INTEROCREA
INTEROCREA (
Ἰντεροκρέα, Strab.), a small town or village of the Sabines; between Amiternumn and Reate.
It was placed on the Via Salaria, at the junction of its two branches, one of which led eastwards to Amiternum, the other, and principal one, up the valley of the Velinus, to Asculum.
It is now called
Antrodoco, and is a position of great military importance, from its commanding the entrance to the two passes just mentioned, which must in all ages have formed two of the principal lines of communication across the Apennines.
It seems, however, to have been in ancient times but a small place: Strabo calls it a village; and its name is otherwise found only in the Itineraries, which place it at 14 M. P. from Reate, a distance that coincides with the position of
Antrodoco. (
Strab. v. p.228;
Itin. Ant. p. 307;
Tab. Peut.) Its ancient name is evidently derived from its position in a deep valley between rugged mountains ; for we learn from Festus (p. 181, ed. Müll.) that Ocris was an ancient word for a mountain: and it is interesting to find this form still preserved in the name of the
Montagne di Ocra, a lofty and rugged group of the Apennines, near
Aquila. (Zannoni,
Carta del Regno di Napoli, 3. fol.)
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E.H.B]
