Cales 3196365 177247849 2007-12-11T17:45:52Z 67.193.19.222 '''Cales''' (modern [[Calvi Risorta (Italy)|Calvi Risorta]]), an ancient city of [[Campania]], belonging originally to the [[Aurunci]], on the [[Via Latina]], 8 m. NNW of [[Casilinum]]. The [[Ancient Rome|Romans]] captured it in [[335 BC]] and established a colony with Latin rights of 2,500 citizens. Cales was centre of the Roman dominion in Campania, and the seat of the ''[[quaestor]]'' for southern [[Italy]] even down to the days of [[Tacitus]]. It was an important base in the war against [[Hannibal]], and at last refused further contributions for the war. Before [[184 BC]] more settlers were sent there. After the [[Social War (91–88 BC)|Social War]] it became a ''municipium''. The fertility of its territory and its manufacture of black glazed [[pottery]], which was even exported to [[Etruria]], made it prosperous. At the end of the [[3rd century BC]] it appears as a colony, and in the [[5th century]] (AD) it became an [[episcopal see]], which (jointly with [[Tano]] since [[1818]]) it still is, though it is now a mere village. The [[cathedral]], of the [[12th century]], has a carved portal and three [[apse]]s decorated with small arches and [[pilaster]]s, and contains a fine [[pulpit]] and episcopal throne in marble [[mosaic]]. Near it are two [[grotto]]s, which have been used for [[Christian]] worship and contain [[fresco]]es of the 10th and 11th centuries. Inscriptions name six gates of the town: and there are considerable remains of antiquity, especially of an amphitheatre and theatre, of a supposed temple, and other edifices. A number of tombs belonging to the Roman [[necropolis]] were discovered in 1883. ==References== *{{1911}} [[Category:Roman sites of Campania]] [[ca:Cales]] [[it:Cales]]