410

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Sack of Rome by the Visigoths

Year 410 (CDX) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year after the Consulship of Honorius and Theodosius (or, less frequently, year 1163 Ab urbe condita). The denomination 410 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.

Events

By place

Roman Empire

• Spring – Constantine III crosses the Alps into Liguria (Northern Italy), but retreats to Gaul after Gerontius revolts in Spain against his son Constans II.
• Emperor Honorius sends his Rescript (diplomatic letters) to the Romano-British magistrates, where he explains that the cities in Britain must provide for their own defence against the Angles, Jutes, and Saxons. This effectively ends Roman rule in Great Britain.
• Raiders from Ireland, such as the Uí Liatháin and Laigin, harry the coasts. They plunder towns and capture slaves but later colonise large areas of what is called Gwynedd, in particular Llŷn, the coasts of Arllechwedd, Arfon and the Isle of Mona (approximate date).
• Flavius Constantius, Roman general and politician, is promoted to the rank of magister militum. He becomes the imperial adviser of Honorius, and the power behind the throne in the Western Roman Empire.
• The Eastern Roman Empire sends six legions (6,000 men) to aid Honorius at Ravenna. He negotiates with King Alaric I, who ceremonially deposes Priscus Attalus as co-emperor.
• August 24 – The Visigoths under Alaric I sack Rome after a third siege. Slaves open the Salarian Gate and Goths loot the city and slay the Romans for three days. The Romans who survive the Sack of Rome are enslaved. It is the first time since 390 BC that Rome has fallen to an enemy. This marks the decline of the Roman Empire.
• Galla Placidia, daughter of Theodosius I, is captured by the Visigoths and becomes an hostage during their move from the Italian Peninsula to Gaul.
• Alaric I marches southwards into Calabria and makes plans to invade Africa. But a storm destroys his Gothic fleet and many of his soldiers drown. Alaric dies in Cosenza, probably of fever, and his body is buried along with his treasure under the riverbed of the Busento. He is succeeded by his brother-in-law Ataulf, who become king of the Visigoths.

Europe

• The city of Aléria on the island of Corsica is devastated by a huge fire, destroying its port and most of its inhabitants.

Asia

• Prithivisena becomes king of the Vakataka in the Deccan (India).

By topic

Religion

• Council of Seleucia: Persian Christians create a national church and adopt the Nicene Creed.
• Honoratus founds on the île Saint-Honorat (France) the Monastery of Lérins, and forms a monastic community.

Births

• Severinus of Noricum, monk and saint (approximate date)

Deaths

• Alaric I, king of the Visigoths
• Hanzei, emperor of Japan (approximate date)
• Maron, Syriac Christian monk
• Murong Chao, emperor of Southern Yan (b. 385)
• Yujiulü Shelun, khagan (emperor) of Xianbei

References