Theodosius the Great, who had thus reunited the empire under his own
sway, belonged to the orthodox faith, and sought to suppress Arianism,
as well as many other heresies which, had crept into the Christian
Church. He was a prudent ruler, and resisted successfully the inroads of
the barbarians. He divided his empire between his two sons, Honorius and
Arcadius, the former becoming Emperor of the West, the latter, who was
the elder, succeeding his father at Constantinople; and Theodosius soon
after died, lamented by his subjects. Rufinus, who became the chief
minister of Arcadius, oppressed and plundered the Eastern empire. He was
universally hated by the people. Stilicho, on the other hand, who also
became the chief minister of Honorius, was a very different character.
He was a brave and active commander, and restored the former glory of
the Roman arms. His chief opponent was the famous Alaric, who now united
the Gothic forces under his own command, and, having penetrated into
Greece, ravaged and desolated that unhappy country. The barbarians
plundered Athens, Corinth, Sparta, and Argos; and those cities, once so
renowned for valor, seemed to offer him no resistance, so fallen was the
ancient spirit of the Greeks. Stilicho, however, pursued Alaric into
Elis, and would, perhaps, have totally destroyed the barbarians had not
the feeble Arcadius not only made peace with Alaric, but appointed him
to the command of Illyricum. Alaric, not long after, invaded Italy, but
was defeated by his rival. In A.D. 403 he again invaded Italy, and was
induced to retreat by a considerable bribe.

The Emperor Honorius removed from Rome to Ravenna, where he believed
himself more secure; and when a new horde of barbarians invaded Italy in
A.D. 406, and had besieged Florence, they were totally defeated and
destroyed by Stilicho. A portion of the invaders escaped into Gaul,
where they committed great ravages, until Constantine, the governor of
Britain, was proclaimed emperor, who wrested Gaul and Spain from the
dominion of Honorius. This weak prince, in A.D. 408, consented to the
murder of Stilicho. His new minister, Olympius, directed the slaughter
of the families of the barbarians throughout Italy, a cruelty which was
fearfully avenged.

Alaric, the scourge of Rome, marched into Italy, and in A.D. 408
besieged the capital. Pestilence and famine soon raged within the walls
of Rome, until the Senate purchased a respite from their calamities