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Founded in the IX century BC by the Etruscans or more probably from the Oscans, Capua knew soon a period of development in fact in the IV century BC was the larger city of Italy.
Passed to the Romans knew very well the Carthaginian general Hannibal, who stayed here with its army after the battle of Canne (2 August 216 a.C.). He stayed here approximately a year, period remembered by historians with the name of so-called "leisures of Capua" as it's believed that the stay weakened the will and the combative force of the soldiers seduced by the beautiful life of the city. The city however remained faithful to Rome.
In the first century BC. Capua was defined by Cicerone altera Roma for the beauty of its private and publics buildings.
Devastated by Goths and the Vandals it was then managed by Longobards under the Duchy of Benevento that with to the Duchy of Spoleto constituted formed the so called Langobardia Minor.
In the sphere of the fights for the succession of the Longobard Duchy between Radelchi and Siconolfo, son of the legitimate king Sicardo probably assassinated by the first one, Capua was plundered and destroyed by Saracens engaged by Radelchi (841). The fugitive population sheltered first founding Sicopoli but, after the destruction of the new city because of a fire, founded New Capua nearby the ancient Roman port by now abandoned (I cent. AD) of Casilinum.
Of the ancient Capua can be admired the rests of the Campanian amphitheater, the Adrian Arc and the Mitreo.
The history of the New Capua began in 856 AD like capital of the Longobard principality of Capua that ended for the arrival of Normans in 1059. In 1156 it passed to the Kingdom of Sicily until the arrival of the Svevians in South of Italy happened thanks to the wedding between Henry VI, son of the Svevian emperor Federico Barbarossa, and Costanza d'Altavilla (1185), daughter of Roger II of Sicily.
Subsequently the city was dominated by the Angioins and the Aragoneses and endured a besiege by Caesar Borgia (1501), son of Pope Alexander VI, during which many inhabitants died.
Stablily passed to the Roman Church Capua knew only the pause of the Republican experience of Buonaparte under Gioacchino Murat (1808-1815) until the date of the constitution of the Reign of Italy (1860).
Of the ancient period of Casilinum the Roman Bridge can be admired, of which remain only the heads after the bombing in 1943, and the Towers of Federico II: bases of a triumphal arc erected in 1234 where it rose the ancient Rome Door since the antiquity.
To the Middle Ages and Renaissance date back instead the Castello delle Pietre (1062), the Castle of Carl V (1542-1552), Porta Napoli and defensives wall.
Impossible to name here all the churches in Capua but we remember the Church and ex Convento dell'Annunziata (XIII cent.), the Church and Convento di Santa Caterina (1383), the Montevergine Church and ex Monastery ('200) and three Longobard churches: San Salvatore a Corte (960), restored in Norman age; San Giovanni a Corte (X century), restored during '700; San Michele a Corte (IX-X century). The Cathedral of Saints Stefano and Agata, constructed in 856, was destroyed by the bombings in 1943.
Numerous also the examples of civic architecture between which we cite Palazzo Antignano center of the Campanian Museum, Palazzo Fieramosca ('200) with beautiful ogival portale, Palazzo del Governatore (1585) in Piazza dei Giudici (square).
In Capua is kept every year one of the most ancient carnival of Italy.
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