Area archeologica di Altilia-Saepinum (Parco Archeologico di Sepino)

Altilia-Saepinum is an archaeological park preserving the remains of a Roman town in the fields near Sepino. Its walls, gates and public buildings follow the line of ancient routes that crossed the Molise countryside.

Why it matters

The site preserves the layout of a Roman municipium, including its defensive circuit and principal civic buildings. Before the Roman town developed in the valley, Samnite communities occupied the fortified settlement of Terravecchia above it. The landscape connects urban history with the transhumance routes that later crossed the same territory.

What to notice

The town's walls include towers and four gates, enclosing an area of about twelve hectares. At the crossing of the main streets, the trapezoidal forum faces the basilica. The theatre preserves the orchestra and lower seating, while later farm buildings occupy part of its upper section. Other remains include a macellum, temples, bath complexes and mausoleums outside the gates.

Context and history

Roman forces captured the Samnite stronghold of Terravecchia in 293 BC, after which settlement developed on the valley floor. The walls of Saepinum were built between 2 BC and AD 4, during the reign of Augustus, with financing associated with Tiberius and Drusus. The town declined in the early medieval period; later inhabitants called the site Altilia. Systematic excavations began in the twentieth century, and the site became an autonomous archaeological park in 2021.