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Show Alarlc the Goth. Alaric, the first of the barbarian kings who entered and sacked the Etecnal City, and the first enemy who had appeared before its walls since the time of Hannibal, is said to have received as the price of his departure from the city (during the first siege, in A. D. 408) 5.000 pounds weight of gold, 3,000 pounds weight of silver, 3.000 silken robes, 3,000 pieces of scarlet scar-let cloth and 4,000 pounds of pepper. In order to furnish a portion of the ransom it became necessary to melt down some of the statues of the ancient an-cient gods. |