A journey through the ages that has given us a strong and resilient community, ready to face the challenges of the future with pride and determination.
The history of Latera is a journey through time that takes us back millennia, to 5000 B.C. when the first archaeological finds were discovered in its territory. In Etruscan times, the town became an important centre of activity, as shown by the numerous finds that still testify its rich history.
During the Lombard invasion, the territory of Latera was disputed for a long time and the present castle stands on the ruins of an ancient Lombard fortification. In medieval times, Latera became an Aldobrandesca Fortress and thereafter property of Orvieto.
After many invasions and raids, Latera became a possession of the Holy See and the vicariate was granted to Ranuccio Farnese. This event marked the beginning of a new era for the town, which under Farnese became an independent duchy.
The Farnese family continued to rule over Latera for centuries, until 1668 when the last of the dynasty died. After the Farnese era, Latera again became part of the property of the Church and later under the government of Orvieto.
Latera witnessed Garibaldi's campaign to liberate Rome in 1867 and with the Unification of Italy in 1870, it became an independent municipality. Although subsequent history is not well documented, it is known that the town was the scene of raids by brigands such as Damiano Menichetti and Fortunato Ansuini.
