Busento, River (anc. Busentinus, Busentus, Barentinus)
Part of The Encyclopedia of Southern Italy.
Busento, River (anc. Busentinus, Busentus, Barentinus): A river in Calabria. It rises 6.4 km N of the town of Grimaldi and flows N for 17 km until it joins the river Crati at Cosenza. The Busento divides the city of Cosenza into two sections, the old city on the hill, while the newer city lies on the plain. The river figures in history principally in its connection with the Visigoth chieftain Alaric. In AD 410, following his famous sacking of Rome, Alaric moved south through Campania and Bruttium, intent on crossing over to Sicily. When this plan was thwarted, Alaric led his people northward again. While still in Bruttium, he became severely ill and died in a short time. The Visigoths, fearful that Alaric’s grave would be desecrated, diverted the course of the Busento and buried their dead leader in the now-dry river bed. Included with the body was a great treasure consisting of some of the most precious treasures stolen from Rome. Once the burial was completed, the river was returned to its original course thus masking all trace of the grave. The company of slaves who performed the burial was then murdered, thus assuring that location would not be revealed. Despite repeated attempts to find Alaric’s grave by both professional archaeologists and amateur treasure-hunters, the location of the burial and its incredible treasure has never been found.