Villa Latina lies in the Valle di Comina, overlooked by Picinisco some five kilometres distant.

In Roman times, it was used by Legions to rest soldiers who had been on military campaigns. The area was know as ‘Bagni Imperiale’ because of the many natural springs in the area.

In 1595 the Val di Comino was bought by Count Matteo Taverna on behalf of Cardinal Tolomeo Gallio. Thus Atina became part of the dukedom of Sora and Alvito. In a document of this time Agnone is said to have been a casale of Atina. It described this area as being fertile, with abundant spring waters that flowed through many streams which irrigated the land. It grew grains, legumes, millet and produced fruits such as apples, pears, plums, persimmon, figs in large numbers. The rivers and streams in the area were harnessed to power several flour mills.

In the seventeenth century the area was struck by catastophies of famine and floods which severely reduced the local population. From a document of 1741, named the Onciario Cadastre, the inhabitants of Agnone numbered 1635. Following the invasion of the Val di Comino by Napoleon’s troops, Benedetto Panetta of Agnone led a rebellion of the townspeople who took up arms against the French. In 1816 the inhabitants of the farmhouses of Agnone and Vallegrande presented a request for a separation from the municipality of Atina and for the formation of an autonomous town. This was finally granted in 1834. In 1862 it formed its own ‘comune’ and changed its name to Villa Latina.

Today

Villa Latina is a sprawling township within the Val di Comino. It is made up of a cluster of small hamlets that have overtime become merged into one. These include Colle Cavicchio, Colle Santo, Palombi, Panetta, Santa Lucia, Carletti, Ponte Sant’Anna, Pelino, Franchitti, Fontana Cocozza, Panara, Villaggio Peschiera, La Forma, Bianchi, Palazzo Franchi, Serra del Cavaliere, Saccocci, Gargaro, Dragonetti, Valenti, Pacitti, Fusco, Tosti, Colozzi, Marrocchio, Colle Santo, Riverenne, Carl’Annunzio and Valle Grande.

Zampogne

Villa Latina is also famous for its ‘zampogne’ (bagpipes) which also date back to Roman times. This instrument was used by local shepherds who would travel to Rome and Naples to play traditional tunes for the local inhabitants.