The ancient city of Arpinum dates back to at least the 7th century BC. Connected with the Pelasgi, the Volsci and Samnite people, it was captured by the Romans and granted civitas sine suffragio in 305 BC. The city received voting rights in Roman elections in 188 BC and the status of a municipium in 90 BC after the Social War.[5]
The town produced both Gaius Marius and Marcus Tullius Cicero, who were homines novi (people without ancestors who had held the consulship). Cicero, in speeches before the courts in Rome, would later praise his hometown's contributions to the republic when attacked as a "foreigner", for Arpinum had twice borne men to save the Republic: Marius against the Cimbric invaders of 101 BC and Cicero himself against the Second Catilinarian conspiracy.[4] Cicero in letters to his friend Atticus referred often to the peace and quiet of his beloved Arpinum. There is an oral tradition that persists to this day that Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa was also a native of Arpinum.[6] Historians however have not been able to confirm his place of birth. Agrippa may have come from Pisae (Pisa) in Etruria.
Ancient Roman basalt pavement in Arpino
Beside the ancient town of Arpinum there are the fortified remains of a much earlier Samnite town.[citation needed] The high defensive walls are of the polygonal type associated historically with these people. There is an example of an arch of this type which can still be seen today. Dates are generally from the early Roman period to about 400 BC. The Stone is some times referred to as pudding-stone but in this case it seem to be of a more sedimentary dark gray type. Arpinum, Atina, and Cominium were known Samnite strongholds.[citation needed] The Valle di Comino nearby is considered to be strong Samnite and subsections of the tribes home lands and the language generally spoken up to the Roman assimilations was Oscan part of the "Co" group of Indo-European languages.[citation needed]
Richard Wilson - Cicero with his friend Atticus and brother Quintus, at his villa at Arpinum - Google Art Project
Attractions include the circuit walls in polygonal masonry.[7] These walls include an example of an ogive arch.[8] The walls stand up to 11 feet in height and up to seven feet in width.[5]
Below Arpino, in the Liri valley, a little north of the Isola del Liri, lies the church of S. Domenico, which marks the site of the villa in which Cicero was born and frequently resided. Near it is an ancient bridge, of a road which crossed the Liris to Cereatae (modern Casamari), birthplace of Gaius Marius.[5]
^ abRoselaar, Saskia T. (2016). "Cicero and the Italians". In du Plessis, Paul J. (ed.). Cicero and the Italians: Expansion of Empire, Creation of Law. Rethinking Roman Law of the Late Republic. Edinburgh University Press. p. 154. ISBN978-1-4744-0882-0. JSTOR10.3366/j.ctt1g050m4.14.
