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What spice was as valuable as gold and silver?

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In 394 CE, Alaric, king of the Visigoths, made a pact with Emperor Theodosius I of Rome. The Huns had been attacking the borders of Visigoth territory and an alliance with Rome gave the Visigoths more military power. Emperor Theodosius died the following year.

After the death of Theodosius, the troops rebelled and chose Alaric their leader. Alaric and his warriors rampaged through Greece, Macedonia, and Thrace. In 401, Alaric invaded Italy and was halted but not defeated. For a number of years, the Romans sought to buy Alaric's allegiance.

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Mark Daffey
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In 408, Alaric laid siege to Rome. The city's supplies ran low, food was rationed, and disease and superstition stalked the citizens. Alaric demanded a ransom for the life of the city: all the gold and silver, all the rich and precious movables, and all the slaves.

In 409, Alaric accepted an interim ransom of 5,000 pounds of gold, 30,000 pounds of silver, 4,000 robes of silk, 3,000 pieces of scarlet cloth, and 3,000 pounds of pepper (Piper nigrum). But Alaric did not keep his word and Rome was again under siege.

The final siege came in 410. Alaric selected young men from his troops and presented these "slaves" to the magistrates of Rome. His troops pretended to prepare to leave for their homeland. On August 24, the "slaves" killed the guards and opened the gates of the city. The troops of Alaric sacked and burned Rome.

The Romans who had controlled much of the ancient world now withdrew to protect Italy. Britannia (England) was the first of the areas abandoned by the falling Roman Empire.

Alaric died shortly after the sacking of Rome. Legends say the Busento River near Cosenza was diverted and Alaric was buried in the river bed with the treasures of Rome. After his burial, the river was returned to its natural course. The slaves who built the burial chamber were killed to keep its location secret.

Fordham University's Ancient History Sourcebook has the story of the sacking of Rome written by Procopius of Caesarea in 550 CE. To read a fascinating story, click on the link:

http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/ancient/410alaric.html