Palestrina historical timeline

The first archaeological finds attesting occupation of the site are the so-called princely burials — the Barberini and Bernardini tombs — dating to the beginning of the eighth century BC, on the eve of the flowering the city enjoyed in the Orientalising period of the eighth and seventh centuries.

Excavations in the necropolis show that in the late eighth century a major cultural advance took place, with notable eastern imports and a close relationship with Etruria; the seventh-century princely tombs had contents of at least the same quality as those in the cemeteries of Etruscan Caere. Among the objects from the oldest graves, the silver and silver-gilt cups and most of the gold and amber jewellery are Phoenician, while the bronzes and some of the ivories appear Etruscan.

Its foundation is wrapped in competing legends. Various traditions name Telegonus, son of Ulysses and Circe, as founder, or the eponymous hero Praenestus, son of King Latinus and grandson of Ulysses. Cato, Varro, Virgil and Solinus instead tie the city to Caeculus, believed to be the son of Vulcan.

The earliest settlement was probably a citadel on the hilltop, ringed by a cyclopean wall of which some survives.

Praeneste was already rich and prosperous while Rome was still emerging, and because of its history and wealth it felt superior to the other Latin towns — becoming, as Rome grew, Rome's most hated rival. It withdrew from the Latin League in 499 BC, according to Livy, which is its earliest historical mention, and allied with Rome; together they won the Battle of Lake Regillus against thirty Latin states. After Rome was weakened by the Gauls of Brennus in 390 BC, Praeneste switched sides to check Roman expansion into Latium, and from 373 to 370 was in continual war against Rome or its allies, being defeated by Cincinnatus. It was eventually conquered by Rome after strenuous resistance, during which it had allied with the Gauls.

Its position — dominating the Sacco valley, an obligatory passage between Lazio and southern Italy, defended by imposing fortifications — brought prosperity, attested by the construction of a forum and the monumentalisation of the oracular sanctuary of Fortuna Primigenia, both dated to the end of the second century BC.

In 90 BC the citizens of Praeneste obtained Roman citizenship. Then, in 82 BC, during the civil war, the city sided with Gaius Marius the younger, who died here. Lucius Cornelius Sulla, on that occasion, exterminated all its male citizens and installed a military colony in their place.

The goddess outlived the city's independence. In AD 39 the emperor Caligula named two newly formed legions — the legio XXII Primigenia and the legio XV Primigenia — in honour of the Fortuna venerated at Praeneste.