Luceria
Luceria is an ancient inland town located in southeast Italy, strategically positioned on a hilltop where the Apulian plains meet the Samnian highlands. According to mythology, it was founded by Diomedes, who brought a sacred image of Pallas Athena to the site. Historically, Luceria served as a Samnite fortress and was captured by the Romans during the Second Samnite War, later becoming a Latin colony in 314 BC with a significant influx of settlers. It played a notable role during the Second Punic War as a Roman winter headquarters, despite suffering devastation from Hannibal's forces. Over time, Luceria became an important city in Apulia, particularly in the Roman era, when it prospered under Augustus' rule and was recognized as part of the Third Italian Region. Archaeological remains indicate that the town had significant structures, including an amphitheater dedicated to Augustus, temples of Athena and Apollo, and a shrine associated with underworld divinities. Although some ancient structures, such as the circus and theater, have since disappeared, Luceria's rich history reflects its cultural and political significance in ancient Italy.
Subject Terms
Luceria
(Lucera)
![Luceria coin, 211 - 210 BC. Classical Numismatic Group, Inc. http://www.cngcoins.com [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC BY-SA 2.5 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5)], via Wikimedia Commons 103254629-105085.jpg](https://imageserver.ebscohost.com/img/embimages/ers/sp/embedded/103254629-105085.jpg?ephost1=dGJyMNHX8kSepq84xNvgOLCmsE2epq5Srqa4SK6WxWXS)
![Diomedes, mythological founder of Luceria. By Unknown (original by Kresilas ?) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html), CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/) or CC BY-SA 2.5-2.0-1.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5-2.0-1.0)], via Wikimedia Commons 103254629-105084.jpg](https://imageserver.ebscohost.com/img/embimages/ers/sp/embedded/103254629-105084.jpg?ephost1=dGJyMNHX8kSepq84xNvgOLCmsE2epq5Srqa4SK6WxWXS)
An inland town of southeast Italy, occupying a key hilltop site on the northwestern border of Apulia (Puglia), where the plains of that region meet the highlands of Samnium. The mythological founder of Luceria was Diomedes, who was said to have carried a sacred image of Pallas Athena, the Palladium rescued from Troy, to the site. In historical times Luceria became a Samnite fortress, and during the Second Samnite War, after earlier vicissitudes, was captured by the Romans and made a Latin colony (enjoying rights at the capital) in 314, receiving 2,500 settlers; after heavy fighting in 294, its possession enabled Rome to fasten an iron grip on the southeastern regions of the peninsula. The earliest heavy bronze coinage of the city, displaying a variety of designs, dates from this period.
During the Second Punic War (218–201), Luceria became a Roman winter headquarters, and its lands were devastated by Hannibal. Subsequently however, according to Cicero, it became one of the most important cities of Apulia. Pompey the Great briefly paused there during his retreat from Caesar at the outset of the Civil War (49). After receiving, probably, a Roman veteran colony during the triumviral period (43–32), Luceria formed part of Augustus' Third Italian Region, and attained considerable prosperity during the Principate. In the later empire it was on the northern border of the province or district of Apulia et Calabria.
Built over structures of Republican date—which themselves had overlaid earlier tombs—the amphitheater, according to an inscription, was built in honor of Augustus and of the colonia of Luceria. Temples of Athena (Minerva) and Apollo are known to have existed, and an abundant votive deposit testifies to a shrine of the underworld divinities. The remains of a circus and theater have disappeared.