The history of southern Lazio is inextricably linked to one of the proudest and most stubborn peoples of antiquity: the Samnites. Towards the middle of the 4th century BC, Rome's expansionism began to press southwards, reaching the banks of the river Liri. This advance opened the gates of Campania to the Romans, but inevitably led them to collide with the Samnites, a population of shepherds and warriors who dominated the central Apennines.
The Comino Valley: Land of Clashes and Civilisations
The Samnites, belonging to the ethnic-linguistic group of the Umbri-Sabelli, were not simply nomads, but an organised society of farmers and breeders. Their presence in the Comino Valley (in centres such as San Biagio Saracinisco and Atina) and in the Media Valle del Liri (Sora) was rooted and strategic.
The conflict for the control of these fertile lands rich in raw materials gave rise, from the 343 BC., to the three legendary Samnite Wars. It was an era of bloody battles and alternating fortunes that culminated, in 295 B.C., in the “battle of nations” at Sentino, where Rome defeated a powerful coalition of Samnites, Etruscans, Umbrians and Senones Gauls.
The Last Resistance: The Mystery of Aquilonia and Cominio
Despite the defeat at Sentinus, the Samnites took refuge in their inaccessible mountains, holding out for another five years. The dramatic epilogue occurred in 293 BC., when the Roman consuls Lucius Papirius Cursor e Spurio Carviliolaunched the decisive attack against the fortified cities of Aquilonia e Cominio.
According to the historian Titus Livius, the fall was simultaneous: “On the same day, Aquilonia and Cominio fell prey to the flames”.”. However, the precise location of these cities remains one of the great mysteries of Italian archaeology:
- Michele Jacobelli's thesis: The distinguished archaeologist identifies Aquilonia with today's Fortress of Trees (near Picinisco) and Cominio with Vicalvi.
- Other assumptions: Some scholars place Aquilonia near Alfedena or Bojano, and Cominio in the territory of San Donato Val di Comino.
The numbers reported by Jacobelli in his 1971 study give an idea of the ferocity of the battle: at Aquilonia, 2,340 Samnites fell with 3,870 prisoners; at Cominio, the balance was even more tragic, with 4,880 dead and as many as 11,400 prisoners.
Archaeological Treasures: The Mosaic of Atina and the Eagle of Picinisco
Today, the memory of that indomitable people lives on through extraordinary artefacts that we can admire in the heart of the Comino Valley:
- The Samnite Warrior (Atina): The Ducal Palace in Atina houses a magnificent mosaic found in the surrounding countryside. It depicts a Samnite warrior with the typical white linen tunic (symbol of the Legio Linteata, the army elite), the golden shield and the crested helmet.
- The Eagle and the Serpent (Picinisco): A sculpture found near Picinisco shows an eagle in the act of seizing a snake. For Prof. Jacobelli, this image is not just a frieze, but the very symbol of the city of Aquilonia, plastic representation of the pride and strength of a people that never gave up completely.