Aufidus

Aufidus is the ancient Latin name for the river now generally known as the Ofanto, a river in southern Italy. It rises in the Apennines and flows northeast through Campania and Apulia, emptying into the Adriatic Sea near Barletta. The river traverses a region that includes the historic area around Canusium (modern Canosa di Puglia) and collects tributaries as it descends to the coast. The Ofanto runs for roughly 170 kilometers.

In antiquity, the Aufidus was a significant geographic and military landmark. The ancient city of Canusium stood on its banks, and the river is best known for the Battle of Cannae in 216 BCE, a major engagement of the Second Punic War, which occurred near the Aufidus and is described in Roman histories as a decisive Carthaginian victory under Hannibal. The river figures in classical geography and literature as a landmark of the Roman road system and provincial administration in the region.

Etymology and identification: Aufidus is the classical name used in Latin sources for this watercourse, which today is called the Ofanto. The river’s name in antiquity reflects the broader Italic linguistic landscape of southern Italy.

Modern context: In contemporary Italy, the Ofanto basin is used for irrigation and water management, with infrastructure developments aimed at flood control and regional water supply. The river remains a defining geographic feature of the area it traverses, linking the inland Apennine highlands with the Adriatic littoral.