Medieval Capua: A City of Knights
Medieval Capua: The City of Knights
by Joseph Walker
When one thinks of ancient Capua, if they have ever indeed heard of this once famous Italian city, they usually think of Capua Vetere with its stupendous Roman Amphitheater, its impressive Arch of Triumph, and its Eastern style temple dedicated to the Persian God Mithras. The “modern town of Capua” though stands apart from its ancient counterpart. Found just North of ancient Capua on the old Via Appia, it hugs the Volturno river. This river has historically offered trading possibilities and protection for this once great and proud medieval city that ruled much of the Campania Region through its might of arms. The birth of the “modern city” of Capua occurred in the IX century when chaos reigned supreme in Southern Italy. The second greatest city of ancient Roman Italy, Capua, was laid destitute by the wars that followed the fall of the Western Roman Empire in AD 476. The Goths arrived and conquered. Greek Byzantine forces arrived and devastated the region. The Germanic Lombards in their turn isolated the Byzantines to Naples and conquered the entire Campania hinterland. And finally, even the Arabs struck repeatedly at Southern Italy attempting to conquer new territories in the name of Islam. In this context, the citizens of Capua, despoiled and nearly ruined, looked for protection against the embankment of the nearby Volturno River. New Capua was founded by the Lombard Lord Landonus in the year of 856 and was populated by refugees and homeless of ancient Capua, which had been recently destroyed by the Arabs. The people of new Capua built strong fortified walls on the land side of the city and placed sentinels on the river side. The Capuans over the next centuries not only fought against the Greeks of Naples and the Arab invaders from North Africa, they also fought the Lombards of the principality of Benevento. Capua, only through its might of arms, maintained its existence over the next couple of centuries and formed a powerful county whose rule stretched from Gaeta to Castel Volturno and from Castel Volturno to near Avellino. By the beginning of the XI century, the Lombards of Capua had overthrown Naples itself and were threatening to conquer Salerno and strongholds further South. They were able to achieve such great success by their stout Lombard army accompanied by new and merciless Norman mercenaries. Though the Normans were instrumental in Lombard conquests, the Normans helped bring down Lombard rule in Capua in the following decades. The Normans were invited to Italy in 1016 to fight alongside the Lombards against the Greek Byzantines. After remaining faithful for many years and furthering the Lombard cause, the Normans in 1027 changed masters and fought for the Neapolitan cause. The fact that the Normans were mercenaries and were offered more territory by the Neapolitans than by the Capuans partially explains their fickle behavior. The Normans overthrew Lombard power in Capua in 1076 and created the Norman County of Capua. Capua, under the Normans, was extremely powerful and very prosperous. Its Norman soldiery participated in the final overthrow of Arab power in Sicily, the first crusade to the Holy Land in 1097, and the defeat of many Byzantine armies in the Apulia region as well as in Greece itself. Further, Capua was one of the final Norman territories to be absorbed into the Norman Kingdom of Sicily owing to its fierce love of independence and strife. The next moment of glory for Capua was under the XIII century Holy Roman Emperor and King of Sicily, Frederick II of Swabia. He utilized Capua as a central point for formulating the first laws of his Sicilian Kingdom. The Emperor also patroned many sculptural pieces and arcs of triumph here that the glories of nearby ancient Capua inspired. Capua for Frederick II, was a town that represented the continuation of the glories of ancient Rome. The flame of glory and achievement that burned brightly in Capua under the Lombards, Normans, and Swabia, was however forever extinguished in 1266. In 1266, the French conquered Southern Italy and reduced Capua to a provincial city. Various sieges against the city over the following centuries despoiled it of its former glory and grandeur. Even the Spanish and Austrian masters that followed the French in power never again patroned Capua as it had been in the glorious Middle Ages. Thus, we have a Capua today that is only a shadow if its former self. All is not lost though. The savings grace for “modern” Capua may be through tourism. In fact, the local Association of Business (ASCOM), led by Francesco Chianese of the Hotel Capys, is hoping for a rebirth of the town by accentuating its ancient heritage. Mr. Chianese hopes that through his commercial organization, Capua’s past glories are shared and fully revealed to visitors. Local residents, such as Nicola De Chiara, believe in the development of tourism as well. “Our city is indeed unique,” explains Mr. De Chiara, “it is after all, a town that was founded almost exclusively by Northern Europeans in the heart of Southern Italy.” “We have existed to this very day due to the tenaciousness of our Northern European ancestors.” Northern European or not, there is indeed many great things to see in Capua for visitors. The famous Museo Campano, which boasts artifacts from both ancient and medieval Capua, is highly worth a visit. It has the world’s only collection of Mother Earth Goddesses as well as various other statues and artifacts from ancient Roman Emperors to the Emperor Frederick II. In addition to the Museum, there is also an impressive Norman palace, an arch of triumph by Frederick II, and several Lombard churches that may be seen or visited. With several things to see and visit in the town, maybe the isolation of the past several centuries helped preserve the town so that it could be enjoyed by all of us today. To reach Capua, simply follow the Autostrada North from Naples towards Rome and exit at Capua (or South from Rome towards Naples). From here simply just follow the signs, its that easy. If you need further information on Capua, you may contact Joseph Walker at Italy Revealed at joseph.walker@walkertravels.com.
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