Amiternum

Amiternum was an ancient Sabine city, then Roman city and later bishopric and Latin Catholic titular see in the central Abruzzo region of modern Italy, located 9 km from L'Aquila [1]. The site, in the upper Aterno valley, was one of the most important of Sabinum [1]. Amiternum was defeated by the Romans in 293 BC [1]. It lay at the point of junction of four roads: the Via Caecilia, the Via Claudia Nova and two branches of the Via Salaria [1]. Amiternum has been the focus of a major interdisciplinary research project led by the University of Cologne [1]. The work demonstrates a distinction between an early hilltop settlement at San Vittorino, likely established by the 3rd century BC or earlier, and a later Roman settlement relocated to the valley floor along the Via Caecilia during the Late Republic [1]. Geophysical surveys revealed an unexpectedly high concentration of public monuments in the valley settlement, including a forum, basilica, sanctuaries, baths, theater, and amphitheater [1].