Siege of Asti (402) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Siege of Asti |
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| Part of the Germanic Wars | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
| Visigoths |  Roman Empire |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Alaric I | Stilicho | ||||||
The Siege of Asti was an important event in 402 CE. It happened when the Visigoths, led by their king Alaric I, attacked the city of Asti in northern Italy. This attack was part of a larger invasion by the Visigoths into the Roman Empire.
Contents
What Was the Siege of Asti?
A siege is when an army surrounds a city or castle to try and capture it. They cut off supplies and try to force the people inside to give up. The Siege of Asti happened in the year 402 CE. The Visigoths, a powerful group of people, had invaded northern Italy. Their goal was to take control of Roman lands.
Why Did the Emperor Flee?
The Roman Emperor at the time was Honorius. He lived in the capital city of Mediolanum (which is now Milan). When the Visigoths moved quickly into northern Italy, Emperor Honorius became worried. He decided to leave Mediolanum for his own safety.
His first plan was to escape to a city called Arles. However, a group of Visigoth soldiers blocked his path. They stopped him from going west. Because of this, the Emperor and his group had to change their plans.
Asti Becomes a Refuge
With the Visigoths chasing them, Emperor Honorius and his followers fled to Asti. At that time, Asti was known as Hasta. It was a safer place for the Emperor to hide. The Visigoths soon followed them and surrounded Hasta. They began a siege, hoping to capture the Emperor and the city.
How the Siege Ended
The city of Hasta was under siege until March. Then, a very important Roman general named Stilicho arrived. General Stilicho brought many new soldiers with him. These reinforcements came from the Rhine River area, which was a Roman border.
Stilicho's arrival changed everything. His strong army forced the Visigoths to stop their siege of Hasta. The Visigoths had to retreat from the city. They moved to a better location for a battle, a place called Pollentia. There, the Roman army and the Visigoths fought a major battle.
See also
In Spanish: Sitio de Asti para niños
