Marruvium

Marruvium is an ancient city in San Benedetto dei Marsi with ruins spread across a large area. The remains include an amphitheater, temples, and residential areas with houses built by wealthy families.

The city became a municipium between the end of the Social War and 49 BC, as shown by inscriptions mentioning local officials. This change marked its recognition as a proper Roman community.

The main temple, called the Capitolium, displays tetrastyle design with detailed inscriptions from the 1st century BC. This type of building shows how important religious sites were to the people who lived here.

The ancient city lies several meters below the current ground level, so exploring the different phases of development takes time and care. It helps to start with a guide or information area to understand the site better before wandering around.

The streets are organized in rectangular blocks and paved with calcareous slabs, a pattern seen in other Roman cities like Alba Fucens. This grid-like layout shows how Romans applied standardized city planning across their territories.