Ab urbe condita

There were two roads leading to Luceria; one along the Adriatic Coast through open country, the longer one of the two but so much the safer; the other and shorter one through the Caudine Forks.

This is the character of the spot; there are two passes, deep, narrow, with wooded hills on each side, and a continuous chain of mountains extends from one to the other. Between them lies a watered grassy plain through the middle of which the road goes.

Before you reach the plain you have to pass through the first defile and either return by the same path by which you entered or, if you go on, you must make your way out by a still narrower and more difficult pass at the other end. The Roman column descended into this plain from the first defile with its overhanging cliffs, and marched straight through to the other pass.