TAURA´SIA
TAURA´SIA (
Taurasi), an ancient city of Samnium, in the country of the Hirpini situated on the right bank of the river Calor, about 16 miles above its junction with the Tamarus.
The name of the city is known only from the inscription on the tomb of L. Scipio Barbatus, which records it among the cities of Samnium taken by him during the Third Samnite War. (Orell.
Inscr. 550.)
It was probably taken by assault, and suffered severely, for no subsequent mention of the town occurs in history: but its territory ( “ager, qui Taurasinorum fuerat” ), which was doubtless confiscated at the same time, is mentioned long afterwards, as a part of the “ager publicus populi Romani,” on which the Apuan Ligurians who had been removed from their own abodes were established by order of the senate. (
Liv. 40.38.) These Ligurians appear to have been settled in the plain on the banks of the Tamarus near its junction with the Calor; but there can be little doubt that the modern village of
Taurasi, though 16. miles further S., retains the name, and marks (approximately at least) the site of the ancient Taurasia.
Several modern writers identify these Taurasini Campi with the Arusini Campi near Beneventum, which were the scene of the defeat of Pyrrhus by M‘. Curius Dentatus (
Flor. 1.18.;
Oros. 4.2), and the suggestion is probable enough, though unsupported by any authority. [
BENEVENTUM]
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E.H.B]
