- Battle of Pollentia
Infobox Military Conflict
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conflict=Battle of Pollentia
partof=
date=6 April 402
place=Pollentia , modern Pollenza, nearAsti ,Italy
result=Minor Roman victory
combatant1=Roman Empire
combatant2=Visigoths
commander1=Stilicho
commander2=Alaric I
strength1=
strength2=
casualties1=
casualties2=
The Battle of Pollentia was fought on6 April 402 (Easter ) between the Romans and theVisigoths .Since February, the Visigoths, led by
Alaric I , had been besiegingMediolanum , the capital ofRoman Emperor Honorius , defended by Roman Gothic troops. The arrival ofStilicho and his army had forced Alaric to relieve the siege and move towards "Hasta" (modernAsti ) in western Italy.Stilicho reached the Visigoth army at
Pollentia (modern Pollenzo, part of the commune of Bra), and attacked it on Easter, since the Visigoths, who were Arians, were busy celebrating the holiday. Stilicho captured Alaric's familiars, while the Alan Saul, general of the Roman army, captured Alaric's camp.Stilicho offered to return the prisoners in exchange for the Visigoths returning to
Illyricum ; but upon arriving atVerona , Alaric stopped his retreat, and was defeated in theBattle of Verona . With many of his generals going with Stilicho, Alaric was forced to leave Italy. Serena, wife of Stilicho, paid for a musive floor in the basilica of the Apostles, in Mediolanum, as anex-voto for Stilicho's victory.
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