Satricum

Satricum

Students at work at the archaeological site of Satricum in 1983.
Shown within Lazio
Alternate name	Le Ferriere
Location	Borgo Le Ferriere, Italy
Region	Lazio
Coordinates	41°30′47.2608″N 12°45′18.2988″E / 41.513128000°N 12.755083000°E / 41.513128000; 12.755083000
Type	settlement
History
Founded	6th century BC
Cultures	Volscian; Roman Republic
Site notes
Excavation dates	yes
Archaeologists	Antonio Nibby; Conrad M. Stibbe; M. Kleibrink; Marijke Gnade
Condition	ruined
Public access	yes

Satricum (modern ), an ancient town of Latium, lay on the right bank of the Astura river some 60 kilometres (37 mi) SE of Rome in a low-lying region south of the Alban Hills, at the NW border of the Pontine Marshes. It was directly accessible from Rome via a road running roughly parallel to the Via Appia.

According to Livy, Satricum was an Alban colony, and a member of the Latin League of 499 BC. c. 488 BC it was taken by the Volsci. In 386 BC a force made up of Volscians of the town of Antium, Hernici and Latins rebelled against Rome and gathered an near Satricum. After a battle with the Romans which was stopped by rain, the Latins and Hernici left and returned home. The Volsci retreated to Satricum, which was taken by storm. In 385 BC The Romans planted a colony with 2000 colonists at Satricum. In 382 BC a joint force of Volsci and Latins from the city of Praeneste took Satricum despite strong resistance by the Roman colonists. In 381 BC the Romans levied four legions and marched on Satricum. There was a fierce battle which the Romans won. In 377 BC a joint Latin and Volscian force encamped near Satricum. It was routed by the Romans and fled to Antium. A quarrel now broke out between the Antiates and the Latins. The former were minded to give up, while the latter did not and left. The Antiates surrendered their city and lands. The Latins burned Satricum in revenge, sparing only the temple of Mater Matuta. In 348 BC the Volsci rebuilt the city. 346 BC Antium sent envoys to the cities of the Latins to try to stir a war. The Romans attacked Satricum. They defeated an army of Antiates and other Volsci which had been levied in advance. These fled to Satricum. The Romans besieged this town and 4000 of the enemy surrendered. The town was destroyed and burnt. The temple of Mater Matuta was spared a seconf time. After this, we hear of this town only in connection with the temple of Mater Matuta.

Antonio Nibby mistakenly identified ancient Satricum with the low hill at , then known as the Tenuta di Conca, surrounded by tufa cliffs, 1.5 km ESE of present-day Le Ferriere, on which were still scanty remains of walling in rectangular blocks of the same material. In 1896, the hill above Le Ferriere yielded remains of an archaic and early Classical sanctuary ascribed to Mater Matuta, during excavations begun under the direction of Prof. H. Graillot of the University of Bordeaux, member of the French School of Rome. After two weeks, this work was suspended by order of the Italian government, and then resumed under the supervision of Felice Barnabei, Raniero Mengarelli, and A. Cozza. The objects discovered were brought to the Villa Giulia Museum at Rome.