Italy, Villa Latina

Villa Latina owes its name to the presence of important Roman archaeological remains of a villa, a spa and an aqueduct. After the Barbarian invasions, the inhabitants of the area took refuge in two castles, Agnone and Malacucchiara, which in the late twelfth century depended on the Abbey of Montecassino. They subsequently were passed to the lords of Aquino, then to Cantelmos and to the lords of the fiefdom of Sora and Alvito. In 1439 Riccio of Montechiaro destroyed Malacucchiara Rocca. World War II saw bloody battles and the country was bombed forcing the population to flee. Emigration from Villa Latina has been very consistent since the late nineteenth century.