Submitted for award of PhD September 2006. - King's College London

and the Sangro valley. Aufidena was located on trails that led from the territories of
the Marsi and Paeligni towards the heart of Samnium. In certain parts of Samnium
the fertile river valleys may have constituted lines of communication, as well as
providing agricultural land. These factors must have influenced the location of
Fagifulae in the Biferno valley, and Terventum in the valley of the Trigno.
The links of these settlements to hill-forts must also be emphasised. There is a
strong relation between forts, the settlement system and communication lines. The
presence of hill-forts can be observed in the vicinity of almost all future municipia.
Near Bovianum we find Monte Crocella, Civita Superiore, Civitella, and Tre
Torrette. 195 Aesernia too has its forts which, with three circuits of polygonal walls,
lay on the slopes of the nearby La Romana. 196 The site was organised on two
different levels. 197 The forts near Aesernia at Longano and Montelungo could have
also formed part of this defensive system. 198
Terravecchia is often called the arx of
Saepinum. This fortification was situated on the slope of the hill at different levels
and recalls the defence system of Aesernia. Around Alfedena, the fortifications of
Curino and Monte Civitalta are particularly important. Near Venafrum, we find
Monte Cavallerizzo and Monte Santa Croce. Areas with a higher number of forts
were probably more densely populated, like the hills south of today's Campobasso
with their numerous fortifications: Monte Vairano (Busso), Rocca di Monteverde
(Vinchiaturo), Ferrazzano, Monte Sant'Antonio, Montagna di Gildone and Monte
Saraceno (Cercemaggiore).
194
La Regina (1970) 191-207.
195
Oakley (1995) 107-112.
196
Capini (1984a) 194-5; Capini (1984) 449-50.
197
Livy and Diodorus Siculus refer to three battles against the Samnites here in 305 BC. Livy 9.44.
16 says that the Romans won back Sora, Arpinum and Cesennia. Diodorus Siculus 20.90 speaks of
the re-capture of Sora, Harpina and Serennia. It is normally assumed that Cesennia and Serennia are
the same settlement; perhaps they are references to Samnite Aesernia. It is possible that Aesernia was
in Roman hands by that time, since Livy 10.31.2 mentions Samnite raids on the territory of Aesernia
in 295.
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