 This disrupted Stilicho's plans to re-take Illyricum from the Eastern Empire with the help of Alaric.Stilicho, scraping together a force of c. 20,000 men (thirty "numeri" of Roman troops with supporting units of federates of Alans and Huns) through a variety of desperate methods, including efforts to enroll slaves in the army in exchange for their freedom, at Ticinum (Pavia) led this force at the beginning of the campaigning season in 406 against Radagaisus .Fortunately for Stilicho, Radagaisus had split his forces into three divisions; two were pillaging the Italian countryside while the largest contingent under Radagaisus himself was laying siege to Florentia.