Temple of Flora

In the territory of Cerreto Sannita stood a Samnite-era temple dedicated to Flora, goddess and protector of the harvest. The site may correspond to a settlement mentioned by Livy in connection with the Second Punic War, and on nearby Monte Cigno the dry-stone walls of an ancient village survive. As late as the 17th century the area was called Campo de fiore, perhaps in memory of the goddess.Fragments of the temple survive: the polygonal blocks of the podium, now in the churchyard of the Madonna della Libera, built on top of its ruins, some leaf capitals and traces of the stepped entrance. Some blocks were reused in the 18th century for a nearby fountain. We recommend looking for them when visiting the church, because the part of Monte Cigno richest in remains is covered by woodland.