Minturnae
Minturnae, located in modern-day Minturno, Italy, is an ancient site that was originally inhabited by the Aurunci tribe before being captured by the Romans in 313 BC. Situated near the Liris River on the western coast, it became a significant Roman colony established in 295 BC along the Via Appia, a crucial route connecting Rome to southern Italy. The area has historical significance due to its connection to notable figures such as Gaius Marius, who sought refuge there during political turmoil.
The colony was later renewed and expanded during the reigns of Roman emperors Augustus and Hadrian, with evidence of a complex harbor, the Portus Lirensis, and infrastructure such as the Pons Terinus bridge. Minturnae was also celebrated for its fertile plains and vineyards, as noted by the geographer Strabo. Additionally, the site contains remnants of a revered sanctuary dedicated to the sea-goddess Marica, which dates back to the sixth century BC and served as a pilgrimage site.
Excavations have revealed significant structures, including a forum, an amphitheater, and an aqueduct supplying water from the Auruncan mountains. The ruins reflect a rich history of urban development and cultural importance, making Minturnae a notable archaeological site for those interested in Roman history and ancient civilizations.
Subject Terms
Minturnae
(Minturno)
Situated a mile from the coast of western Italy, in the Caecuban plain beside the north (and later also the south) bank of the river Liris (Garigliano)—which separated Latium from Campania—Minturnae was originally a settlement of the tribe of the Aurunci, and was captured by the Romans during their conquest of that tribe in 313 BC. In 295 a Roman colony was established on the site, astride the Via Appia (312) which was Rome's principal route to southern Italy. The story of Gaius Marius' refuge from Sulla's henchmen in the nearby marshes (88) became legendary. Subsequently the colony was renewed by Augustus (31 BC–AD 14) and Gaius (AD 37–41), and expanded by Hadrian (117–38). It possessed a bridge over the Liris, the Pons Terinus (of which wooden piles and concrete rubble have been discovered), and was served by what was evidently a busy and complex harbor, the Portus Lirensis.
Strabo praises the plain of Minturnae, despite its swampiness, for tree vines that `produce the best of wines.’ He also refers to a much revered sanctuary near the mouth of the Liris, dedicated to the sea-goddess Marica, mother of Latinus, and frequented from the sixth century BC onward numerous coins found beneath its waters may have been offerings from her pilgrims. The forum and Capitolium of the Republican colony have been excavated. The former was converted into a portico (behind a theater with accommodation for 4,600 persons, now restored) when a new imperial forum was constructed, by which time the Capitolium had been superseded by three new temples; one of them was partly constructed from reused stones bearing a long series of dedicatory inscriptions of the Sullan and post-Sullan epochs.
Water was brought to the city by a well-preserved aqueduct which came from the Auruncan mountains seven miles away, and terminated in a distribution chamber incorporated in the western city gate. This gate formed part of a wall with square and polygonal towers which, before 207 BC, extended the area—surrounded by a limestone fortification—constituting the original camplike colony. Arches of a bathing establishment and remains of an amphitheater are also to be seen.