Battle of Pollentia

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Battle of Pollentia
Date 6 April 402 Location Pollentia, modern Pollenza, near Asti, Italy Result Minor Roman victory
Combatants
Roman Empire	Visigoths
Commanders
Stilicho	Alaric I

The Battle of Pollentia was fought on 6 April 402 (Easter) between the Romans and the Visigoths.

Since February, the Visigoths, led by Alaric I, had been besieging Mediolanum, the capital of Roman Emperor Honorius, defended by Roman Gothic troops. The arrival of Stilicho and his army had forced Alaric to relieve the siege and move towards Hasta (modern Asti) 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 at Verona, Alaric stopped his retreat, and was defeated in the Battle 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 an ex-voto for Stilicho's victory.