It has been great having my sister visit since we have visited a couple of new places together. Close by to Viterbo are the abandoned ruins of the city of Ferentum. As is common in this area, the site was originally Etruscan and then Roman. There is an Etruscan necropolis nearby and the ruins that are most visible today are Roman. The Roman Emperor Otho was born there and remains of members of his family were discovered at the site. Its location near the Tiber and along several major trade routes made Ferentum an important city during Roman times. Even during the Middle Ages, it was a relatively thriving city. Why then, you ask, is it now abandoned when so many other towns continued to be occupied and transformed to the present day? They were engaged in a long standing pissing match with Viterbo for supremacy in the region and in 1172 the Viterbese finally defeated them and pretty literally wiped the town off the face of the earth. The Viterbese were so proud of their actions that they even incorporated the palm tree symbol of Ferentum into their own city symbols.
On our way back from Civita di Bagnoreggio we decided to stop by. You drive in along a dirt road to what was once a well maintained archeological site. Now, however, the ruins are once again reverting to a state of ruin. Our visit was accompanied by a thick layer of fog, providing an evocative glimpse of what might have been.
The Roman theater which had been partially rebuilt and used for events, is once again crumbling.
The baths which have been covered by a modern structure to protect them are in better shape. You can easily make out the hot, warm and cold pools. The original tile work, which had been cleaned and stabilized is now covered in black slime which is encroaching over the entire area.
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