Appia Road Segment 15

From MONDRAGONE (Sinuessa) to CAPUA (Casilinum)

It is impossible today to follow the route of the Appia road in this area known as Ager falernus, furrowed by numerous watercourses that have disrupted the territory over the centuries.

Casino la Starza” locality, we follow an inter-farm road, much ruined, that leaves the cemetery wall on the left (see Appia road excavations) and after about 2 km, in the locality of Ciaurro, we see on the left a large square tomb known as the “Paladino Tower”: a mighty 8 m high concrete structure (*) with a large burial cell.

The name “Paladino” could be justified by the fact that in the Middle Ages the adventures of the Paladins (*) were very popular with storytellers, and it is easy to juxtapose their epic deeds with an imposing sepulchre.

Shortly afterwards, the road joins the provincial road to Carinola and there is no sign of continuation.

We report only the hypothesis of some scholars who propose the Santoianni Farm as a place corresponding to the statio Ad pons Campanus mentioned by poet Horace Flaccus (65-8 BC) and never identified, and for the Sant’Agnello Farm the site of the statio Urbanae.

Another element of recognition of the Appia road could be the discovery of paving stones torn away by agricultural work for 4 km from the Aciti Farm (adjacent to the Santoianni Farm) towards the road to  Pizzone.

It is assumed that a trunk could connect the statio Urbanae (Sant’Agnello Farm) with the statio Ad Nonum II at Nuova Farm.

It is assumed that a trunk may coincide with the Brezza-Capua road as a straight connection between the statio Ad Nonum II and the statio Ad Octavum at Parco Spine.

The presence of the statio Ad Nonum II before the statio Ad Octavum is not surprising, since in this section of the Appia road the distance is calculated from S. M. Capua vetere (Capua) towards Rome (Urbe).

During preliminary excavations for the construction of the TAV (High Speed Train), evidence of the existence of the Appia road emerged in this section.

There are certainly milestones relating to this segment and, more importantly, the road axis served as the basis for the centuriazione of the neighbouring territory.

Ager Falernus produced the best wines in Italy and, in addition to the Appia road that passes through Mondragone (Sinuessa), the area was served by its variant, the ancient Latina road that passes through Cellole (Cales) and then passes through Sessa Aurunca.

———-

in glossary.