Capua during the Second Punic War

[Theodosius the Great]

Avete,

I've read that Hannibal made Capua his 'capital' after it switched sides to the Carthaginian.

Does this fact suggest that Capua was the most prosperous or powerful city in Italy after Rome itself ?

Or were any of the Italian Greek cities more powerful than Capua during this period ? Tarentum ?

~Theo

[Jona Lendering]

I've read that Hannibal made Capua his 'capital' after it switched sides to the Carthaginian.
Does this fact suggest that Capua was the most prosperous or powerful city in Italy after Rome itself ?
Or were any of the Italian Greek cities more powerful than Capua during this period ? Tarentum ?

I think that it was an important city, but that there were other factors: there were easily accessible ports (Naples, Herculaneum, Pompeii come to mind); the city controled the road from Latium to the south (the Via Appia); and it controled a fertile plain.

[Paullus Scipio]

Capua had originally been founded by the Etruscans and was later taken over by Samnites. By the second Punic War, it was the centre of the Campanian agriculture zone, and had a thriving Industry, especially of high quality bronze objects, and was a Trading base as well. The city was also well known for its wealth and luxury and could field an army of 30,000 infantry and 4,000 cavalry, and twice that many with Campania's surrounding districts. It was certainly the second city of Italy, and was considered 'in the same league' as Rome, Carthage or Syracuse.....if perhaps the smallest.