Excursion to Capua (Amphitheater and Gladiator Museum):
Capua – located 30 km from Naples according to ancient chronicles, was founded by Aeneas Capys. Ancient finds in the vicinity of the city prove the connection of the ancient settlement with the Etruscan Villanovan culture. There is a version that in 600 BC Volturn (the ancient name of Capua) was the largest Etruscan center in Campania, which led a union of 12 cities surrounded by fertile fields.
The power of the Etruscans began to weaken significantly after the invasion of the peoples of Cumae and Syracuse in 474 BC. Subsequently, after Capua’s alliance with Rome, a wave of Samnite wars followed in the territory of the city. According to another version, the history of the city of Capua began in the 5th century AD. It is known that in the 6th century the territory was inhabited by the Lombards and in 841 the land was devastated due to the invasion of the Saracens.
In 74 BC, gladiator slaves revolted in Capua – it was from here that the famous slave uprising led by Spartacus began.
An outstanding monument of Roman architecture is the Capuan Amphitheater, which served as a model for the Roman Colosseum. The underground chambers of the Amphitheater – auxiliary rooms located under the arena – have been well preserved.
Next to the Amphitheater is the Gladiator Museum, where you can see the reconstructed section of the audience of the Amphitheater and the armor of the gladiators.
A new, more fortified city on the site of the Roman settlement of Casilinum was built by the Lombards and became known as Sicopolis. The city received its modern name in the 10th century. At this time, it began to be called Capua and gained the status of the capital city of the Lombards. Closer to the end of the 10th century, the city was attacked by the Normans. After its capture, it was transformed into an important trade and military center with access to the largest river port. From that moment until today, the city has experienced prosperity and a rise in its economy.
During the reign of Emperor Henry IV in the 12th century, defensive fortress walls were erected and entry into the city was through the Capuan gates. In 1501, the city was attacked in an event known in history as the “sack of Capua” led by Cesare Borgia. During the invasion, several thousand local residents were killed. In 1815, during the war with Napoleon, a capitulation of the city was signed by Murat, and in 1860 the most famous battle of the 19th century took place in the territory of Capua, fought for Italian lands, between the occupying forces and the soldiers of Garibaldi’s army.
The modern city of Capua is very different from the medieval one.
