The Vandals looted Rome for two weeks, causing widespread destruction to the city, stripping it of most of its valuables, and taking some residents as slaves.

[6] Gaiseric proclaimed that the broken betrothal between Huneric and Eudocia invalidated the peace treaty and exploited the situation as a casus belli to invade Rome, gathering a large force and sailing from Carthage.

[13] While Gaiseric kept his promise not to burn and slaughter, he did carry off some inhabitants as slaves, and also managed to capture Eudoxia and her daughters Eudocia and Placidia as they tried to escape.

[14] The Vandals sacked the city for two weeks[13] before returning to Africa, during which the imperial government of the Western Roman Empire was effectively paralysed.

[18] Victor of Vita records that several shiploads of slave captives arrived in Africa from Rome, who were then divided between the Vandals.

Avitus, who had the military and financial support of King Theodoric II, was acclaimed emperor by his army in Arles on 9-10 July, and was later recognized by the Roman Senate.

Despite the popular image of the Vandals as destroyers, the severity of the sack is debatable, with claims that it inflicted little murder, violence, or arson.

[citation needed] Some modern historians like John Henry Haaren maintain that temples, public buildings, private houses and even the emperor's palace were sacked.

[20] The Vandals also took immense quantities of gold, silver, jewels and furniture, destroyed works of art, and killed a number of citizens.