Romani

The Roman Age

We don’t know the destination of Capiate settlement in Roman Times. It is an enigma not easy to solve. The archaeological investigations identified many remains pertaining to that historical period, but we are not able to recreate the layout of ancient building organically.

The presence of a commemorative marble plaque with an inscription is notable. It dates from the II century B.C. and pertains to an important magistrate, whose name is unknown because the upper part of the plaque is lacking. Moreover, a Roman granite altar, discovered inside a wall, leads us to assume the presence of a little temple or mausoleum. The unknown magistrate was also a priest of emperor cult, specifically of Vespasian [79-81 A.C.], the second in Flavian dynasty, and Marcus Cocceius Nerva [96-98 A.C.], the first in Antonines dynasty.

The excavations have brought to light many segments of walls and parts of floor faraway each other, clear evidence of the wideness of settlement.

The roman marble plaque with inscription

The Roman altar of Capiate, inserted in a wall of the tower

Near Lecco, the northern part of the valley of the Adda river had surely a strategic role, how the great number of archaeological evidences from Roman Times shows us.

In 490 A.C., the historical "Battle of the Adda" took place in that location. It was the last act of the war between Theodoric, king of the Goths, and the barbarian general Odoacer, king of Italy since the A.D. 476, after he had overthrown the last emperor of the Western Roman Empire.

Proof about the location of those events is the gravestone of Pierius, the commander of Odoacer’s personal guards who died during the battle. This gravestone was found in Garlate, a village situated 3 miles north from Capiate.

But, why did the battle take place there? Obviously not by chance!

A such decisive battle took place where someone had previously planned it, considering strategic and logistical aspects as local orography and military fortifications, availability of troops, supplies, and escapes in case of defeat.

Likely the northern part of the valley of the Adda river had all those necessary characteristics.

A portion of Roman floor discovered under the buildings of Capiate