In September the first investigations began of the castle of Mondragone ( _Montis Draconis_ ), a medieval fortified settlement which overlooks the present town. The results of the first excavation campaign highlighted the site’s importance, suggesting research strategies which would widen the scope of the investigation to include the entire settlement. This comprised an enclosure wall, a first fortified village with church, the pentagonal tower and numerous houses and service rooms, and by a second village which extended over the southern slope of the hill and was defended by a further two curtain walls.

The fortified settlement of Rocca di Mondragone is attested in documents written at the beginning of the 12th century. The absence of data relating to earlier occupation on this hill site, both Roman and late antique, would seem to negate the hypothesis that the early medieval fortified settlement was built on top of a pre-existing defensive system. However, the existence of a prehistoric settlement on the western side of the hill does constitute an earlier form of settlement. The first phase of the fortified settlement began in the Norman period with the upper defensive enclosure and the first village within it. Subsequent development, until the late Angevin and Aragonese periods, saw the creation of the an outer ‘borgo’ and the construction of the so-called “residential palace”. The 2006 excavation campaign aimed to increase the area investigated in the preceding campaigns (2001-2005), that is the summit plateau and the area between the cistern/tower and the rooms up against the southern defensive wall. The original fortified centre of the entire complex stood on the hill summit, surrounded by a spindle-shaped defensive wall. Several of the buildings in the village at the foot of the first enclosure wall on the western side of the hill also stood within a defensive wall. Within these rooms situated up against the wall a glazed blue and white ceramic pavement came to light. A fragment of Deruta pottery was also found and with the pavement gives a chronology that runs between the 15th and 16th centuries. In the area between the cistern/tower and the rooms by the southern defences previous campaigns had revealed mortar floors relating to the final occupation phase of the plateau’s central area. This area had been inhabited since the time of Federico II and abandoned in the second half of the 15th century, as attested by pottery and metal finds and numerous coins datable to between the 13th and the end of the 15th century. The new excavations recovered more fragments of plain ware pottery, both refined and coarse, painted with red bands, together with fragments of wood and animal bones.

Archaeological investigations of the site from 2007 to 2009 focused on substantial areas of the bailey at the summit of the fortified settlement, aimed at clarifying the nature and extension of the stratigraphy relating to the construction, occupation and destruction sequences of the area and of the structures within the walled circuit. On the western side the great semicircular tower CF 9 was investigated: three construction phases were identified. In the latest phase underneath the conglomerate pavement a series of cavities were built, these intersect to create a lattice for the setting of wooden axes. It has been hypothesized that the platform functioned as a support for a war-machine, clearly the power of the war machine is in direct correlation to nature of the substructure which supported it. The rectangular room CF10, situated behind the latter, was excavated down to the original beaten earth floor, in a preparation of smoothed mortar. The good construction techniques and of the rooms leading into CF10, together with the archaeological material recovered (in particular a cuirass linked with bronze rivets, with traces of cloth, coins of the Aragonese period, glazed and tin glazed pottery and mortars) suggest that the room had a residential function, probably reserved for part of the military garrison and for a high-status person. Along the northern side of the bailey near the northern curtain wall, a large room CF8 has been brought to light, which in its last phase of use was a cult building. At the centre of the Eastern wall a masonry structure was discovered, decorated with frescoes which imitate a facing of polychrome marble; the southern and northern walls are also decorated with frescoes depicting human figures and polychrome geometric designs of the late 14th-15th centuries. The pavement of the room was raised; a new floor was built which partly covered the frescoes decorating the walls of the building which on the basis of the pottery and coins was abandoned in the mid 16th century. Along the northern side, but close to the so-called _Palatium_, another area was investigated. It relates to the defensive structure in a small room and a small tower (CF 256). with a passage which linked the village (CA “C”) with the plain above (CA “B”). The western side of room 12, was also brought to light, between the northern section of the walled circuit of the bailey and the large central cistern. The substantial layers of collapsed masonry include roofing elements as well as two great blocks of walls and fragments of wall plaster. On the smoothed mortar pavement of the room was a great partially worked stone block, with relief decoration in the form of eggs between darts, like the stone block itself, the carving of the latter is incomplete. These characteristics suggest that this was an ‘unfinished’ product, probably initially envisaged as an architectural element (capital?) and later reused as a basin or _acquasantiera_. Ceramics were recovered of the 15th and the 16th centuries (yellow and green glazed pottery, plain and decorated maiolica including that of Montelupo, and unglazed pottery), as well as numerous glass wasters (pieces of fused glass and vitreous drops) which suggest the existence of a glass production workshop nearby. At the beginning of the village belownext to the walled circuit, a bread oven was excavated. The oven is circular in plan and realized in rows of quadrangular bricks. The hearth consists of flat stones, curved tiles (pantiles) and mortar and is lodged on a walled base resting directly on the earth. Furthermore, the oven rests against a new wall which, on the basis of its construction technique and dimensions, has been interpreted as the last curtain wall of the village, relating to the enlargement of the settlement, dating to the late medieval period. Field survey on the slopes of Monte Petrino continued, aimed at the systematic recording of the terraces relating to the exploitation of the territory around the _castello_ in the medieval period, as well as the evidence for pre-Roman and Roman settlement, relating above all to villas-farms specialized in viticulture.

The 2011 campaign concentrated on two areas: by the outer defensive wall (CAE), including the two towers connected to it, and the central area of the summit plateau (CAB) interpreted as the upper platea (CF11), in particular the south-western corner outside building CF8. The latter had been excavated earlier and its final occupation period (14th-15th century) interpreted as a private chapel. Both areas presented specific questions, which the excavations aimed to answer: the method of access and defence of the site in each occupation phase, and the subdivision and arrangement of the spaces relating to different social classes and powers that shared the most important part of the site, that is the summit plateau. Area CAE is situated on a natural terrace, on the western slope of Mt. Petrino, below the summit where the main archaeological evidence lies. There is a change in height between the areas of about 1000 m (CAB: 409 m a.s.l.; CAE: 333 m a.s.l.). They are linked by tracks that follow the contours of the mountain and cross two villages (CAC and CAD) on the western and southern slopes. The outer defensive wall, 7.38 m long and 5 m wide, preserved to a height of about 1.50 m, constitutes an imposing defence for the only entry point to the fortified settlement on the plateau’s northern side. The southern side of the settlement was rendered inaccessible by the sheer rock formation and lack of vegetation. The wall was reinforced by the presence of a polygonal tower at each end, from which it was separated by openings. The towers projected towards the north side beyond the front wall. The east tower had a quadrangular plan with a solid masonry scarp base preserved to a height of about 2.50 m, but no standing walls survive. The second watchtower had an irregular polygonal plan with a solid masonry base. Situated at the west end of the wall, from which it was separated by a 3.50 m gap, it splayed towards the interior of the ridge. It is suggested that an opening existed here that was wide enough to allow the entry of wagons and equipped troops who would have camped on the flat strip of land protected by the outer defensive wall. Similarities in dimension and structure with the passage in the east tower and the inter-visibility between the two, suggests a system coherent with a defensive structure (barbican?), probably built during the conflict between Angevins and Aragonese for the conquest of the dukedom at the end of the 15th century. The Rocca di Mondragone was one of the most important castles in the Ducato di Sessa during this period. Several test trenches were put in on the summit of CAB, in the area in front of the late Angevin chapel excavated in 2010 (CF8) in order to clarify the sequence of the external floors. Once again, questions were asked about the settlement’s abandonment in the mid 16th century. This was preceded by intense activity to replace the floors at the centre of the plateau, which were raised by dumps of material from earlier demolitions. These layers produced a considerable number of finds of varying dates, including pottery, iron objects (for building, craft work and war) together with almost 50 coins, mainly cavalli issued by Ferrante di Aragona between 1472 and 1496. A coin of Louis XII (1502-1505) was also found in the collapse obliterating the final occupation levels, together with a Romano-Campanian coin (265-240 B.C.) and an imperial coin. Survey continued on the slopes of Mt. Petrino with the aim of mapping the terracing, which attests the exploitation of the territory around the medieval castle, as well as the evidence for settlement of pre-Roman and Roman date, in particular villa-farms specialising in viticulture.

During the archaeological investigations on the site took place between 2012 and 2013 were investigated substantial portions of the fortified settlement summit plateau, with the intention of continuing the excavation of stratigraphic environments enclosed by boundary walls and understand their attendance phases and the consequent abandonment. The 2010 excavation (September 8 to October 4) concentrated mainly in CA "C" (the first village below the summit plateau of the settlement) and especially in the area positioned at S cisterns already dug in past years (CF 20-23) and near the circular tower (CF 9) overlying the entire village. The area chosen for the excavation was already identified in its supporting structures during the reconnaissance of 1997; at the beginning of the investigation it appeared with some walls in evidence and a substantial collapse of rubble within a large quadrangular building, highlighted completely during the excavations (CF 22). To the east of the latter, it has been excavated completely a cistern and an area affected by other walls with relative floor levels (CF 302), while to the north has been partially investigated a small area bounded by a straight wall, which was to serve as a base for the housing of wooden poles to support a canopy of perishable material. They also continued the work of cataloging and arrangement of archaeological finds in the Restoration Laboratory and warehouse findings of the Archaeological Museum of Mondragone B. Greco. In the excavation of September 2011, the interventions are mainly concentrated in two areas: near a fortified place in the lower side of the montain (CAE), including the two towers connected to a big wall and in the central area of the summit plateau (CAB), interpreted as the upper stalls (CF 11), in particular in the SW, outside the building CF 8, already dug during previous campaigns and interpreted, in its phase of final attendance (XIV-XV sec.), as a private chapel. Both areas respond to specific questions on which the scientific research on the site is trying to provide some explanation: how to access and site defense at every stage of its existence and the division and location of spaces belonging to different company teams and the various powers (aristocratic, religious, military, commercial) who shared the most important area of the site in question, ie the summit plateau. The area called CAE is located on a natural terrace on the western slope of Mount Petrino, at a lower cost than the summit plateau where they develop the main archaeological evidence of the area. Among the areas there are about one hundred meters in altitude (CAB: 409 s.l.m .; CAE: 333 s.l.m.); They are connected by roads that follow the contours of the mountain and through the two villages (CA C and D CA) occupying the western and southern slopes of the relief. The rampart along 7.38 meters wide and 5, preserved to a height of about 1 meter and 50, constitutes a powerful defense system the only way of access to the settlement fortified on the northern slope of the rise, being the southern side inaccessible because very steep and devoid of vegetation. It is powered at either end by two towers of polygonal shape, it separated by gates, which extend toward the north side, past the breakwater. The east tower, rectangular, has a base full masonry preserved for m 2:50 high, while it is devoid of the elevation; however retains on the exposed surface a cavity made in the masonry, from 50 cm to 1 meter wide and 50, which has been interpreted as the basis of a sighting functional corridor of the access path from the settlement north, where the saddle adjacent the rise was a more immediate access from the sea to the inland plains to Teano and Capua. The second guard tower has an irregular polygonal shape, with base in solid masonry and is located at the west of the coast, from which it is separated by a wide gap three-meter and 50, to plant splayed towards the interior of the ridge. E 'has been suggested here that there is a large enough step to make access carts and equipped troops could quartered in the range of flat land. Guarding this gate there was the tower also has a lookout corridor made transversely to allow a perspective view to the valley, but at the same time to avoid being seen. The similarities of size and structure with the corridor in the east tower and the intervisibility of the two military check points argue in favor of a coherent and unified system of defense, put in place in all probability during the conflict between the Angevins and Aragonese for conquest of the Kingdom, in the late fifteenth century, when the Fortress of Mondragone was one of the most important fortresses of the Duchy of Sessa. Finally on the summit plateau CA B stratigraphic some checks in front of the chapel of later Angevins age excavated in 2010 (CF 8), to clarify the succession of external floor levels were conducted. Again, there are questions of the abandonment of the settlement, which occurred in the mid-sixteenth century, if it was caused by the gradual and repopulate the surrounding plain or whether it was due to a catastrophic event, an earthquake or a siege, as seems to testify to the dynamics of powerful layers of collapse present in all settlement building. The abandonment was in any event preceded by intense revamping of the floors in the center of the plateau, which were raised compacting of results from previous demolition material. Witness the discovery in these layers of a very considerable amount of finds with various datings, including ceramic (ceramic of the XV and XVI century (glazed monochrome yellow and green, white glazed and polychrome, polychrome majolica ceramics from Montelupo and achromatic), objects iron is used in construction (split pins, hinges, nails, locks) and in craft activities (scissors, needles textiles) and for warfare (bites and other items to harness a horse, two leaf tips, an arrow and a ball lead by musket), along with nearly 50 coins, mainly horses Ferrante d 'Aragona issued between 1472 and 1496, but also coins of Louis XII (1502-1505) discovered in the collapse that has obliterated the last levels of attendance , next to a Roman coin-bell (265-240 BC) and a Roman imperial age. Work also continued reconnaissance on the slopes of Mount Petrino, aimed at the systematic mapping of the terraces that attest to the systems of exploitation of the territory adjacent to the castle in the Middle Ages as well as evidence of the settlement of pre-Roman and Roman times, mainly relating to specialized farm-villas in viticulture.

Le attività relative al sito fortificato medievale della Rocca Montis Dragonis hanno previsto interventi volti alla tutela ed alla valorizzazione delle strutture in loco e dei materiali archeologici conservati nel Museo Civico Archeologico “Biagio Greco” di Mondragone. Nelle campagne di scavo 2014 e 2015 si sono proseguite le procedure di sgombero dalle macerie della grande area centrale sul pianoro sommitale dell’insediamento. Durante gli interventi di rimozione delle macerie è stato necessario repertoriare tutti i reperti metallici, visto lo stato di conservazione e soprattutto il numero elevato. Questo procedimento, effettuato con stazione totale e foto restituzione 3d, ha consentito di localizzare con puntualità tutti i reperti ceramici e metallici, testimonianza delle cause repentine dell’abbandono del sito. In questa campagna, in vista di un’operazione di restauro conservativo, è stata dedicata particolare attenzione al recupero ed al posizionamento degli elementi pertinenti le aperture degli edifici che si affacciavano sulla grande platea centrale. Dai dati raccolti, infatti è stato possibile ricostruire un modello di riferimento per le differenti tipologie di infissi, dai portali, ai vani comunicanti, alle finestre. Per consentire che il restauro sia archeologicamente sostenibile, il team di scavo ha provveduto ad elaborare un modello in 3d, che funga da riferimento alle operazioni di ripristino dell’antica platea dell’insediamento. L’analisi dell’articolazione interna del pianoro sommitale è stata l’occasione anche per confrontare e ricollegare l’antico abitato di Rocca Montis Dragonis con la cittadina moderna di Mondragone. Nel centro storico sono stati individuati alcuni edifici che cronologicamente ben si ricollegano alla storia insediativa del sito fortificato medievale in altura e che sono state tenute in debito conto nella rigenerazione di un modello interpretativo delle strutture che insistevano sulla grande platea centrale. Ad esempio, da alcune finestre del Palazzo del “Filosofo Taglialatela” (XIV sec.) sono state ridisegnate e ricollocate quelle scoperte in fase di crollo nell’area indagata dalla Scuola. Il portale di un ampio ingresso all’area militare con torre di guardia è stato ricostruito grazie al confronto con alcuni presenti nell’attuale Mondragone e che conservano ancora il sistema “a copiglie” , cioè un insieme di grappe basculanti inchiodate contemporaneamente sugli stipiti e sulle ante della porta.