.Ed1958

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Palestrina appears spread over a hill a few miles after San Cesareo. Gregorovius believes he owes his readers a detailed description of the town and of its history. Palestrina is the current name of Praeneste, one of the oldest towns of Latium and more important than Rome for many centuries: the town was at the very top of the hill and it was strongly fortified, nevertheless it could not resist the expansion of Rome. In 82 BC it was totally destroyed by Silla in his war against Marius. Silla killed all the male inhabitants and repopulated the newly founded town with his veterans. He built upon the so called colossal walls of Praeneste an immense temple Tempio della Fortuna Primigenia with an important oracle. An imperial villa was built in Praeneste and from Augustus to the IVth century the emperors often came to Praeneste to escape the Roman summer. Gregorovius made Palestrina popular among German readers and spending a summer in one of the towns described in his books became fashionable. Among others, Thomas and Heinrich Mann spent a summer in Palestrina. Enjoy