Aeclanum

Founded at the end of the 3rd century BC, ancient Aeclanum was one of the most important Roman settlements in Irpinia, lying between the valleys of the Calore and Ufita rivers, at Passo di Mirabella, at an altitude of 372 metres. Set on a triangular plateau, the ancient city could be reached only by the Via Appia, which crossed it from west to east. Sacked by Sulla in 89 BC, it became a Roman municipium with voting rights. In AD 120, under the Emperor Hadrian, it was raised to the status of a colony: Aelia Augusta Aeclanum.

The remains of the Roman city that can be seen today in the extensive archaeological area are remarkable: the public baths on a small rise, the covered market square (macellum), and several houses and shops. Also visible are the remains of the walls, some 10 metres high, with at least three gates and towers of various sizes. From Late Antiquity dates an early Christian basilica, outside which is a baptismal font with a Greek-cross plan and steps for baptism by immersion.