Ancient city Abellinum

Abellinum (near modern-day Avellino) was an ancient city of the Hirpini in Campania. It was located on the southern border with Samnium on a terrace to the left of the Sabato river, west of the modern town of Atripalda.

Since the Samnite Wars in the 3rd century BC, the city belonged to the Roman dominion and became Colonia Veneria Abellinatium under Sulla, belonging to the Tribus Galeria. It was expanded under Augustus (with the addition of his wife Livia's name, who owned property in the Hirpinian territory: Colonia Veneria Livia Abellinatium) and Severus Alexander (Colonia Veneria Livia Alexandriana Abellinatium). After an earthquake (346), a volcanic eruption (472), and the invasions of the Goths and Lombards in the 6th century, the city was abandoned. The inhabitants settled on the surrounding hills, where modern-day Avellino emerged. Two city walls from the 3rd century BC with towers and a ditch from the Augustan period, baths, and residential houses are preserved. Outside the city walls, there are also remains of an amphitheater and an aqueduct leading to Misenum. To the east, there is a necropolis (San Ippolisto) used until Christian times. Finds can be seen in the Museo Irpino in Avellino.