CI´NGULUM
CI´NGULUM (
Κιγγοῦλον: Eth.
Cingulanus:
Cingoli), a city of Picenum, situated in the interior of the province, about 12 miles S. of Aesis, and the same distance N. of Septempeda (
S. Severino). Silius Italicus alludes to its position on a lofty mountain, which rendered it a place of great strength (10.34).
He evidently considered it as having already existed as a fortress in the Second Punic War: but the only mention of it in history is during the Civil War between Caesar and Pompey.
It appears to have been rebuilt, and, as it were, founded afresh by T. Labienus shortly before that time: notwithstanding which, it opened its gates to Caesar without a struggle. (Caes.
B.C. 1.15;
Cic. Att. 7.1. 1) It is afterwards mentioned by Pliny and in the Liber Coloniarum as a municipal town of Picenum: Strabo erroneously assigns it to Umbria, from the frontiers of which it was not far distant. (
Strab. v. p.227;
Plin. Nat. 3.13. s. 18; Liber Colon. p. 254; Orell.
Inscr. 86.)
The modern town of
Cingoli retains the same elevated site with the ancient one: and though but a small place, has preserved its episcopal see without interruption since the fifth century.
The coins published by some early numismatic writers with the name of Cingulum, and the head of Labienus, are a modern forgery.
[
E.H.B]
