One day a Roman ship came to Carthage with a messenger from the
Empress Eudoxia to Genseric. Eudoxia was the widow of Valentinian
III. After ruling several years, Valentinian had just been murdered
by a Roman noble named Maximus, who had at once made himself emperor.
When the messenger entered the room where Genseric was, he said:
"Great king, I bring you a message from the Empress Eudoxia. She
begs your help. She and her two beautiful daughters are in danger
in Rome. She wishes you to protect them against Maximus. She invites
you to come with an army to Rome and take the city. She and her
friends will help you as much as they can."
With a cry of joy Genseric sprang to his feet and exclaimed:
"Tell the empress that I accept her invitation. I shall set out
for Rome immediately. I shall set out for Rome immediately. I shall
protect Eudoxia and her friends."
Genseric then got ready a fleet and a great army, and sailed across
the Mediterranean to the mouth of the Tiber. When the Emperor Maximus
heard that the Vandals were coming he prepared to flee from the
city, and he advised the Senate to do the same. The people were
so angry at this that they put him to death and threw his body
into the river.
Three days later Genseric and his army were at the gates of Rome.
There was no one to oppose them, and they marched in and took possession
of the city. It was only forty-five years since Alaric had been there
and carried off all the valuable things he could find. But since
then Rome had become again grand and wealthy, so there was plenty
for Genseric and his Vandals to carry away. They spent fourteen days
in the work of plunder. They sacked the temples and public buildings
and private houses and the emperor's palace, and they took off to
their ships immense quantities of gold and silver and jewels and
furniture, and destroyed hundreds of beautiful and priceless works
of art.
[Illustration: THE VANDALS IN ROME]
The Vandal king also put to death a number of Roman citizens and
carried away many more as slaves. He took Eudoxia and her daughters
with him to Carthage. One of the daughters was soon afterwards
married to Genseric's eldest son, Hunneric.