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Illustration from the 1920s depicting Alaric parading through Athens after conquering the city in 395 AD.

Archaeologists Launch Official Search for Treasure of King Alaric Sought by the Nazis

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The local and provincial administration of Cosenza in Italy has launched a plan to systematically search for the treasure hoard of Alaric, King of the Visigoths, who looted the riches during his sack of Rome in the 5 th century. Italian archaeologists will be utilizing the latest technological innovations in their search for the treasure, which legend says was buried alongside Alaric somewhere near the confluence of two rivers in Cosenza.  Adolph Hitler was obsessed with the goal of finding the hidden loot, but the Nazis never located it.

Alaric’s treasure is believed to be buried with his body somewhere near the confluence of two rivers in Cosenza, Italy. The River Crathis in Cosenza

Alaric’s treasure is believed to be buried with his body somewhere near the confluence of two rivers in Cosenza, Italy. The River Crathis in Cosenza (Public domain)

The Sack of Rome

Alaric I (395 – 410 AD) was the first King of the Visigoths and leader of the army that sacked Rome in August 410, an act that played a significant role in the fall of the Western Roman Empire.

The Huns had forced the Goths to seek refuge in the Eastern Roman Empire, but high taxes, starvation, and poor treatment from the Roman population caused the Goths to rebel.  King Alaric led his troops on a rampage through the Balkans and into Italy, where they sacked Rome, the seat of the richest senatorial noble families and the centre of their cultural patronage. 

For three days, the Goths plundered the city, ransacking buildings, including homes of the wealthy, the treasury, and the mausoleums of Augustus and Hadrian. Alaric was said to have left the city with wagons containing two tons of gold, thirteen tons of silver, 4,000 silk tunics, 3,000 fleeces, and 3,000 pounds of pepper.

After plundering the city, Alaric planned to march into Sicily and later Africa, but he never achieved these goals as he died soon later in 410 AD.

The Sack of Rome by the Visigoths on 24 August 410 by J-N Sylvestre, 1890

The Sack of Rome by the Visigoths on 24 August 410 by J-N Sylvestre, 1890 (Public domain)

The Death of King Alaric

It is not clear how Alaric died, but it is assumed that he either died from an illness or in battle during an enemy attack.

According to the historian Jordanes, who wrote about the Goths in the sixth century, Alaric was buried along with the looted treasures in a tomb at the confluence of the Busento and Crathis rivers.

“Turning from its course the river Busentus, near the city of Cosentia, they led a band of captives into the midst of its bed to dig out a place for his grave,” writes Jordanes in his book De Origine Actibusque Getarum (‘ The Origin and Deeds of the Goths’). “In the depths of this pit they buried Alaric, together with many treasures, and then turned the waters back into their channel. And that none might ever know the place, they put to death all the diggers.”

The burial of Alaric in the bed of the Busento River. 1895 wood engraving.

The burial of Alaric in the bed of the Busento River. 1895 wood engraving. (Public domain)

The Search for Alaric’s Treasure

During the mid-18 th century, a huge project took place to unearth the tomb of Alaric, but nothing was found. Then, in the early 19 th century, writer and traveller Alexandre Dumas visited Cosenza after a major earthquake had drained the Busento River. Dumas reported that numerous people began fervently digging for the Roman treasure, but again no treasure or tomb was unearthed.

In the 20 th century, the accounts of the treasure attracted the attention of Adolph Hitler and Heinrich Himmler, who ordered an extensive search for the hidden loot. But they too came back empty handed.

The Telegraph reports that the search has now begun again, this time with the whole-hearted support of the Cosenza authorities.

"Historical sources and clues confirm that the treasure of Alaric was buried in Cosenza," Mario Occhiuto, the mayor of Cosenza, said in a statement [via The Telegraph]. “The treasure consisted of about 10 wagons full of gold and silver, and perhaps also the sacred Jewish candelabra, the Menorah.

The town of Cosenza has commissioned a team of archaeologists to search for the treasure and is hoping that if the loot is found, it will attract hordes of tourists to the area.

Featured image: Illustration from the 1920s depicting Alaric parading through Athens after conquering the city in 395 AD. (Public domain)

By April Holloway

 

Comments

I disagree. I believe the treasure is there, just being underwater for so long, even his bones may have been washed away. What is needed is ground penetrating radar, used under the rivers surface, dragged across the bottom all over, to find the gold and silver that would allow detector to find it !
If they did seal the tomb somewhat, it may prevent some further decay of the king. And with so many people present entombing him, many more would know than just the diggers, who were killed off, so many more would have to perish in order to keep it's place a secret. Additionally it is a great thing that the place where it all is buried, is even mentioned ! That seems miraculous to me.
to be buried in such a way, and kill off diggers, but then for the location to be known today, should be, most unlikely. hmmm. ANY NEW NEWS ON THIS SEARCH ????

another story us that they managedtocreate a very effective boobytrap, much like the Oak Islan one, where a series of high pressure water chutes will explode and drown all diggers once a cap stone is removed....

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April

April Holloway is a Co-Owner, Editor and Writer of Ancient Origins. For privacy reasons, she has previously written on Ancient Origins under the pen name April Holloway, but is now choosing to use her real name, Joanna Gillan.

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