A Home Fit For Heroes To Live In- Part Two

Who was their leader? Historians believe he was a Thracian, born in 111BC in Strymon, near the Sturma river in Bulgaria. He seems to have once been a Roman soldier, before deserting and being sold as a gladiator. Many people now picture him as Kirk Douglas. Yes he was the legendary hero, Spartacus.




This incredible escape alone from such a place is surely more than enough to make Spartacus a true hero in anyone's eyes.

But there's more. Spartacus' band defeated the Roman legions sent after them, enlisting many other slaves into their group. They camped on Mount Vesuvius- probably after Mount Tifata. They escaped being starved out by descending the mountain on vine ropes and raiding the Roman camp. They then went on to defeat a second legion sent against them, persuading many locals to join them, to increase their army to about 70,000.


A skilled military strategist, he went on to have a number of other victories against the Roman legions.Finally the Rome senate was so alarmed by the threat to Rome posed by Spartacus' forces that they enlisted the help of the wealthiest Roman of the time, Crassus, to come to their aid. It took the combined forces of  Pompey and Crassus to finally defeat him in 71BC. Spartacus, we are told, died in battle ; whilst the survivors of his army were crucified along the Via Appia from Capua to Rome. Heroes every one of them.

 Back in the museum cafe. Another coffee. It's dark now. I can no longer see the amphitheatre outside so clearly now. But it is no longer remote. It's strangely part of my new home.A home that was fit for heroes to live in.

A Home Fit For Heroes To Live In - Part One

It's mid February already! Preparations for the Carnival in Capua have already begun.I've been here for 6 weeks now. After two interviews seems like I have two jobs! Like a plant I seem to have absorbed enough sunshine and food to want to put down roots. Or maybe I've absorbed something stronger?
Something in the air? It's difficult to say. It's difficult to be clear. It's already difficult to contemplate leaving.

I's sitting in the museum cafe of the Roman
amphitheatre at Santa Maria Capua Vetere
This is the second largest amphitheatre after the colosseum. Orginally a four-tiered structure able to seat 60,000 people, decorated with elaborate columns and sculpture; some of which remain. It was begun by the emperor Nerva and completed by Trajan and Hadrian in 138AD. The huge arches glisten in the late afternoon sunshine. You sip your coffee. You are remote from it all.


That changes when you enter the building. You climb the red brick steps and gaze down at the huge arena below.

You begin to imagine the gruesome scenes that the spectators witnessed 2000 years before. You begin to feel uneasy. Yet you want to find out more.










You descend similar red brick steps below the ground. Now its almost dark. There are occasional square holes in the roof above you that allow natural light to enter.There's grooves in the walls that maybe held flaming torches. A well built water channel runs along the floor. The passages extend outwards, well beyond the perimeter of the amphitheatre. To where? The cages that held the half-starved wild animals? To the Ludus,  the gladiator school?

Suddenly you are startled. You come across a small door leading out onto the arena. Then a larger door, one larger enough for wild animals. Even now, 2000 years on, this place has the power to shock. I have never before experienced what it is to be caught in a deadly trap. These walls still seem to contain the sheer terror felt by both men and animals.Who could possibly escape?








And yet 70 gladiators did! In 73BC they seized kitchen tools and fought their way out of the place, with several wagons of gladiatorial weapons and armour.

Calling All The Heroes

It's mid-afternoon. I'm standing on the terrace of the temple of Diana Tifatina.
Remember it from my last blog?

If you ever stand here you'll never forget the view of the valley for  about 40 miles, from the left to the right, the Vesuvius, Caserta, the isle of Capri, St. Maria Capua Vetere (the ancient Capua), Capua and the Aurunci mountains sloping toward the sea.


Did a great general stand in this same place to survey his vast army camped in the plain below?
Non vedete che la luoga di heroi? A place for heroes?
I ask the question but the answer already hangs in the air:
'Si piu di uno'.

So its back to the History books. Am I right? Will I find any proof? Or am have I just watched too many war films? Time to forget about sixth sense and come to my senses I tell myself.



Yet I'm right! Quite soon I find the name of a general who I'm reliably informed stood in just this place to plan his campaign as he watched his forces below. A name that has been endured for over 2000 years. And will endure for some more. A name that you will be familar with. Hannibal. One of the greatest military strategists in history. He has been called 'the father of strategy' by the military historian, Theodore Ayrault Dodge.. He became Rome's greatest enemy and to defeat him, Rome was forced to adopt many of his tactics. He stands alongside Alexander The Great, Julius Caesar, Napoleon, Rommel and Eisenhower.


Hannibal (247-183/181 BC) was indeed one of Rome's deadliest enemies. He was born in the great ancient city of Carthage in north Africa. At the time theses great empires were battling for control of the Mediterranean sea and the lucrative trade that was conducted there. He had surprised the Romans by crossing the Alps into Italy with 36 elephants in the depths of winter. He went on to win huge victories at Trebia, Lake Traasiene and Cannae. During the latter battle he distinguished himself as the great strategist, displaying his knowledge of both the strengths and weaknesses of his opponent and employing his unique strengths to achieve victory. This enabled him to win over many former allies of Rome. He occupied Italy for over 15 years before being defeated on the plains of Zama in 202BC. But this was not in Italy, but back in  h is homeland of Africa.


So how did this  great general come to be in Capua?
The great Roman historian, Livy, tells us that he 'had marched the Campanian district towards the lower sea with the view of attacking Neapolis (Naples) so that he might have a city accessing the sea'.
{'The History of Rome, Book 23}
Capua had defected to Hannibal after his famous victory at Cannae in 216BC and he had made Capua his winter quarters in 215 BC and conducted his campaign from there. During this campaign he had camped on Mount Tifata,, east of Capua. Yes!

So how long was he up there?
Only three days it seems. After this short pause he challenged the Romans to fight him, although outnumbered by them 2:1. Although the battle did not produce any decisive results, the Romans withdrew from Campania.

Research done. Books closed. Its early morning. I want to return to the temple of Diana Tifatina. To tell the spirits that they were right: more than one great general stood there.Who was it? Well that's another story another day.