Ruviano

Until 1863 the village was called Raiano; the name was changed, probably, so as not to confuse it with the Raiano in Abruzzo. The old name has been read as ara Jani, the altar of Janus — a country place of worship for the Italic god — and the ground does not contradict it: besides the ruins of Roman farm villas there are finds that suggest more important buildings, perhaps that very altar the ancient authors mention. The church of San Leone Magno, in the old centre, was built with Roman stone taken from older buildings.

The history of Ruviano is the history of its castle, which stands on the top of a low hill and dominates the village with its clock tower, and it is a history of sales. In the twelve hundreds an emperor gave castle and barony to a judge; then came the Angevins, the counts of Celano, the Monforte — and one of these, Federico, dared to rebel against Charles V, was defeated and had his fiefs confiscated for felony. From then on the castle is bought: in 1634 for ten thousand ducats, in 1636 for eleven thousand two hundred by a bishop of Caiazzo, who declared he was buying it in his brother's name — but the brother, being old, would not accept it, and a cousin took possession instead; and shortly after for nine thousand. Between 1927 and 1945 Ruviano was not even in this province: that of Caserta had been suppressed, and the comune was put under Benevento. On 11 November, at San Martino, some people here still keep their feast.