Amiternum Archaeological Area, L’Aquila

In the upper valley of the Aterno river stood Amiternum, conquered by the Romans in the 3rd century BC and became a wealthy municipality. The ancient settlement was located on the San Vittorino hill, but during the imperial age the settlement moved downstream, where the most important archaeological remains remain: an amphitheater, a theater, remains of a thermal complex and an aqueduct.

The theater, of which the lower part of the cavea, orchestra and stage remain, was built in the Augustan age and could host about 2000 spectators.

The amphitheater, of which 48 arches on two levels remain delimiting its perimeter, was built around the mid 1st century AD and could accommodate up to 6000 spectators.

Many architectural elements recovered from the Amiternum site were used in the nearby paleo-Christian and early medieval settlements; among these are the catacombs of San Vittorino, where the eponymous martyr was buried.