Santa Maria Capua Vetere is a city that was built on the ruins of ancient Capua. It is known for its Roman monuments, including one of the largest amphitheaters in Italy.
Capua was founded in Etruscan times, and from the 5th century BC it remained under the authority of Rome. It was one of the most important and largest cities of the Apennine Peninsula. It was famous for its wealth, and the villas of the local dignitaries were not inferior to the Roman ones. Capua was also known for gladiatorial fights and their school, from which he left, among others the famous Spartacus. The end of Capua brought the fall of the Roman Empire and the Vandal invasions that completely destroyed the city. In the 5th century, an early Christian basilica was built here, around which a new settlement began to revive. Over time, it became the city of Santa Maria Capua Vetere.
The greatest attraction and most important monument of Santa Maria Capua Vetere is the Campania Amphitheater. Its dimensions are second only to the Roman Colosseum. Around it, you can also see the remains of the Roman city of Capua. A reference to the Roman history of the city is also the Gladiators' Museum, the only one dedicated to this subject in Italy.
A lot of historic buildings have been preserved in the medieval part of the city, including the rebuilt basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, which dates back to the 5th century.
