his life after the space of a few months.
The emperor had such affection for him that he honored
Athanaric even more when he was dead than during his
life-time, for he not only gave him a worthy burial, but
himself walked before the bier at the funeral. Now when 145
Athanaric was dead, his whole army continued in the
service of the Emperor Theodosius and submitted to the
Roman rule, forming as it were one body with the imperial
soldiery. The former service of the Allies under the
Emperor Constantine was now renewed and they were
again called Allies. And since the Emperor knew that
they were faithful to him and his friends, he took from
their number more than twenty thousand warriors to
serve against the tyrant Eugenius who had slain Gratian
and seized Gaul. After winning the victory over this
usurper, he wreaked his vengeance upon him.

[Sidenote: ALARIC I KING OF THE GOTHS 395-410]

[Sidenote: Stilicho and Aurelian Consuls in 400]

XXIX But after Theodosius, the lover of peace and 146
of the Gothic race, had passed from human cares, his
sons began to ruin both empires by their luxurious living
and to deprive their Allies, that is to say the Goths, of the
customary gifts. The contempt of the Goths for the
Romans soon increased, and for fear their valor would be
destroyed by long peace, they appointed Alaric king over
them. He was of a famous stock, and his nobility was
second only to that of the Amali, for he came from the
family of the Balthi, who because of their daring valor
had long ago received among their race the name _Baltha_, 147
that is, The Bold. Now when this Alaric was made king,
he took counsel with his men and persuaded them to seek
a kingdom by their own exertions rather than serve others
in idleness. In the consulship of Stilicho and Aurelian
he raised an army and entered Italy, which seemed to be
bare of defenders, and came through Pannonia and Sirmium
along the right side. Without meeting any resistance,
he reached the bridge of the river Candidianus at
the third milestone from the royal city of Ravenna.

[Sidenote: DESCRIPTION OF RAVENNA]

This city lies amid the streams of the Po between 148
swamps and the sea, and is accessible only on one side.
Its ancient inhabitants, as our ancestors relate, were
called _Ainetoi_, that is, "Laudable". Situated in a corner
of the Roman Empire above the Ionian Sea, it is hemmed
in like an island by a flood of rushing waters. On the