The country of Casalattico is located in the Comino Valley, along the Melfa River and takes its name from the historical hamlet Casale and the village of Montattico, built on the ruins of the villa of Titus Pomponius Atticus, an illustrious Ratinate friend of Cicero.
The territory of Casalattico is characterised by numerous settlements scattered along the Melfa river plain up to the 719 metres of Montattico, offering a variety of landscapes and history.
Roman Era
In the early historical period it fell within the Samnite territory, also attested by the widespread cult of Mephitis, an Italic divinity linked to water, invoked for the fertility of the fields and female fertility.
In Roman times Casalattico belonged to the’ager atinensis and was certainly an area frequented by the empire. This is demonstrated by several examples such as the bridge and the Roman road connecting the present Casalattico with the other side of the Melfa river.
Of greater importance, however, is an epigraph that speaks of the construction of a road. An inscription is engraved on this rock that speaks of a road built by Caius Pomponius Tigranus, a freedman of Caius Pomponius, who had a rolling road built at his own expense that connected the plain of Atina with Mount Atticus.
Medieval Era
In the Middle Ages, the territory of Casalattico entered the area of Cassinese influence; it was inhabited by scattered populations in modest settlements and Montattico continued to be part of the history of Atina.
Casale is the first to be documented in 1050; according to local historians, in 1059 the population was united in a castle built by Oderisio, Count of the Marsi, right on the lake of the villa of Atticus: ruins of the castle still exist in the Montattico district.
The arrival of the barbarians brought devastation and destruction everywhere, and Montattico probably followed the fate of Atina. In this period we encounter the Benedictine settlement of Peach Tree at the foot of Mount Atticus in locality Plauto on the left bank of the Melfa river. However, it was soon abandoned to make way for what was to become one of the most important Benedictine monasteries in the Comino Valley: San Nazario, which stood on the ruins of a temple or, more simply, a Roman tomb. This monastery was located on the left bank of the River Melfa in the present-day district of the same name.
There is no certain date of its construction, but it certainly dates back to before the year 1000. Most probably it too was destroyed by the fury of the Saracens first and the Hungarians later. Its reconstruction did not take long.
From this moment onwards in the Comino Valley would rule simultaneously and alternately, the Princes of Capua, i Conti De Marsi (from Marsica), the abbots of Monte Cassino and the church, the Counts D'Aquino, i Boncompagni. ect.
Casalattico photos from our Instagram page
Around the year one thousand, during the rule of the De Marsi counts and following a policy of fortifying villages, a watchtower was built in Montattico on the ruins of the refuge of Titus Pomponius Atticus, which was to be a sentinel over the entire valley. Around it rose the village that we know today as Montattico.
In the meantime, the Princes of Capua, Pandolfo IV and Pandolfo V, confirmed that the lands of San Nazario belonged to the Benedictines of Montecassino, authorising them to build a mill on the river Melfa, with the necessary bulkheads and buildings (the mill is still intact today and has become a museum).
On 9 September 1349, a violent earthquake devastated the entire valley. At this time in today's Casalattico watchtowers and fortification walls were built, now absorbed by the construction of houses. In fact, we find the bell tower in the centre of the village and the remains of a halved tower on the slope facing Casalvieri. At the conclusion of the fortification and encastellation work, the Comino valley acquired greater serenity and defensive security. The entire territory was revitalised through a great flourishing of agricultural activities. The Church strengthened its presence and increased its landed domains with the numerous donations from nobles and private individuals.
The Renaissance
In 1439 Pope Eugene IV aggregated Casale e Montattico to the county of Arpino and in the same century the two centres were subjected first to Bernardo Gaspare d'Aquino and then to Giovanni della Rovere.
In 1583, Giacomo Boncompagni acquired the state of Arpino, on which Casalattico depended. With the Boncompagni family, the political centre of their state became the town of Sora and the two main hamlets of Casale and Montattico were united in a single municipality with Casalvieri.
Modern Age
In the early 1600s the Monastery of San Nazario was now completely abandoned and in time will probably be demolished by the locals who will use it for the construction of new houses.
In the early 19th century brigands appeared in Casalattico, killing and stealing: among the victims was the young 20-year-old Isabella Taddei, whose death was long attributed to the famous brigand Fra’ Diavolo. According to one popular version, the brigand attacked the beautiful girl and, repulsed, stabbed her.
After the Expedition of the Thousand, the peasants sided with the Bourbon regime because the “galantuomini” were liberals; famous was the demonstration on 25 September 1860 when the people of Casalattico, Montattico and the entire area lit large bonfires in favour of Francis II.
In 1926 Casalattico become a municipality by moving from the province of Caserta to that of Frosinone.
During the Second World War, the town found itself in the immediate rear of the Cassino front: it hosted refugees, collaborated with the resistance, gave life to various combat initiatives and the people were not spared from the German raids and the many Allied bombings. All the districts were evacuated to neighbouring towns except Mortale (today's Monforte) where almost the entire community was deported to the Cesano concentration camp on 5 March 1944.
