Walking around Benevento, we realised that you only have to look up to come across a piece of Roman or Lombard history wedged between the houses. In this article we take you right there: an itinerary through the city's ancient monuments, from the most famous to those many visitors leave behind.
From Maleventum to Beneventum: a little history
Before the Romans, the city was a centre of the Samnites, the people who long stood up to Rome. Its ancient name was Maleventum; the Romans changed it to the more auspicious Beneventum when they founded a colony here in 268 BC, a few years after defeating Pyrrhus here in 275 BC. One point we like to clarify: the famous Roman defeat of the Caudine Forks (321 BC) did not happen in Benevento, but in the Caudine valley, around present-day Montesarchio.
After the fall of the Empire came the Lombards, who from the 6th century made Benevento the capital of a duchy and later, under Arechis II, of a principality. Later still the city became an enclave of the Papacy within the Kingdom of Naples, until 1860. Every era has left its mark, and that is what makes a visit so rich.
The Arch of Trajan and the Roman Theatre, the two icons
You can't talk about the Roman monuments without starting from the Arch of Trajan, built between AD 114 and 117 to mark the opening of the Via Traiana, and the Roman Theatre, inaugurated under Hadrian and reopened to the public in 1957. We have described them in detail in 3 must-see places in Benevento and in the dedicated articles The Arch of Trajan and The Roman Theatre of Benevento. Here, instead, we want to take you to the lesser-known corners.
Arco del Sacramento and Ponte Leproso
A few steps from the cathedral, at the corner of the Archbishop's Palace, stands the Arco del Sacramento, dating from the late 1st or early 2nd century. It was the monumental entrance to the Forum from the southern part of the city, near the theatre. Walking beneath it gave us an idea of how the ancient city was laid out.
A little further out, on the Sabato river, is the Ponte Leproso, a bridge of Roman origin, probably built shortly after the colony was founded. The Via Appia from Capua passed over it, and the bridge is part of the UNESCO site "Via Appia. Regina Viarum". The origin of its name is uncertain: some link it to a nearby leper hospital. What we liked most was the atmosphere along the river, away from the traffic.
Egyptian Benevento: the Apis Bull
One of the city's surprises is its link with Egypt. Under Emperor Domitian a temple dedicated to Isis was built in Benevento, and several finds have survived to this day. Along Viale San Lorenzo, near the Sanctuary of the Madonna delle Grazie, you will find the Apis Bull, a red granite sculpture that locals affectionately call "la bufala" (the buffalo). The other finds from the temple can be seen at the Museo Arcos, which we tell you about in What to visit in Benevento.
Lombard Benevento: Santa Sofia and the Rocca
The symbol of the Lombard era is the Church of Santa Sofia, commissioned by Arechis II around 760 and now a UNESCO site. Nearby we also suggest looking for Sant'Ilario a Port'Aurea, a small church probably of Lombard origin near the Arch of Trajan, now a multimedia space.
At the eastern end of the historic centre stands the Rocca dei Rettori. Its corner keep dates back to the Lombards, while the adjoining palace was restored in 1321 at the behest of Pope John XXII, as the residence of the papal rectors. In the garden behind it there is a lapidarium with milestones from the Via Traiana. You will find everything in The Rocca dei Rettori and the Hortus Conclusus.
How to get there and when to go
Getting to Benevento is easy: there is a railway station on the line to Naples and Caserta, and by car you use the motorway link road connected to the A16. The historic centre is easy to explore on foot, while for the Ponte Leproso you should allow for a longer walk. The best time to go is in the shoulder seasons. Check opening times and tickets on the official website before you set off.
In the surroundings
To discover the rest of the province, start from our guide Benevento and its surroundings. If you are interested in the history of the Samnites, in Montesarchio The Castle and the Museo del Sannio Caudino awaits you. Lovers of legends shouldn't miss The janare: the legend of the witches of Benevento, and for ideas beyond the classic visit there is Things to do in Benevento.
Top photo (Benevento): Dэя-Бøяg, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
