Ordona is a small town and comune of the province of Foggia in the region of Apulia in southern Italy.
Geography
Ascoli Satriano, Carapelle, Foggia, Orta Nova, Cerignola are nearby towns.
History
Ordona lies near the ancient Daunian site of Herdonia or Herdoniae, a Roman town where Hannibal fought a major battle against the Roman Army. The ruins of Herdonia were discovered in the years after the Second World War, and remain only partially excavated; they are a short drive from the present-day town.
The ancient centre, founded by the Daunians, immediately enjoyed a noteworthy cultural development and saw its maximum splendour. Its economic decline began during the 4th century BC. The construction of defensive walls during this period suggests a period of battles with other centres in the region, probably comprising clashes with the Greek hegemonic cities in the territory, among them neighbouring Taranto.
It passed over to the Romans, with the rest of Apulia, after the wars of the Greek-Messapian League, commanded by King Pyrrhus of Epirus (280–275 BC). Herdonia was a protagonist during the Second Punic War (219–202 BC) and in particular, during the events linked to the war's most famous battle at Cannae on 2 August 216 BC.
According to the Roman historian Livy, after the Battle of Cannae the City passed to Hannibal, but then was soon recovered by the Romans, in 214 BC; it was taken once more by the Carthaginian General Hannibal who demolished it completely and saw its population transferred to Metaponto and Turi.
From this moment on, the city did not recover until its insertion along the Via Traiana route, a coastal alternative of the Via Appia (Appian Way), at the beginning of the 2nd century AD.