 | This articlerelies largely or entirely on asingle source. Relevant discussion may be found on thetalk page. Please helpimprove this article byintroducing citations to additional sources. Find sources: "Corfinium" – news ·newspapers ·books ·scholar ·JSTOR(March 2013) |
 Roman monumental tombs | |
  Shown within Abruzzo | |
| Location | Cansano |
|---|---|
| Region | Abruzzo |
| Coordinates | 42°07′21″N13°50′27″E / 42.1226074°N 13.84090786°E /42.1226074; 13.84090786 |
| History | |
| Cultures | Ancient Rome |
Corfinium (Greek:Κορφίνιον) was an ancient city now near modernCorfinio, in theprovince of L'Aquila (Abruzzo region).
During theSocial War (91-87 BC), Corfinium served as the headquarters of theItalicsocii who fought for the extension ofRoman citizenship to all of Italy.
Corfinium was the capital of thePaeligni, situated in the valley of theAternus, near the point where that river's course suddenly makes a sharp turn and runs from southeasterly to northeasterly on towards theAdriatic Sea. It was 7 miles from Sulmo (modernSulmona), and 30 fromAlba Fucens by theVia Valeria.
Its name is first mentioned at the outbreak of theSocial War, in 90 BC, when it was selected by the confederates to be their common capital, and the seat of their government. It was probably its military position that led to this distinction; but the allies seem to have destined it to be the permanent capital of Italy, and the rival of Rome, as they changed its name to Italica, and adorned it with a new and spacious forum and senate house, and other public buildings of a style corresponding to its intended greatness.[1] But before the end of the second year of the war they were compelled to abandon their new capital, and transfer the seat of government to Aesernia (modernIsernia).[2]
Corfinium probably fell into the hands of theRomans without resistance, and as a strong fortress it was occupied byLucius Domitius Ahenobarbus (consul 54 BC) with 31 cohorts,[3] and was the only place which offered any effective resistance to Caesar during his advance through Italy. Disaffection amongst his officers compelled Domitius to surrender after theSiege of Corfinium of only seven days.[4] Along with the garrison, several important Republicans were also captured, whom Caesar released after obtaining their oaths of loyalty, oaths many promptly broke.[5]
At the outbreak of theCivil War betweenJulius Caesar andPompey, 49 BC, it retained its position as a city of importance and a strong fortress.
Inscriptions indicate that it continued to be a flourishing municipal town under theRoman Empire, and its prosperity is proved by the fact that its inhabitants were able to construct two aqueducts for supplying it with water, both of which are in great part hewn in the solid rock, and one of them is carried through a tunnel nearly 5 km (3.1 mi) in length.[6]
A part of the territory of Corfinium had been portioned out to new settlers as early as the time of theGracchi: it received a fresh body of colonists underAugustus, but never assumed the title of a colony, all inscriptions giving it that of a municipium only.[7] It still appears in the Itineraries as a place of importance,[8] and even seems to have been in the fourth century regarded as the capital of the province ofValeria, and the residence of its Praeses or governor.[9] The period of its destruction is unknown, but it seems to have been still in existence as late as the tenth century.
It was later known as Pentima[10] thenmedievalValva (the adjoining valley is still called La Pianata di Valva[5]). It re-took the ancient name in 1928.[11]
Ruins of Corfinium have been found around the modern town of Corfinio.
The bridge over the Aternus, 5 km (3.1 mi) from the city, is mentioned both by Caesar and Strabo, and must always have been a military point of the highest importance. This bridge must evidently be the same, close to which the modern town of Popoli has grown up; leading to the erroneous supposition by some authors that Popoli, rather than San Pelino, occupies the site of Corfinium.[12]
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Bunbury, Edward Herbert (1854)."Corfinium". InSmith, William (ed.).Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography. Vol. 1. London: John Murray. p. 673.Authority control databases: Geographic |
|---|
42°07′03″N13°50′07″E / 42.1174°N 13.8352°E /42.1174; 13.8352