Archaeological ark of Amiternum – testament to the ancient sabine and roman city

History and Description

Amiternum was an ancient city founded by the Sabines, located near the present-day village of San Vittorino. According to sources such as Cato, it was considered one of the oldest Sabine settlements, later occupied by the Romans during the Third Samnite War and thus integrated into their dominion. During the Imperial Age, Amiternum experienced a period of prosperity, becoming a municipium and developing significant public buildings. Among the monuments still visible today are the Roman Theatre, the layout of a Roman domus, the Amphitheatre, remains of baths, aqueducts, and late-imperial villas decorated with mosaics and frescoes, as well as temples dedicated to Feronia, Hercules, and Fortuna—the latter rebuilt during the imperial period after a fire. In recent years, archaeological excavations have uncovered new and remarkable features, such as a large rectangular basin from the Augustan era, approximately 30 meters long and restored following Vitruvian architectural principles, and a medieval necropolis near the amphitheatre, dated to around the 12th century, demonstrating that Amiternum survived in some form even after the fall of Rome.

Curiosities

Amiternum is the birthplace of the Roman historian Sallust, who was born here around 86 B.C.. Moreover, the city’s amphitheatre is often referred to as a “small Colosseum” because of its shape and the evocative setting within the landscape.

Access Information

The Archaeological Park of Amiternum, including the Theatre and Amphitheatre, is managed by the National Museum of Abruzzo (MuNDA) and is open to the public free of charge.

How to Get Here

Located in San Vittorino, the archaeological site of Amiternum is easily reachable by car, following the SS80 from L’Aquila, or by taxi after taking the train in the same direction.

Amiternum stands as a meeting point between Italic and Roman history, an unmissable destination for all lovers of archaeology and ancient culture.

Photo credits: Lasacrasillaba (Wikipedia) – Licensed by public domain