![]() ![]() When the Western Roman Empire fell in 476 CE, it was replaced by a series of kingdoms ruled over by the very Germans that the Romans so despised. Alaric and the Visigoths fought back by sacking Rome in 410 CE. Alaric and his subjects were repeatedly denied safe refuge or recognition as citizens, simply because they were Germans. The confederation was then united as the Visigoths under its first king, Alaric. This battle was the result of a series of abuses suffered by Germans at the hands of Roman officials. Three years later, in 378 CE, a confederation (group) of German tribes defeated the Romans at the Battle of Adrianople in the Balkan Peninsula and killed the emperor Valens. He was so insulted by the blame that they placed on him for their actions that he "burst into a mighty fit of wrath," suffered an aneurysm and died. They explained to the emperor that this was because he had set up military camps along the river in their territory, creating a barrier against them. The Quadi had previously attacked Roman forces that had crossed the Danube River. In 375 CE, the emperor Valentinian I met with German tribal leaders from the Quadi. ![]()
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