Santa Maria Capua Vetere

Santa Maria Capua Vetere is a town near Caserta in the province of Caserta in the Italian region of Campania in southern Italy with 32 391 inhabitants ( 31 December 2012).

Until 1861, the city of Santa Maria Maggiore said. It is located on the site of ancient Capua ( the modern town of Capua is located at the site of the ancient Casilinum ). The neighboring municipalities are Capua, Carinaro, Casaluce, Curti, Macerata Campania, Marcianise, San Prisco, San Tammaro and Teverola.

History

Some ancient sources resulted in the establishment of Capua - the most powerful and most luxurious city of Campania was - back to the Trojan Capys. The timing of the city's foundation is estimated to have approximately around 800 BC. Supposedly called Capua originally Volturnum, but keeps the historian Gerhard Radke this tradition for little credibility. According to Cato the Elder laid then Etruscan Capua 471 BC on the site of the village of Osker new to. But the Etruscans are likely to be already a century earlier been the dominant nation in Campania. In the second half of the 5th century BC, the Samnites completed the Etruscan power in Campania and conquered Capua in 424 BC

Against the march Samnite mountain tribes Capua turned 343 BC for help to Rome and received according to the Roman historians Livy and Velleius Paterculus five years later the status of a Roman sojourners community ( civitas sine suffragio ); the latter is doubted by Gerhard Radke. In the Second Samnite War, Capua proved an unreliable ally of the Romans. Therefore, the power of the native magistrates Capua was 318 BC limited by the appointment of Roman Prefects Capuam. In the same year after the Ager Falernus ( one located on the right bank of the Volturnus area ) was named Tribus Falerna furnished.

After 312 BC, Capua was connected with Rome by the Via Appia, which ended there at the Porta Capena. Whether this ancient city gate of Rome was named after Capua, is uncertain. Before the construction of the Via Appia you had to get from Rome to Capua, take the path on the up Casilinum leading Via Latina.

In the 3rd century BC, Capua was very prosperous and one of the most important towns in Italy. During the Second Punic War, the city was after the rejection of their demand to be allowed to represent one of the consuls, their loyalty to Rome and went after the Roman defeat at the Battle of Cannae (216 BC) to the victorious Hannibal. The Punic army, now moved into winter quarters at Capua is said to have lost its clout, according to Livy and other ancient authors, due to the prevailing luxurious lifestyle. The consuls Quintus Fulvius Flaccus and Appius Claudius Pulcher began in 212 BC with the inclusion of Capua and were able to fend off attempts at relief Hannibal next year. The city finally fell after a long siege the end of 211 BC was followed by sharp retaliation by the Romans. They included the abolition of the previously independent local government expropriation of inhabitants and transformation of the territory of Capua in a Roman state domain ( Campanus ager ). The citizens colonies Liternum and Volturnum were founded 194 BC near the coast on a part of Campanus ager.

Capua was still a prosperous economy based inter alia on cereal production, and manufacturing of perfumery by Cato the Elder praised Bronze devices. 83 BC Sulla struck north of Capua, the consul Gaius Norbanus, who had to retreat into the city.

The Campanian city was known for hosting gladiator fights. In the year 73 BC went from Capua from the two-year slave revolt of Spartacus after Spartacus broke out along with 78 other gladiators after a rebellion from one based in Capua Gladiator School.

As part of its agrarian law created Gaius Julius Caesar 59 BC as consul in Capua under the name Colonia Iulia Felix a colony of 20,000 Roman citizens. More colonists settled the triumvir Mark Antony in 43 BC on. The same step set seven years later, his colleague Octavian, the future Emperor Augustus, who built an aqueduct from the Mons also Tifata.

In the early imperial period capuanisches bronze vessels was widespread. In the War of the Four Emperors year 69 AD, Capua sided with Vitellius. In the later imperial period it is rarely mentioned. The Vandals, led by Genseric destroyed the city in 456, you may have been, however, soon rebuilt and maintained a certain importance.

After the collapse of the Roman Empire Capua was ravaged again in the second half of the 6th century during the invasion of the Lombards in Italy and then belonged to the Duchy of Benevento as Gastaldat. 840 it suffered its utter destruction by the Saracens. 856 Bishop Landulf founded as a successor settlement Capua nova, modern Capua, on the site of ancient Casilinum, but also the place of the destroyed "old" Capua was founded in the later Middle Ages again a settlement under the name of Santa Maria Maggiore.

Sports

The place was 1988 arrival of the fifth stage of the Giro d' Italia.

Attractions

Worth mentioning makes the city the second largest amphitheater after the Colosseum in Rome. The degree of conservation is not to be compared to the outer walls with Rome. In Santa Maria Capua Vetere, however, the underground passages are completely restored and walkable and with a size of 170 × 140 m only slightly smaller than the Roman amphitheater. In addition, the site offers an interesting museum about gladiators (formerly the Antiquario ) and some preserved tombs.

Another attraction is found in the inner city: Here in 1924 one of the few mithraea in Europe was discovered.

Other sights include the Cathedral, the archeological museum Capua and the Arch Arco di Adriano in honor of Emperor Hadrian.

Pictures

Ancient amphitheater

Ancient amphitheater

Mithraeum

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