Peltuinum

Peltuinum was a Roman town of the Vestini, on the ancient Via Claudia Nova, 20 km east of L'Aquila, Italy, between the modern-day settlements of Prata d'Ansidonia and Castelnuovo [1]. The foundation of Peltuinum was in the middle of the 1st century BC [1]. At the turn of the first century AD the city wall and a monumental sanctuary area were built of which excavations have brought to light a temple and a theatre [1]. In 47 AD the L'Aquila-Foggia road from Sabina towards the market centres of Arpi and Lucera was structured as via Claudia Nova with the consequent monumentalisation of the stretch that crossed the town [1]. Ancient sources mention a strong earthquake in the 5th century that affected Rome as well as a large part of central Italy, and the earthquake of 443 damaged Peltuinum [1]. The population began to abandon the city, also due to the wars that increasingly marked the weakness of the Empire [1]. Peltuinum stands on a plateau over 100 m above the surroundings [1]. The walled area has an area of about 26 hectares [1].