Liri Valley

Liri
Bridge over the Liri
Country	Italy
Basin features
Main source	Monti Simbruini about 1,000 m (3,300 ft)
River mouth	Garigliano
Basin size	4,140 km2 (1,600 sq mi)
Physical characteristics
Length	120 km (75 mi)
Discharge	Average rate: 50 m3/s (1,800 cu ft/s) (at Pontecorvo)

The Liri (Latin Liris or Lyris, previously, Clanis; Greek: Λεῖρις) is one of the principal rivers of central Italy, flowing into the Tyrrhenian Sea a little below Minturno under the name Garigliano.

The Liri's source is in the Monte Camiciola, elevation 1,701 metres (5,581 ft), in the Monti Simbruini of central Apennines (Abruzzo, comune of Cappadocia). It flows at first in a southeasterly direction through a long trough-like valley, parallel to the general direction of the Apennines, until it reaches the city of Sora.

In the upper part of Isola del Liri it receives the waters of Fibreno and then it divides into two branches which then rejoin, surrounding the lower part of the town (Isola del Liri stands for Liri Island). One branch makes a 28-metre (92 ft) high waterfall situated in the centre, a unique case in Europe.

A dam is built on the river after the conjunction with the Sacco River at Ceprano. The last important Liri's tributary is the Melfa, with which it joins near Aquino. After Cassino it receives the waters of the Gari, and afterwards it is known as Garigliano.

The Liri-Garigliano system has a total water drainage basin of 5,020 square kilometres (1,940 sq mi).

Both Strabo and Pliny tell us that it was originally called Clanis, a name which appears to have been common to many Italian rivers (see for ex. Clanio and Lagni); the former writer erroneously assigns its sources to the country of the Vestini; an opinion which is adopted also by Lucan. The surrounding area was devastated by Hannibal during his invasion in response to the locals' having burnt the bridges over the river. In 238 BC, the adjacent city of Fregella was the site of a crushed rebellion against Roman rule. The Liris is noticed by several of the Roman poets, as a very gentle and tranquil stream, a character which it well deserves in the lower part of its course, where it was described by a nineteenth century traveller as a wide and noble river, winding under the shadow of poplars through a lovely vale, and then gliding gently towards the sea.