Capua

Capua, an ancient fortified city, the capital of Campania, is situated near the river Volturno, 18 miles N. of Naples. It is believed to have been founded by the Tuscans in the ninth century B.C., and soon became exceedingly wealthy and luxurious. The Samnites captured it in 424 B.C., and soon degenerated under its enervating influence, so that Rome had to protect them from the neighbouring tribes. The inhabitants were despoiled by their allies of much of their land, but were admitted to citizenship. In the second Punic war they joined Hannibal, and demoralised his soldiers. The city was then taken by Rome and severely punished, its civic existence being destroyed, and the remainder of its territory converted into Roman public land. This territory, known as the Ager Campanus, is much heard of in the agrarian controversies of the time of Cicero. The city was restored to municipal privileges for fidelity in the Social war. Under Julius Caesar it became a Roman colony. The Vandals (456) and the Saracens (846) utterly destroyed it, and its site is now occupied by the town of Santa Maria, where the ruins of the great amphitheatre still exist. The modern Capua was founded at Casilinum by a remnant of the survivors of the Saracen assault. It is one of the strongest places in South Italy.