Once upon a time when I was a young biker, I happened to be riding along the “Statale 87 Sannitica”, from Benevento to Termoli, and by chance came across a very peculiar place: a hamlet of small rural houses built within the perimeter of an archaeological site.
The houses were built on the ruins of an ancient Roman 'pagus'. I witnessed chickens scratching about on the 'cavea' of a Roman theatre.
Saepinum, an ancient Roman town, arose on the former Samnitic village Seipins, at the foot of the Matese mounts, the confluence of two major roads.
It was a market-town, developed following the typical Roman city-planning guideline : 'cardo', 'decumanus', four gates in the city-walls (three of them still standing), 'forum' , 'basilica', 'thermae' , theatre…
The archaeological site (near the present Sepino, in the locality named 'Altilia') is really remarkable, the country-houses, stables and sties were all built with salvage-stone.
I returned to Sepino after many years. The archaeological site has slowly been restored, work is still in progress. Some of the old country-houses have been converted into a museum, some remain closed and uninhabited.
The ancient wash-house is still used for washing clothes; within the perimeter of the town-walls one can see cultivated orchards and kitchen-gardens. Chickens can still be seen scratching about in the shadow of Caio Ennio Marso's mausoleum.
