Sack of Rome 410 AD

E5871

The Sack of Rome in 410 AD was a pivotal moment in late antiquity when the Visigoths under King Alaric captured and looted the city, symbolizing the declining power of the Western Roman Empire.


Statements (52)
Predicate Object
instanceOf historical event
military conflict
siege
combatant Visigothic Kingdom
Western Roman Empire
commander Alaric I
coordinateLocation 41.8931° N, 12.4828° E
country Western Roman Empire
describedIn "The City of God" by Augustine of Hippo
Zosimus' "New History"
letters of Jerome
writings of Orosius
endTime 27 August 410
followedBy Sack of Rome (455)
Visigothic march into southern Italy
Visigothic move toward Gaul
hasCause Visigothic–Roman conflicts
breakdown of treaty obligations to the Visigoths
failure of negotiations between Alaric and Honorius
political instability in the Western Roman Empire
unpaid subsidies to the Visigoths
hasEffect damage and looting in Rome
flight of Roman aristocrats from the city
inspiration for Augustine's work "The City of God"
psychological shock across the Roman world
refugee movements within the empire
symbolized decline of the Western Roman Empire
weakening of Roman senatorial aristocracy
hasParticipant Visigoths
Western Roman Empire
citizens of Rome
historicalPeriod Late Antiquity
late Roman Empire
location Italy
Rome
notableFeature first successful sack of Rome in nearly 800 years
limited destruction of churches
ransoming of prominent Romans
use of slaves and insiders to open city gates
opposingCommander Honorius
Roman Senate leaders
Roman urban prefects
partOf Fall of the Western Roman Empire
Visigothic Wars
pointInTime 24 August 410
410
precededBy First siege of Rome by Alaric (408)
Second siege of Rome by Alaric (409)
religiousAspect debate over role of Christianity in Rome's misfortunes
protection of Christian churches by Visigoths
significance milestone in transition from classical antiquity to the Middle Ages
turning point in perception of Roman invincibility

Referenced by (14)
Subject (surface form when different) Predicate
Honorius ("Sack of Rome (410)")
associatedWithEvent
Alaric I ("Sack of Rome (410)")
conflict
Basilica Aemilia ("Sack of Rome by the Visigoths")
destroyedDuring
Sack of Rome (455) ("Sack of Rome (410)")
followed
First siege of Rome by Alaric (408) ("Sack of Rome (410)")
followedBy
Sack of Rome (455) ("Sack of Rome (410) by the Visigoths")
follows
Fall of the Western Roman Empire ("Sack of Rome (410 CE)")
hasKeyEvent
Visigothic–Roman conflicts ("Sack of Rome (410)")
hasPart
Roman Empire
keyEvent
Roman–Germanic wars ("Sack of Rome (410)")
notableBattle
Western Roman Empire ("Sack of Rome by the Visigoths in 410")
notableEvent
New History ("Sack of Rome in 410")
notableEventDescribed
Sack of Rome (410) ("Fall of the Western Roman Empire")
partOf
Visigothic–Roman conflicts ("Sack of Rome (410)")
significantEvent

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