The remains of a ruined city lie between Sannio and Campania
Having long fought against Rome, the ancient and proud Allifae was destroyed during the Samnite wars between the mid 4th and early 3rd century BC, sinking into oblivion for hundreds of years. Today, the Archaeological Museum dedicated to it restores this city to its former glory, offering its visitors an extraordinary glimpse into the multi-faceted pre-Roman Italy.
History
Opened in 2004 inside a municipal building near the historic centre of Alife. It contains the remains of a Roman colony underground.
Il Museo Archeologico dell'Antica Allifae (The Archaeological Museum of Ancient Allifae) aims to illustrate the history and culture of the people who inhabited the Matese-Casertano area in ancient times. This area was originally part of the Sannio region and later became part of the Augustan regio I (Latium et Campania).
Heritage
The museum is now home to findings from the various phases of human occupation in the area, particularly from prehistoric and pre-Roman times. The exhibition consists of a vast room displaying a large number of different exhibits (weapons and stone tools, ceramic and glass dishes, metal objects) in different chronological and/or territorial contexts (Monte Cila, Roccavecchia di Pratella, material from necropolises).
Part of afresco from a Roman domus along the decumanus maximus of the ancient city, which was discovered in the early 1990s, is also displayed at the end of the room. In a room below, there are mosaic floor fragments with black and white geometric decorations dating from the 1st century BC to the 1st century AD. These artefacts date from the Roman phase of the colony, which, together with the sculptures, inscriptions and other objects will be included in the Roman period section of the museum's planned extension.
The idea is to rearrange the important documents, especially epigraphs and sculptures from the Roman, Samnite and medieval periods, preserved in the former convent of San Domenico in Piedimonte Matese.
The creation of an archaeological museum in Alife is part of a more extensive project to create a network of regional museums aimed at promoting the historical and archaeological heritage and revitalising important centres in inland Campania.
