CEREATAE
CEREATAE (
Κερεάτε, Strab.;
Κιρραιᾶται, Plut.: Eth.
Cereatinus), a town of Latium, mentioned by Strabo (
v. p.238) among those which lay on the left of the Via Latina, between Anagnia and Sora.
There is no doubt that it is the same place called by Plutarch Cirrhaeatae, which was the birth-place of. C. Marius. (
Plut. Mar. 3.)
He terms it a village in the territory of Arpinum; it appears to have been subsequently erected into a separate municipium, probably by Marius himself, who seems to have settled there a body of his relations and dependents.
It subsequently received a fresh body of colonists from Drusus, the stepson of Augustus. Hence the “Cereatini Mariani” appear among the Municipia of Latium in the time of Pliny. (
Plin. Nat. 3.5. s. 9; Lib. Colon. p. 233; Zumpt,
de Colon. p. 361.)
The passage of Strabo affords the only clue to its position; but an inscription bearing the name of the Cereatini Mariani has been discovered at the ancient monastery of
Casa Mara or
Casamari, about half way between Verulae and Arpinum, and 3 miles W. of the Liris.
It is thus rendered probable that this convent (which is built on ancient foundations) occupies the site of Cereatae, and retains in its name some trace of that of Marius. (
Bull. d. Inst. Arch. 1851, p. 11.) We learn from another inscription that there was a branch of the Latin way which communicated directly with Arpinum and Sora, passing apparently by Cereatae. (
Ibid. p. 13.)
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