Ancient Knowledge and Flavors at Iuvanum

A journey through time among the Samnites and Romans

Every summer, the Iuvanum Archaeological Park, nestled on a plateau nearly a thousand meters high in the Madonna del Palazzo area of Montenerodomo (Chieti province, Abruzzo), becomes the stage for Ancient Knowledge and Flavors at Iuvanum. It is one of the most evocative events in the Sangro-Aventino region: an evening that guides you from the afternoon until deep into the night through the stones of a city that was once a settlement of the Carricini Samnites and later a thriving Roman municipality.

Iuvanum, a city brought back to life

The site preserves a 4th-century BC sanctuary with its two side-by-side temples, a small theater with stone seating and stage, a paved forum surrounded by porticoes and taverns, and the stone-paved streets of the Roman city, monumentalized after the Social War. It is in this archaeological setting, among the most important in Central Italy, that the event stages the daily life of the ancient inhabitants: blacksmiths, stonemasons, and artisans bring the crafts of the past back to life, while the taverns reopen for one night.

What you will experience at the festival

• Guided tours of the archaeological area and museum, to discover the history of Iuvanum between the Samnites and Romans.
• Thematic seminar in the late afternoon, dedicated each year to an aspect of the territory's culture, agricultural biodiversity, or archaeology.
• Re-enactment of ancient crafts at sunset, with taverns reopening to the sounds of blacksmiths and stonemasons.
• Archeo Food: tasting of local dishes and typical products from the Chieti hinterland, paired with local wines.
• Wandering music in the evening, accompanying visitors through the illuminated ruins.

A local event

The event is promoted by the Municipality of Montenerodomo in collaboration with the Maiella National Park, the Abruzzo Region, the Superintendency of Archaeology, Fine Arts and Landscape, and the Literary Parks circuit, in a territory also linked to the memory of Benedetto Croce, whose family originated from Montenerodomo. An appointment that combines archaeology, food and wine, and Abruzzese popular traditions in one of the most fascinating evenings of the summer in the Sangro-Aventino area.