Capua

Ancient Rome’s greatest rival

It’s odd that most people today have never heard of Capua given that it was once the second city in Italy for the Romans. Drive for 40 minutes north of Naples and you’ll find it – it sits only about 10 minutes outside of Caserta.

Capua made the Romans think of one of their most beloved cultural practices: gladiatorial combat. They built their second-largest arena here. Spartacus, the most famous gladiator (and rebel) in history, learned his craft at its top-notch gladiator school. In short, Capua’s not the kind of place you’d have wanted to encounter anyone in a dark alley.

Thankfully, the chance in Capua today of a stand-off with an off-duty gladiator is on the low side. In town, you can see some brilliant Roman archaeology without the endless crowds at some of Rome’s top sights. Capua’s amphitheatre is well preserved, giving you a good sense of its former monumental scale. The Campano Museum houses all kinds of Roman finds.

There are plenty of churches in town too. Capua’s Christian community was founded by St. Piscus, who travelled to Italy with St. Peter himself in the first century CE – it hardly gets more holy than that.

Capua Cathedral has a somewhat restrained and unadorned feel. If you’ve filled your eyes with the glories of Naples’ cathedrals, perhaps this is just the ticket.

Otherwise, there’s the Basilica of Sant’Angelo in Formis. It offers a perfect example of the mystical gloom of Romanesque architecture. Its shadowy interior is enlivened by stunning Byzantine paintings directly on the stone, awakening the feel of an ancient temple.

There are castles, and other medieval architecture too if you fancy getting to know more about the history. Why not come along and have a wander?