Arco Felice Vecchio, Cuma, Italia

"Among them Euboici mountains in the middle of a narrow valley, Is there erected a majestic monument called Arco Felice, beneath which ran the Via Domiziana, branch of the Via Appia, which even now there are observed leftovers in the long clips from whence Mondragone stretched unto Cuma. Cuma then branching out from one side came in Baja, and on the other side passing under Arco Felice came in Pozzuoli, as mentioned above. Good portion of this road was built where Domitiana the forest of Ami was cut by Agrippa". In Campania the ancient Via Appia did not crossed or lapped the shoreline of the city and did not reach Cuma, therefore, the maritime colonies, increasing their importance commercial and military more and more, imposed a link to the Appia towns along the coast, passing through Cuma and finally arrive at Puteoli and then to Naples. This connection, willed by the emperor Domitiano to shorten the communication between Rome and the ports of Pozzuoli and Miseno, avoided the long detour imposed by Appia, which from Sinuessa penetrated into the interior of Capua, and then the Via Campana, from Capua to Pozzuoli. The work was realized in a short time and present a new way of communication later called "Via Domitiana". Overcoming issues was achieved depending on the case, or with deep vertical incisions performed by cutting the hill or through tunnels ( Cryptae ) carved into the rock, depending on the orography and the texture of the soil. Among the most significant works of this type may include the cut made along the Via Campana, at the Montagna Spaccata near Quarto to connect Pozzuoli and Capua, and the opening of the tunnel called Grotta di Cocceio, from the name of the manufacturer, which put in communication port Iulius across the lake Averno, with Cuma passing mount Grillo and yet the crypta Neapolitana and the Grotta di Seiano in Posilippo, located between the Gaiola and Coroglio. These interventions were carried out considerable technical difficulties to allow the passage of a new road, straight as much as possible, in a region characterized by rugged extremely irregular due to the presence of volcanic craters in the Campi Flegrei. To allow the passage of the road Domitiana through the mountain Grillo, was made an arch called Arco Felice, road engineering work performed by the Roman builders. For its implementation was extended a passage in the mountain probably already existed in Greek period, through a cut high and tight, then defining a deep section, at the same time, the same built a majestic arch on the pass, topped with other arches clad structure cementicia brick. The work has so varied justifications: to ensure communication between the two sections of the ridge and at the same time, counter pressures, in order to prevent landslides from the flanks of the mountain, intensively cultivated since ancient times, as well as, represent the monumental entrance to the city of Cuma along the eastern side. However, contrary to what was believed, no trace of the aqueduct can be seen above the arches and along the edge of the hillside. The Arco Felice was built in 95 A.D. in the place where maybe was already opened in Greek, in a higher position, the door of the walls of Cuma. It originally was built in brickwork and tiled in marble, surmounted by two rows of arches lighter in texture cementicia covered with brick. Its piers had, on both sides, three niches where statues were placed. As reported in Palatine "There are niches adorned with others at the top, so it seemed to Capaccio, then even the Father Paoli, above which there was raised the Temple of Apollo Cumano : but, however, on the arch there is not be space to have been a temple, and even observes that there is no vestige monument". The Arco Felice as it can be seen from the graphs of survey, consists of a fornix of length m 17.65, width m 6.30 and height in m key. 17.50 surmounted by arches that reach a total height of m 32.00 the share of the paving of the ancient Via Domitiana. The walls of the monument are made of masonry curtain of tuff stones blocks the size of 25-30 cm wide, 8 cm to 9 cm in height and depth. The barrel vault that covers the lower fornix is made of square bricks called bipedales measurement of 59 cm from the side arranged radially, according to three rows of concentric arches to all sixth. Once the central arch, located immediately above the lower fornix, presents, in the facade toward Pozzuoli, an arch shot with a single row of bipedales. The walls erected on the sides of the arch for the containment of the soil are made of mixed masonry, consisting of regular appeals tufelli, interspersed, at a distance of about 1.20 m, curbs chaining performed with rows of bricks on the length of 25-30 cm and a top row of bipedales. The arch rests on a base of blocks piperno aligned, which measure each m 0.85 x 0.85 and protrude from 0.85 m from the walls of the arch, reducing the road to about m 4.50. The base probably served as protection in transit pedestrian sidewalks. The paving of the original Roman road, the old road Domitiana through the arch, is sufficiently intact and in good condition. Of this roadway, paved and lined with treatment still wayside stone, arranged alternately along the sidewalks, there are some features in sight. Examples are visible in Cuma at Masseria Poerio and, later, as beyond the casino Licola. More news can be inferred from a reading of former reliefs, as the structural scheme adopted and the manner of performance of the construction of the building. The facade toward Cuma, above the central arch, a single row of arches, the central one, lacking the time today collapsed, is wider than the lateral and presents, with respect to them, the walking surface to a lower altitude. All three arches are, however, aligned to the height of the keystone, evidently for the need to allow the original road link between the two ridges hilly interrupted. The statement potioned toward Pozzuoli reveals, however, a structural diagram substantially different. The arches above the central arch are, in fact, made on two orders. Some news about the probable changes made may be revealed by the views of the travelers of the eighteenth century and played in numerous guides on the antiquities of the Campi Flegrei. This refers in particular to the views reproduced in Avanzi delle antichità esistenti a Pozzuoli, Cuma e Baja, by Antonio Paoli, published in Naples in 1768 where the arch is seen coming from Cuma and on the of a lithograph by Philippe Benoist, where the arch is seen coming from Pozzuoli. Therefore, it is evident that the structure lost the series of niches, having had over the centuries a long series of changes that have profoundly changed the original appearance of the arch, as the loss of the marble cladding, the closure of the upper arches walled up in the first half of the eighteenth century, the variation of the eastern facade, which completely has been restored during the last decade of the eighteenth century. Structure of the original Roman remains only inside and part of the western facade. "Beyond the Arco Felice covers the suburbs of Cuma: remains of tombs and Roman villas lining the road to the foot of the hill of rock on which alone, in view of the sea and a long stretch of sandy beach, rises the acropolis of Cumae".