Benevento was a Samnite town called Maleventum when the Romans arrived, and they reportedly changed its name to Beneventum, good event instead of bad event, after defeating King Pyrrhus nearby in 275 BC. The city became an important stop on the Via Appia, and later the starting point of the Via Traiana, a shorter route to Brindisi built by the Emperor Trajan. In 114 AD, the city erected a triumphal arch in his honour where the new road began, and it is one of the best preserved Roman arches anywhere, covered with reliefs celebrating Trajan's achievements, from his conquests to his care for the poor. It stands today at the edge of the old town, its marble a soft cream colour, its carvings still sharp.
The city has another treasure. Santa Sofia, a church built by the Lombard Duke Arechis II in the eighth century, with a striking star-shaped plan and an elegant cloister, is part of the UNESCO listing of the Longobards in Italy. The Lombards ruled Benevento as an independent duchy and later principality for centuries, long after the rest of their kingdom had fallen to Charlemagne. There is also a Roman theatre, still used for summer performances.
Benevento has a darker legend. For centuries it was said to be the place where witches from all over Italy gathered under a walnut tree by the river Sabato to celebrate their sabbaths. The legend inspired the name of Strega, the yellow herbal liqueur made in the city since the nineteenth century, and witch motifs are everywhere in local shops.
The surrounding landscape is the hilly interior of Campania, with vineyards, olive groves and wheat fields, and the mountains of the Matese and the Taburno nearby. The roads in the area are a mix of fast expressways and winding country roads. The road up to the Matese massif, to the north, climbs through forests to a high plateau and a lake, and is a favourite with riders from Naples. The Sannio wine region, around Benevento, produces Falanghina and Aglianico, among Campania's best.
Benevento has fuel, garages and plenty of trattorias. Ride the hills in spring, when they are green, or in autumn, during the harvest. Summer is hot, but the mountains offer relief.