CASILINUM, an ancient city of Campania, Italy, 3m. N.W. of the ancient Capua. Its position at the point of junction of the Via Appia and Via Latina, and at their crossing of the river Vol turnus, gave it considerable importance under the Roman repub lic. In the Second Punic War it was occupied by Fabius Cunc tator in 217 B.C., taken by Hannibal after a gallant defence by troops from Praeneste and Perusia in the winter of 216-215, but recaptured in the following year, serving the Romans as their base of operations against Capua, and losing its independence. It seems to have been united with Capua before the time of Vespasian. Pliny speaks of the morientis Casilini reliquiae, "the remains of dying Casilinum," and only its position at the junction of the roads redeemed it from utter insignificance.