The small sleepy city of Ravenna has a strange and noble history. Situated on the Adriatic coast, it had long been an important port city during the Roman period. The city became really important however only after Constantine moved the capital of the Empire from Rome to Constantinople. Ravenna was perfectly placed directly across the Adriatic from the Via Egnatia, the great Roman military road that led from the Adriatic to Constantinople. The city was also well fortified and surrounded by swampland which was infested with malaria mosquitos. Although life wasn't too pleasant in Ravenna during mosquito season, it was generally safe from besieging armies. When Alaric the Goth rampaged across Italy in the 5th century, the Emperor Honorius (393-423) fled to the safety of Ravenna, which became his capital for the rest of his long and pointless life. Secure in Ravenna he gave himself over to raising chickens while Rome burned and the Empire collapsed around him. After the collapse of Roman authority, the Goths ruled from here. Then the city was recaptured by Justinian's general Belisarus and it once more became the capital of Roman Empire's western provinces. Most of the city's magnificent monuments date from this time. Eventually however the harbour silted over, Byzantine influence waned and the city slipped into regional obscurity.