BENEVENTO, Italy, a province with an area of 680 square miles, and an archiepiscopal city. The surface of the province is hilly but the soil fertile in corn, fruit and pasture. Game is very abundant, and cattle, grain, wine, oranges and dead game are exported. Benevento was originally called Maleventum, but this was changed to Beneventum by the Romans when they founded a colony here after the defeat of Pyrrhus. Before it came into the hands of the Romans it belonged to the country of the Samnites. The Lombards in 571 made it a dukedom, which, long after the extinction of the Lombard kingdom, remained independent. At a later period it fell into the hands of the Saracens and Normans. The city, however, was not conquered by the latter because Henry III had given it to the Pope, Leo IX. In 1418 Benevento became part of Naples, but was given back to the Pope by Ferdinand I. In 1798 it was conquered by the French and handed over to Naples, and then in 1806 Napoleon made a present of it to his minister, Talley rand, who received thence the title of Prince of Benevento. In 1815 it was restored to the Pope, and finally with Naples was annexed to the kingdom of Italy, in 1860. The city of Benevento is situated on a hill between the rivers Sabato and Calore, is 60 miles by rail from Naples but only 32 miles by direct route, is surrounded with a wall, has narrow dirty streets and some interesting buildings. Since
969 it has been the see of an archbishop. Few cities in Italy deserve so much attention on account of the antiquities which they contain as Benevento. Almost every wall consists of fragments of altars, sepulchres, columns and entablatures. Among other things, the well preserved, magnificent triumphal arch of Tra Jan, built in 114, deserves particular mention. It is now called Porta Aurea (the golden gate), and is a gate of the city. The cathedral is a beautiful building in the Lombard-Saracenic style. This cathedral has a famous bronze door, with reliefs of New Testament scenes, said to have been executed at Constantinople in the 12th century. There are also several magnificent paintings. The city has also sev eral palaces, a castle and numerous churches, including the circular Santa Sofia. In the pub lic squares aretian obelisks. Gold and silver plating, leather curing and parchment making are the principal industries. Pop. about 25,000.