Palestrina

Palestrina, the ancient Præneste, an Italian city, 22 miles E. by S. of Rome, on the slope of an offset of the Apennines, contains the chief castle of the Colonnas and the palace of the Barberini family, the owners after 1630. It is built almost entirely upon the gigantic substructions of the ancient Temple of Fortune, one of the greatest religious edifices in all Italy, celebrated not only for its splendour, but also for its oracle, which was consulted down to the time of Constantine. Portions of the ancient wall—Cyclopean blocks of limestone—still remain. Præneste was a member of the Latin League, until in 499 B.C. it joined the Romans. Yet it took a prominent part in the Latin war (340–338 B.C.) against Rome. Having given shelter to the younger Marius in 82 B.C., it was taken and sacked by Sulla. Its elevated and healthy situation, at no great distance from the capital, made it a favourite summer-resort of the Romans. Augustus and Tiberius frequented it; Horace found it a pleasant retreat; Hadrian built there an extensive villa; and Antoninus erected a palace. Numerous valuable works of art and other remains have been recovered, dating principally from the 8th, and from the 3d and 2d, centuries B.C., the former showing Phœnician influence, the latter being Roman. Pop. 5855.