The valley floor of the lower Liri and the Garigliano between Aquino, Pontecorvo and San Germano.
Since February 1199 Diepold's men have held three of the abbey's own castles in the middle of the Land of St Benedict (Pontecorvo, Interamna and Castelnuovo), with Rocca d'Arce and, for a time, Aquino behind them; the abbot holds San Germano, which lies open with its walls breached, the abbey on the mountain and the castles round it, and won back Sant'Angelo in Theodice later in 1199. Neither side can farm the plain between them in safety. The last great campaign was Markward's of January and February 1199, when he burned San Pietro in Fine, San Vittore, Cervaro, Trocchio, Piumarola and Sant'Elia and sacked San Germano; the next is Diepold's failed attack on Montecassino in March 1200.
How things stand that morning
A war zone that winter: German garrisons and the abbot's castles face each other a few miles apart. The evidence for raiding in the winter months themselves is inferred from the garrisons' position, not recorded raid by raid.
Who raids here
Diepold's garrisons at Pontecorvo, Interamna (Pignataro), Castelnuovo, Aquino and Rocca d'Arce against the abbey's villages; the abbot's men and the knights of the papal Campagna from San Germano and Sant'Angelo against the German posts.
Anchors on each side
German side: Rocca d'Arce, Pontecorvo, Pignataro Interamna, Castelnuovo Parano, Aquino [medium]. Abbey side: Montecassino, San Germano, Sant'Angelo in Theodice, Piedimonte, Sant'Apollinare and Esperia (Rocca Guglielma). Fratte (Ausonia) was in German hands by 1201, when the abbot retook it with Castelnuovo; when it was lost is not pinned.
Last campaign
January-February 1199 (Markward and Diepold); the abbot's recovery of Sant'Angelo later in 1199. Diepold, free again since November 1199, attacks in March 1200 and the abbot buys him off with hired troops; in June 1201 the abbot, with Walter of Brienne, takes Aquino and later retakes Castelnuovo and Fratte (DBI on Roffredo).
Where the sources disagree
Evidence: The positions are documented (Richard of San Germano; DBI; Church map record Montecassino); the raiding of December 1199 and January 1200 is inferred.
On the map: A belt drawn over the ground both sides hold castles in; the castles themselves keep their own colours.
Sources and studies
- Richard of San Germano, Chronicle, trans. G.A. Loud (University of Leeds, PDF; covers to 1199)
- Dipoldo di Schweinspeunt (Treccani, Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani)
- Pietro di Celano (Treccani, Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani)
- Roffredo dell'Isola (Treccani, Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani)
Last revised 4 November 2026. Published 4 November 2026. Suggest a correction on the OMNIA Discord.