Casperia

• an old but small town of the Sabines, now prob. Aspra, Verg. A. 7, 714; Sil. 8, 417.

CASPE´RIA a town of the Sabines, known only from the mention of its name by Virgil (Aen. 7.714), and by his imitator Silius Italicus (Sil. Ital. 8.416). The latter tells us it derived its name from the Bactrians, probably connecting it absurdly with the Caspian Sea. Both authors associate it with Foruli, and it seems probable that its site is correctly fixed at Aspra, a village about 15 miles SW. of Rieti, and 13 N. of Correse (Cures). (Cluver. Ital. p. 676; Westphal, Röm. Kampagne, p. 133.) Vibius Sequester (p. 11) tells us that the river Himella, mentioned by Virgil in the same line, flowed near Casperia; it is supposed to be the small stream now called the Aia. [HIMELLA]

or Casperŭla. A town of the Sabines on the river Himella.