Cautano
Discovering Cautano: geography and history of the Campanian municipality
Cautano is a small municipality in the province of Benevento, located in the Campania region, with a population of about 1,890 inhabitants. The city is located on the slopes of the Taburno-Camposauro massif, in a strategic position with respect to the so-called "Dormiente del Sannio" and the entire Vitulanese valley.
Physical geography
The municipal territory is crossed by numerous watercourses, the main one of which is the Jenga stream, a tributary of the Jerino. A series of other minor torrents, locally called "valloni", contribute to supplying the Jenga in its path through the area.
Cautano extends over a vast geographical area with various altitudes, ranging from 330 to 420 meters above sea level in the Cautano territory and from 295 to 330 meters in the territory of Cacciano, another municipality in the province of Benevento. The highest altitude reached in the municipal territory is 1,325 meters on the slopes of the Camposauro, while the minimum altitude is 161 meters in the district of Loreto.
Part of the Cautano territory has been included in the perimeter of the Taburno - Camposauro regional park. The Faito coast, the plain of Prata, part of the Camposauro and Rosa mountains, the district of Maione and the two municipalities of Cautano and Cacciano are located within this protected area.
History
Prehistory and Samnites
The name Cautano could derive from the ancient Samnite city of Caudium, the Caudini. The city of Caudium, located near present-day Montesarchio, was destroyed after its defeat against the Romans, and it is believed that some of its inhabitants founded the municipality of Cautano.
Numerous archaeological finds have been found on the municipal territory, which testify to the human presence since prehistoric times. The inhabitants of the surrounding mountains mainly dedicated themselves to livestock farming, but starting from the 7th century BC, the Osci, tribes coming from central Italy, also settled there. Later, they were incorporated by the Samnites, who seasonally migrated in different waves in the 6th, 5th and 4th centuries BC during the so-called "Sacred Springs". These migrations were determined by economic and demographic needs, in search of places with less demographic pressure and greater availability of pastures.
Samnite Wars
The Samnites, throughout their history, clashed several times with Roman expansionism and the famous battle of Caudine Forks (321 BC) left a strong historical memory. There is a hypothesis that wants the plain of Prata, which separates the groups of Camposauro and Taburno in the Taburno Camposauro, as the location of the Caudine Forks. These hypotheses developed starting from the 19th century with Iannucci first and Marcarelli later, who noted that the plain could have a topographic coincidence with Livy's narration.
Towards the end of the 1940s, an infantry major originally from Frasso, passionate about flight and classical culture, flew over the area several times and confirmed the hypothesis based on several coincidences and proximity of places.
Conclusions
Cautano continues to be one of the hidden gems of Campania, offering considerable opportunities for tourism and the discovery of local history and culture. The area offers numerous hiking trails and nature trails that allow you to enjoy the beauty of the territory. For those who are passionate about history, the municipality represents a real jewel, which deserves to be discovered and known with greater attention.
