La via Regio-Capuam nell’area del Savuto-Reventino. Contributo alla ricostruzione del tracciato ed alla localizzazione di ad fl. Sabatum (It. Ant.).

Abstract

The Regio-Capuam road in the Savuto-Reventino region. Towards areconstruction of its course and the location of ad fl. Sabatum (It. Ant.)
The paper aims to contribute to the reconstruction of the Roman roadsystem in the Savuto-Reventino region (west-central Calabria, SouthernItaly). Thanks to the Itinerarium Antoninum, we know that a ford(ad fl. Sabatum) existed on the Savuto river at the end of the IIIrd centuryBC. The correspondence between the distances provided by theimperial itinerarium and those of the republican sources (Lapis Pollaeand S. Onofrio’s miliarium) indicates that the ford is relating to the viaRegio-Capuam, the praetorian road built in 131 BC. The main purposeof this study is the reconstruction of the Roman road section passingthrough the Savuto’s valley and the location of Savuto’s ford. Withthis aim, the research exploits different types of sources, as moderncartography (Maps of Martirano’s diocese – end of the XVI century –and the Bourbon land register – middle of the XVIII century), satelliteimages and data gathered with surface survey. The re-examination ofthe already known sources (Lapis Pollae, S. Onofrio’s miliarium andItinerarium Antonini) has been conducted through a thorough practicalverification of all data thanks to the QGis application. This allowed theauthor to highlight that the distances provided by the ancient sources donot match the geo-morphological assets and the road reconstructionsthat have until now been proposed. A number of considerations, concerningthe topography, the place-names and, above all, the role of thelocal community in the road system management (shown by the Romanlaw) seem to suggest that the Regio-Capuam’s track was not continuousbut divided on the basis of legal and administrative authorities.