Vicovaro along the Via Tiburtina Valeria is about 45 km from Rome and 4 km from the A24 Roma L’Aquila motorway exit (Autostrada dei Parchi).
The village is located in a valley surrounded by trees on a plateau that overlooks the Aniene Valley, built on the remains of the ancient city of Varia, a defensive outpost of the Italic Aequi population.
Vicovaro can be considered the natural gateway to the Aniene Valley and the Monti Lucretili Regional Nature Park. Local tradition actually places the city of Varia in Quarto del Piano and Mammalocchi, so that the vast Roman-era remains of the polygonal constructions of agricultural villas become confused with the ancient city walls.
Varia was annexed to the Camilia tribe, in the division implemented by Augustus, when the Aniene area marked the borders of Lazio to the south and Sabina to the north and its jurisdiction extended to Ustica Valley, today Licenza Valley.
There is abundant archaeological evidence of Varia’s Roman past: remains of rural and residential villas, epigraphs and various architectural and decorative materials scattered throughout the area.
In the late-Roman period, Varia went into decline and its inhabited centre became depopulated until it was reduced to a simple vicus. Christianity spread throughout these lands along the Via Valeria, while some pagan customs were retained over time.
For more information: Comune di Vicovaro