Capua

Capua (modern Santa Maria Capua Vetere) was the chief ancient city of Campania, and one of the most important towns of ancient Italy, situated 25 km (16 mi) north of Neapolis, on the northeastern edge of the Campanian plain.

History

Capua's site, in a position not naturally defensible, together with the regularity of its plan, indicates that it is not a very ancient town, though it very likely occupies the site of an early Oscan settlement. The origin of the name is probably Campus, a plain, as the adjective Campanus shows.

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Its foundation is attributed by Cato the Elder to the Etruscans, and the date given as about 260 years before it was "taken" by Rome. If this be referred, not to its capture in the second Punic War (211 BC) but to its submission to Rome in, 338 BC, we get about 600 BC as the date of its foundation, a period at which the Etruscan power was at its highest, and which may perhaps, therefore, be accepted.

Related Topics:
Cato the Elder - Etruscans - Second Punic War - 211 BC - 338 BC - 600 BC

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Etruscan supremacy in Campania came to an end with the Samnite invasion in the latter half of the 5th century BC. Capua entered into alliance with Rome for protection against the Samnite mountain tribes, along with its dependent communities Casilinum, Calatia, Atella, so that the greater part of Campania now fell under Roman supremacy. The citizens of Capua received the civitas sine suffragio," citizenship without the vote.

Related Topics:
Samnite - 5th century BC

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In the second Samnite War with Rome, Capua proved an untrustworthy Roman ally, so that after the defeat of the Samnites, the Ager Falerus on the right bank of the Volturnus was confiscated. In 318 the powers of the native officials (meddices) were limited by the appointment of officials with the title praefecti Capuam Cumas (taking their name from the most important towns of Campania); these were at first mere deputies of the praetor urbanus, but after 123 BC were elected Roman magistrates, four in number; they governed the whole of Campania until the time of Augustus, when they were abolished.

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In 312 BC, Capua was connected with Rome by the construction of the Via Appia, the most important of the military highways of Italy. The gate by which it left the Servian walls of Rome bore the name Porta Capena--perhaps the only case in which a gate in this enceinte bears the name of the place to which it led. At what time the Via Latina was prolonged to Casilinum is doubtful (it is quite possible that it was done when Capua fell under Roman supremacy, i.e. before the construction of the Via Appia); it afforded a route only 10 km (6 mi) longer, and the difficulties with its construction were much less; it also avoided the troublesome journey through the Pontine Marshes.

Related Topics:
312 BC - Rome - Via Appia - Via Appia

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The importance of Capua increased steadily during the 3rd century, and at the beginning of the second Punic War it was considered to be only slightly behind Rome and Carthage themselves, and was able to furnish 30,000 infantry and 4000 cavalry. Until after the defeat of Cannae it remained faithful to Rome, but, after a vain demand that one of the consuls should always be selected from it or perhaps in order to secure regional supremacy in the event of a Carthaginian victory, it defected Hannibal, who made it his winter quarters. Livy and others have sugested that the luxurious conditions were Hannibal's Cannae because his troops became soft. Historians from Bosworth Smith onwards have been skeptical of this observing that his troops gave as good account of themselves in battle after that winter as before. After a long siege it was taken by the Romans in 211 B C and severely punished; its magistrates and communal organization were abolished, the inhabitants losing their civic rights, and its territory became Roman state domain. Parts of it were sold in 205 and 199 BC, another part was divided among the citizens of the new colonies of Volturnum and Liternum established near the coast in 194 BC, but the greater portion of it was reserved to be let by the state.

Related Topics:
3rd century - Carthage - Cannae - Hannibal - 211 B C - 205 - 199 BC - Volturnum - Liternum - 194 BC

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Considerable difficulties occurred in preventing illegal encroachments by private persons, and it became necessary to buy a number of them out in 162 BC. It was, after that period, let, not to large but to small proprietors. Frequent attempts were made by the democratic leaders to divide the land among new settlers. Brutus in 83 BC actually succeeded in establishing a colony, but it was soon dissolved; and Cicero?s speeches De Lege Agrania were directed against a similar attempt by Servilius Rullus in 63 BC.

Related Topics:
Brutus - 83 BC - Cicero - Servilius Rullus - 63 BC

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In the meantime the necessary organization of the inhabitants of this thickly populated district was in a measure supplied by grouping them round important shrines, especially that of Diana Tifatina, in connection with which a pagus Dianae existed, as we learn from many inscriptions; a pagus Herculaneus is also known.

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The town of Capua belonged to none of these organizations, and was entirely dependent on the praefecti. It enjoyed great prosperity, however, owing their growing of spelt, the grain of which was worked into groats, wine, roses, spices, unguents, etc., and also owing to its manufacture, especially of bronze objects, of which both the elder Cato and the elder Pliny speak in the highest terms.

Related Topics:
Spelt - The elder Cato - The elder Pliny

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Its luxury remained proverbial; and Campania is especially spoken of as the home of gladiatorial combats. From the gladiatorial schools of Campania came Spartacus and his followers in 73 BC. Julius Caesar as consul in 59 BC succeeded in carrying out the establishment of a colony in connection with his agrarian law, and 20,000 Roman citizens were settled in this territory.

Related Topics:
Gladiator - Spartacus - 73 BC - Julius Caesar - Consul - 59 BC

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The number of colonists was increased by Mark Antony, Augustus (who constructed an aqueduct from the Mons Tifata, and gave the town of Capua estates in the district of Cnossus in Crete to the value of 12 million sesterces, and Nero.

Related Topics:
Mark Antony - Augustus - Aqueduct - Cnossus - Crete - Sesterces - Nero

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In the war of AD 69 it took the side of Vitellius. Under the later empire it is not often mentioned; but in the 4th century it was the seat of the consularis Campaniae and its chief town, though Ausonius puts it behind Mediolanum (Milan) and Aquileia in his ordo nobilium urbium.

Related Topics:
69 - Vitellius - 4th century - Ausonius - Milan - Aquileia

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Under Constantine we hear of the foundation of a Christian church in Capua. In 456 it was taken and destroyed by Genseric, but must have been soon rebuilt: it was, however, finally destroyed by the Saracens in 840 and the church of Santa Maria Maggiore, founded about 497, alone remained. It contains 52 ancient marble columns, but was modernized in 1766. The site was only occupied in the late middle ages by a village which has, however, outgrown the medieval Capua in modern days.

Related Topics:
Constantine - 456 - Genseric - Saracens

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