ng westward, had dislodged the northern tribes of Germany
who dwelt on the Baltic. These were the Alans, Sueves, Vandals, and
Burgundians. Under the leadership of RADAGAISUS, these tribes invaded
Italy with about two hundred thousand men. They were met near Florence
by Stilicho, and totally defeated (406). Radagaisus himself was killed.
The survivors turned backward, burst into Gaul, ravaged the lower
portion of the country, and finally separated. One portion, the
Burgundians, remained on the frontier, and from their descendants comes
the name of Burgundy.

The Alans, Sueves, and Vandals pushed on into Spain, where they
established kingdoms. The Alans occupied the country at the foot of
the Pyrenees, but were soon after subdued by the Visigoths. The Sueves
settled in the northwest of Spain, but met the same fate as the Alans.
The Vandals occupied the southern part, and from there crossed over to
Africa, where they maintained themselves for nearly a century, and at
one time were powerful enough, as we shall see, to capture Rome itself.

Rome was now for a time delivered from her enemies, and the Emperor, no
longer needing Stilicho, was easily persuaded that he was plotting for
the throne. He was put to death, with many of his friends.

With Stilicho Rome fell. Scarcely two months after his death,
Alaric again appeared before Rome. He sought to starve the city into
submission. Famine and pestilence raged within its walls. Finally peace
was purchased by a large ransom, and Alaric withdrew, but soon returned.
The city was betrayed, and after a lapse of eight centuries became the
second time a prey to the barbarians (24 August, 410).

The city was plundered for five days, and then Alaric withdrew to ravage
the surrounding country. But the days of this great leader were almost
spent. Before the end of the year he died, and shortly after his army
marched into France, where they established a kingdom reaching from the
Loire and the Rhone to the Straits of Gibraltar.

The GERMANS, under their king, CLODION, prompted by the example of the
Burgundians and Visigoths, began, about 425, a series of attempts to
enlarge their boundaries. They succeeded in establishing themselves
firmly in all the country from the Rhine to the Somme, and under the
name of FRANKS founded the present French nation in France (447).

Clodion left two sons, who quarrelled over the succession. The elder
appealed to the Huns for support, the younger to Ro