The Goths' sack of Rome in AD 410 was an event which shook the Roman world to its core. This gripping book uncovers the key factors that contributed to Alaric the Goth's capture of Rome: mass migrations, military incompetence, civil war, court intrigue, economic decline and religious bigotry. It also explains the collapse of the Western Roman Empire, including the loss of Britain, around AD 410. Telling a truly compelling story of a defining moment in history, the book is packed with dramatic characters and events. Bold personalities are brought to life, drawn from sources newly translated for this book by master storytellers thoroughly familiar with their subject. Although many have asked why Rome fell, few have told the tale of how it fell. The dramatic story is richly illustrated throughout with evocative sites and iconic objects, many drawn from the vast collections of the British Museum.

Author Biography

Sam Moorhead, voted 'Archaeologist of the Year 2011' by readers of Current Archaeology, is the National Finds Adviser for Iron Age and Roman Coins in the Department of Portable Antiquities and Treasure at the British Museum. David Stuttard taught Classics for eleven years in Edinburgh, St Andrews and York, and has written numerous books on the Classical world including Greek Mythology: A Traveller's Guide from Mount Olympus to Troy, A History of Ancient Greece in Fifty Lives and The Romans Who Shaped Britain (with Sam Moorhead), all published by Thames & Hudson. He is the founder of the theatre company Actors of Dionysus and a Fellow of Goodenough College, London.