Visigothic sack of Rome (410 AD) - The sack led to three days of widespread looting and destruction.

The Visigothic sack of Rome in 410 AD was a significant event in late antiquity, marking the first time in almost 800 years that the city of Rome had been captured and sacked by an enemy force. The Visigoths, a Germanic tribe led by King Alaric I, besieged and eventually sacked the city, resulting in three days of widespread looting and destruction.
Background: The sack of Rome occurred during a period of political instability and upheaval in the Western Roman Empire. The empire was facing numerous internal and external threats, including invasions by barbarian tribes, economic decline, and social unrest. The Visigoths had been pressing against the Roman borders for years, seeking land, plunder, and opportunities for settlement.
Siege and Sack: In 410 AD, King Alaric I led his Visigothic forces in a successful siege of Rome, breaching the city's defenses and gaining entry. Once inside, the Visigoths unleashed three days of pillaging, looting, and destruction, seizing valuable treasures, plundering homes and public buildings, and wreaking havoc on the city's inhabitants.
Symbolic Impact: The sack of Rome sent shockwaves throughout the Roman world and beyond, symbolizing the decline and vulnerability of the once-mighty Roman Empire. Rome, which had long been viewed as the eternal city and the center of civilization, was now seen as vulnerable to barbarian invasion and unable to protect its own citizens from external threats.
Cultural and Psychological Impact: The sack of Rome had a profound cultural and psychological impact on the Roman population, leading to a sense of despair, disillusionment, and loss. The event shattered the myth of Roman invincibility and contributed to a sense of decline and decline in confidence in the ability of the Roman state to provide security and stability.
Historical Significance: The sack of Rome in 410 AD is often cited as a key turning point in the decline and fall of the Western Roman Empire. While Rome was eventually reoccupied and rebuilt, the event marked the beginning of a period of increasing barbarian incursions and the eventual collapse of Roman authority in the west.
Overall, the Visigothic sack of Rome in 410 AD was a devastating blow to the prestige and power of the Roman Empire, highlighting the vulnerabilities and weaknesses that would eventually lead to its downfall.