Oricola

In 1645 the cartographer Lukas Holstenius identified the site of the ancient Aequian city of Carsioli in the Civita district, and from then on topographic maps marked the Roman colony beside the hamlet: the city existed on paper long before anyone dug it. The first real survey came only in 1901, with the German George J. Pfeyffer and the Briton Thomas Ashby; north of the built-up area stretches of wall and ruins survive, and at Muro Pertuso, beyond the Sesera wood, the remains of a Roman aqueduct. Palazzo De Vecchi kept finds gathered before that campaign.

The village looks over the piana del Cavaliere from 810 metres, commanded by the fortress the counts of the Marsi raised in the 9th century against Saracen and Hungarian raids: square, with four corner towers, rebuilt in the 15th century and today the seat of the town hall. In 1096 the widow Aldegrina gave the castle to the monks of Montecassino, and the following year a bull of Urban II confirmed it to abbot Oderisio. In 1806 Oricola lost its autonomy and was attached to Pereto together with Rocca di Botte; it won it back only in 1907. The feast of Saint Restituta falls on 17 May.