Corfinium Ruins

Address: Corfinium (modern Corfinio), Province of L’Aquila, Abruzzo, Italy

Corfinium is the ancient Italic and Roman city located at the site of modern Corfinio in the Abruzzo region of Italy. It is best known for its role during the Social War of 91-88 BC.

In the Social War the Italic confederates chose Corfinium as their political centre and briefly renamed it Italia as a symbolic capital of the revolt. Archaeological remains at the site include Roman-period walls and urban traces that attest to its status in antiquity.

Over subsequent centuries the settlement declined and transformed; the medieval and modern town of Corfinio developed adjacent to the ancient ruins and preserves archaeological areas and local museums that interpret the site.

The site sits in inland Abruzzo within the Aterno valley, in the province of L’Aquila, and is accessible from regional roads linking to larger towns in the region.

• Social War capital: In 91-88 BC the town was chosen by Italic rebels during the Social War and briefly declared a capital under the name Italia.
• Modern site: The modern town of Corfinio sits at or near the site of the ancient city and preserves visible Roman-era remains.

What to See#

• Archaeological area: Archaeological remains around the modern town include the ruins of the Roman-era city that served as a political centre during the Social War in the early 1st century BC.

Corfinium (Corfinio) is accessible from L’Aquila by regional roads (SS17). Train services connect with Sulmona and L’Aquila; from those towns, local buses or taxis reach Corfinio.

• Look for the archaeological traces around the site - foundations and planned grid-lines hint at its Roman past.
• Visit the local museum in Corfinium (now modern Corfinio) for finds excavated from the area.
• Wear good walking shoes: the site's layout is easier to appreciate on foot than from a vehicle.