Ardea (RM)

Infobox CityIT
img_coa =ardea-Stemma.png
|image_caption=The church of St. Peter.
official_name = Comune di Ardea
name=Ardea
region = Lazio
province = Rome
elevation_m = 37
area_total_km2 = 50
population_as_of = february 26, 2007
population_total = 40010
mapx=41.616667|mapy=12.05|name=Ardea
population_density_km2 = 800.2
timezone = CET, UTC+1
coordinates = coord|41|37|N|12|33|E
frazioni =Banditella, Nuova Florida, Castagnetta, Castagnola, Centro Regina, Nuova California, Colle Romito, Lido dei Pini, Marina di Ardea, Rio Verde, Tor San Lorenzo, Tor San Lorenzo Lido, Montagnano.
telephone = 06
postalcode = 00040
gentilic = Ardeatini
saint = St. Peter the Apostle
day = June 29
mayor =
website = [http://www.comune.ladispoli.roma.it/ www.comune.ladispoli.roma.it]

Ardea, an ancient town and "comune "in the province of Rome, 35 km south of Rome and about 4 km from today's Mediterranean coast.

The economy is mostly based on agriculture, although, starting from the 1970s, industry has had an increasingly important role.

History

In Antiquity, Aredea was most often mentioned in connection with the Via Ardeatina, one of the consular roads, to which it gave its name. Columella owned a farm there.

Ardea was the capital of the Rutuli, mentioned in the "Aeneid". The town was captured by Lucius Tarquinius Superbus, the Etruscan king of Rome. In 509 BC it is mentioned as a Roman ally. In 443 BC the Volscians laid siege to Ardea. The siege was soon broken by Roman troops under the leadership of Geganius.

During the Second Punic War, it was one of the few cities that refused military support to Rome, and, after the Roman victory, was deprived of its autonomy. In the 3rd-2nd centuries BC it decayed until, in the Imperial Age, it was scarcely populated at all.

It returned to growth only after the ninth century AD. Its castle in 1118 housed Pope Gelasius II and was later contended among various feudal barons of the area. In 1419 Pope Martin V assigned it to his kinsmen, the Colonna family, who sold it in 1564 to the Cesarini.

In 1816 it became a "frazione" of Genzano. Starting from 1932, the surrounding area was drained and Ardea began to flourish again, becoming an independent municipality in 1970.

Main sights

Remains of the ancient city include the old defensive "agger", dating to the 7th century BC and later (4th century BC) updated to larger walls. Archaeological excavations have brought to light four temples, of unknown dedication. Part of the pavement of a basilica (c. 100 BC) have also been found in the area of the ancient Forum.Other sights include:
*Church of "Santa Marina", erected in 1191 by Cencio Savelli, the future Pope Honorius II. The interior, on a single nave, was originally entirely frescoed.
*Romanesque Church of "San Pietro Apostolo" (12th century), which was a possession of the monks of San Paolo Fuori le Mura of Rome. It incorporates a former watchtower used to counter Saracen attacks, now turned into a bell tower. It has 15th century frescoes and a 16th century wooden crucifix.
*The Giardini della Landriana, designed by Russell Page.
*Giacomo Manzù Museum, housing some 400 works of the artist.
*"Tor San Lorenzo", a tower in the eponymous seaside "frazione". It was rebuilt in 1570 after a design by Michelangelo, in the area of a former Palaeo-Christian church devoted to St. Lawrence.

External links

* [http://digilander.libero.it/ardea/ Comune di Ardea] (unofficial site)

References

*Livy," Ab Urbe Condita" 4.9