Appia Road Segment 17

From Villa GALAZIA (Calatia) to ARPAIA (Caudium)

 
At Villa Galazia (Calatia) we see on the left ancient artefacts, so called “I Torrioni” not better described.

At Maddaloni on the right, a wall protecting the Appia road is clearly visible.

High above the town is a large medieval castle.

After Maddaloni, the Appia road continues in the direction of Santa Maria a Vico, site of the statio Ad Novas, with a route upstream of the present-day SS7 – modern Appia road.

The road climbs to the Caudino pass, leaving Arienzo on the right, where a milestone is walled in.

We then cross the territory where the Romans suffered a heavy defeat.

In 321 BC, the Romans were at war with the Samnites and in order to outflank them, they made a surprise attempt to pass through the Caudium valley (photo 1 and photo 2), at the time under the control of the Caudini (*), allies of the Samnites (*). But enemy forces and the harshness of the terrain thwarted their attempt, resulting in a serious defeat followed by a harsh peace treaty.

Along the road, two more milestones are placed next to the door of a house in Arpaia.

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in glossary.