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The Two Capuas

The Ancient Capua was one of the biggest cities in the Roman Empire. After its destruction by the Saracens in 841 AD, several new cities have been founded on the place where it was. The most important ones are Capua and Santa Maria Capua Vetere (but there are also other towns: San Prisco (in honour of Priscus – disciple of Jesus – who founded the Capuan christian community; Casapulla – namely “Apollo’s temple”; Casagiove – which means “Jupiter’s temple”; Curti – from cohorts, the basic tactical unit of a Roman legion).

The town that today bear the glorious name of Capua is in reality the ancient Casilinum, Capua’s port on Volturnus river. It was rebuilt during the Middle Ages and here you can find all the monument referring to that time like the beautiful abbey of S. Angelo in Formis.

The city centre of the Ancient Capua corresponds to the modern Santa Maria Capua Vetere, where today you can admire not only the Amphitheater, the Mithraeum, the Hadrian’s Arch, all the Domus and the Duomo of S. Maria Maggiore, but also the Risorgimental monuments.

Today, the Two Capuas border each other and the two city centers are only 4 km far.