful conspired to overthrow the guardian of the empire Stilicho) fled Honorius's court (and is later mutilated and killed) and was replaced by the Praetorian Praefect Jovius, a number of other ministers are assassinated, exiled and executed.

This turmoil led to a ridicules offer which the Emperor brought forward in "a lofty tone of inflexible dignity, such as neither his situation nor his character could enable him to support" (Gibbon, vol iii, p.281), stating that he would deliver public money but he would not prostitute the military honours of Rome. Alaric infuriated by this offer captures Ostia (pictured in part in the third image) a magnificent port situated at the mouth of the Tigris established by Ceaser and developed by Tiberius and Cluadius. The port was essential for the import of provisions into Rome, the city most likely could not have survived without it. Alaric threatens to destroy the city if his treaty is not accepted stipulating this: he is to gain the coveted title of Master-General; and the Praefect of the city Attalus is to be bestowed with the purple overthrowing Honorius. The senate accepts and Attalus is conveyed into Rome in martial pomp and pronounced Emperor of the Western Roman Empire.

Attalus's rebellion did not last long, following a failed expedition to Africa to bring the Roman province into the fold of his rebellion, Alaric grew tired of his incompetence and the changing fortunes of Honorius with the arrival of a veteran army and financial support from Africa, prompted him to change tact offering once again reconciliation with Honorius. Honorius and his ministers, prompted in turn by the arrival of reinforcements and one minor successful sally, reject Alaric's offer and declare that no such negotiations will be entertained in future. Upon receiving the news Alaric returns to Rome and once again sieges the city. He is aided by a conspiracy from within of slaves and domestics, and "[a]t the hour of midnight the Salarian gate was silently opened, and the inhabitants were awakened by the tremendous sound of the Gothic trumpet." (Gibbon, vol iii, p.288). Gibbon accounts the sack of Rome in the following pages: Gibbon, vol iii, p.288-97. He begins with an interesting account of the Christian faith of Alaric, his profession that the clergy is not to be harmed and none of the articles of faith plundered. He also declares that only those which resist the Goths are to be harmed. What still followed was a terrible slaughter of many of the city's inhabitants. It is accounted that many decadent citizens perished vainly trying to protect their extravagant articles of wealth. Many were subjected to the lashes of former slaves unleashing their unbridled fury and desire for revenge upon their former owners. Many nobles and senators fled to Africa and the Eastern Empire, news and terror spreading with them prompting prophecies of Armageddon. I will conclude with a final quote from Gibbon, who states:

"Eleven hundred and sixty-three years after the foundation of Rome, the Imperial city, which subdued and civilised so considerable a part of mankind, was delivered to the licentious fury of the tribes of Germany and Scythia." (Gibbon, vol iii, p.288).

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