Second Visigothic Invasion of Italy (Acta Est Fabula)

The Second Goth invasion of Italy was the second war of King Alaric I of the Goths against the Western Roman Empire.

Second Blockage of Rome by Alaric
King Alaric of the Goths, a friend of Flavius Stilicho, tried to push his personnal demands on the Western Roman Emperor Honorius, which consisted in the concession of a block of territory 200 miles long by 150 wide between the Danube and the Gulf of Venice (to be held probably on some terms of nominal dependence on the Empire) and the title of commander-in-chief of the Imperial Army.

However, the Emperor refused, against all advices from Stilicho. Alaric thus decided to siege Rome in order to make pression on Honorius.But thinking he was safe in Ravenna, the Emperor refused any attempt of negociation from Alaric. So Alaric decided to deal with the Senate instead and elected a rival Emperor, the prefect of the city, Priscus Attalus.

Reconquest of Rome by Stilicho
Alaric brother-in-law, Ataulf, has been left in Rome to control the local population while Alaric was returning north. Using the occasion, Stilicho was allowed by Honorius to take troops and retake Rome. In early May 410, Stilicho and his men were able to siege the city during two weeks, after which Ataulf and his men faced him on the field out of Rome. The battle was a victory for the Romans, although Ataulf and his men were able to escape and return to the safety of Rome. By the end of June, however, Ataulf and Priscus Attalus were killed by the angry population of Rome, after which their head were presented to Stilicho.