History

The violent eruptions of the Vico volcano 85,000 years ago formed the landscape where the history of Fabrica di Roma unfolds. It is here, where later the town will develop that the first prehistoric settlements begin (9000 years ago) followed later by the Faliscans.

The territory of this tribe extended itself within the natural borders of the Tiber river and of the Cimini and Sabatini Mountains. The main cities were Falerii Veteres (the capital), Capena, Fescennium, and Narce.

The history of the Faliscans is characterized by their friendship with the Etruscans and their proximity to Rome. Over the centuries the tribe steadily resisted Roman invasion but in 241 A.C. Faleri Veteres was destroyed and the Falisci ceased to have a history distinct from that of Rome. Roman revenge against the city’s resistance was tremendous and the defeat was disastrous. About 15,000 inhabitants of Falerii were killed in battle, the town was razed to the ground and rebuilt by the Romans with the name Falerii Novi (New Falerii) on a less strategic site on the plain and defended by walls, where the remaining sacked population was transferred.

Later on Christianity found its way to Falerii Novi and right within the borders of our property a complex of catacombs was found, where the martyrs Saint Gratiliano and Felicissima were buried in 304 A.D. A red figured kylix which shows two young people kissing each other has also been unearthed on our land. The inscription on it reads: "FOIED VINO PAFO CRA CAREFO" ( Today I will drink wine tomorrow I will have none).

Fabrica di Roma was founded by the population fleeing from the nearby Falerii Novi after the barbarian invasions. It then became the property of the Prefects of Vico and the Orsini and Farnese families. On September 20th 1870, when the Pontificial State ceased to exist, it became part of Italy.

Today it is a small, peaceful, hard working little town with 6,300 habitants, in a hilly area with plenty of woods and agricultural land.