ATELLA, ancient Oscan town, Campania, gm. N. of Naples and gm. S. of Capua. A member of the Campanian confederation, it shared the fortunes of Capua, but remained longer faithful to Hannibal, and he transferred the inhabitants to Thurii before the Romans took the town (2 i i ) and settled exiles from Nuceria there. The town is famous as the cradle of early Roman comedy, the Atellanae Fabulae (q.v.).