Capua
[key], town, Campania, S Italy, on the Volturno River. It is an
agricultural center and occupies the site of ancient Casilinum. Ancient Capua, situated 3 mi
(4.8 km) to the southeast, where Santa Maria Capua Vetere now lies, was a
Roman town strategically located on the Appian Way. During the second of the
Punic Wars it
went over (216 b.c.) to the side of Hannibal, but was retaken by
Rome in 211 b.c. Later it was an important colony under the Roman
Empire. After Capua was destroyed (a.d. 841) by the Arabs, its
inhabitants moved to Casilinum and founded modern Capua. Strongly fortified
to defend nearby Naples, Capua suffered several sieges, including ones by
Cesare Borgia (1501) and the Piedmontes (1860). Of note are a Roman bridge,
a 9th-century cathedral (frequently restored), an 11th-century castle, and a
museum of archaeology and sculpture.
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