Corioli facts for kids

Corioli was an ancient town in central Italy. It was located in the land of the Volsci, a group of people who lived near Rome.

What's in a Name?

The name Corioli might come from a very old word. Experts think it comes from the word kóryos. This word means 'army'. So, Corioli could have meant 'army camp'.

Where Was Corioli?

Corioli was located south of Rome. It was north of Antium, which was the main city of the Volsci people. Its exact location is not known today. Even in ancient times, people like Pliny considered Corioli a "lost city."

The Roman Siege of Corioli

In 493 BC, a Roman army attacked Corioli. The Roman leader was a consul named Postumus Cominius Auruncus. While the Romans were busy with the attack, another Volscian army arrived. This army came from Antium. They attacked the Romans from behind. At the same time, soldiers from Corioli rushed out of the town gates.

A young Roman noble named Gnaeus Marcius was on guard. He quickly gathered some Roman soldiers. He fought against the Volscians who had come out of Corioli. He not only pushed them back, but he also charged through the town gates. He started setting fire to some houses near the town wall.

The people of Corioli cried out. This made the whole Volscian army lose hope. The Romans defeated them. The town of Corioli was captured. Because of his bravery, Gnaeus Marcius was given the special name Coriolanus.

Corioli is Retaken

Around 488 BC, Corioli was taken back by the Volsci. This happened when Coriolanus himself helped them. He had become angry with his own Roman people. So, he joined the Volsci. These events were later made into a famous play by William Shakespeare called Coriolanus.

After this, Corioli does not appear in history again. Later, in 446 BC, there was a disagreement. It was between the towns of Ardea and Aricia. They argued over land that used to belong to Corioli. This land had become part of Rome's territory.