Apiolae

API´OLAE (Ἀπίολαι: Eth. Ἀπιολανός), an ancient city of Latium, which took the lead among the Latin cities in the war against Tarquinius Priscus, and was in consequence besieged and taken by that monarch. We are told that it was razed to the ground, and its inhabitants sold into slavery ; and it is certain that we find no subsequent mention of it in history. Yet it appears to have been previously a place of some importance, as Livy tells us the spoils derived from thence enabled Tarquin to celebrate the Ludi Magni for the first time; while, according to Valerius of Antium, they furnished the funds with which he commenced the construction of the Capitol. (Liv. 1.35; Dionys. 3.49; Valerius, ap. Plin. Nat. 3.5. 1. 9.)

The site of a city destroyed at so early a period, and not mentioned by any geographer, can scarcely be determined with any certainty; but Gell and Nibby are disposed to place it at a spot about 11 miles from Rome, and a mile to the S. of the Appian Way, where there are some remains which indicate the site of an ancient city, as well as others of later Roman date. The position was (as usual) a partially isolated hill, rising immediately above a small stream, now called the Fosso delle Fratocchie, which was crossed by an ancient bridge(destroyed in 1832), known as the Ponte delle Streghe. Its position would thus be intermediate between Bovillae on the E., and Politorium and Tellenae on the W. (Nibby, Dintorni, vol. 1. p. 211 ; Topography of Rome, p. 87; Abeken, Mittel-Italien, p. 69.)