CAMPA'NIA (Lat., from Lat. campus, plain, Gk. Kap7rarta,Kampania). A district of ancient Italy lying along the Tyrrhenian Sea, and bounded on the land side by Latium, Samnimn, and Lucania (Slap: Italy, J ii). Originally in habited by people of ()scan race, it was early in 1,.aded by the more civilized Greeks, who founded there the cities of Clime and Neapolis (Naples). At a later period it came under the Etruscan domination, but the bulk of the population re mained Osean in rave and language until Roman times. Campania has always been noted for the volcanic character of the country. Besides Ve suvius (of which the first eruption in historic times was that which destroyed Pompeii in Am. 79), the whole region north of Naples was and is a scene of volcanic phenomena. Ilere were the Compi Phlegr(ri of the Greek and I.atin writers, the modern ,`•Iolfatara or sulph•-field near Pit teoli (Pozzuoli). and lucre, near nunte, was the
Lake of Avernus, the fabled entrance to the lower world. Notwithstanding this gloomy char acter, the great plain of Campania was always noted for its wonderful fertility and its eharm ing climate and scenery. The Romans. Who over ran it, as early as me. 340, called it Campania Felix (Happy Campania). They did not suc ceed in Romanizing the inhabitants until after the time of Sulla. The coast of Campania then became a favorite resort for the wealthy Romans, who built handsmnc villas at Bake, Puteoli, Slisenum, and elsewhere. Cicero had a villa at Pompeii. In his new reorganization of Augustus made Campania his first district (regio prima). The •hief ancient towns were Capna, Cunne, Neapolis, Nola, Pompeii. and