History of Anagni

The first nucleus of ancient “Anagni” dates back to the “Ernici”, a population which had to give way to the expansion of the Romans around 300 BC. The land on which Anagni  is located, however,  was already inhabited in prehistoric times, as shown some fossils of the "Homo Erectus" (the oldest in Italy), recently discovered in the valley. Some important traces of the Roman city are the so-called “Arcazzi”, imposing travertine arches that open onto the northern side of the wall. Renovated several times, however, was the monumental “Porta Cerere”, which was the main access to Anagni, even at the time of Ernici.

The importance and fame of Anagni, however, is certainly associated with the role of the twelfth and thirteenth century, when it was the seat of many popes, who found a safe haven here. As regards the etymology, there have been many interpretations over the centuries, but, overall, the comments seem to be shared by V. Apolloni, who writes: [...] The city has always had the same name 'Ananias', 'Anagni' (...) and the same position. As for the name and etymology, modern criticism does not consider at all the childish word combinations (...) and it seems that  'Anagni', absolutely an Italic name,  has the same root as 'Anius' and 'Anio', i.e.  the “Aniene” River [...] (See V. Apolloni, “History of Anagni”, 1889, Vol. I: 9-10).

Established, therefore, that the name, as often happens, reflects the geography of the place of relevance (in this case the Aniene River), we can say that Anagni is really a famous town  because  four popes was native of it;  i.e., Innocent III (1160-1216), Gregory IX (1170-1241), Alexander IV( 1185-1261) and the famous Boniface VIII (1230-1303). The city of Ernici is more ancient than Rome, and Livy spoke of it several times; attacked by the Romans, the Ernici shook binds with the Samnites to defend their freedom, but failed, because the Romans, led by Marzio (VI-V century BC),  defeated and forced them to demand the peace. Anagni became, later, a prefecture, and then a "municipium", and as such is mentioned by Cicero (106-43 BC), in his Oration “Pro domo sua”. After the fall of Roman Empire, in the early fifth century, Rome was captured and sacked by the Goths, and Anagni also suffered serious consequences, because it was exposed to the pillage and slaughter.

In the mid-fifth century, Geiseric (389-477), the king of Vandals, and Totila (died in 552), the king of  Goths attacked Rome and to these barbarians followed, in the eighth century,  the Saracens, with their dangerous raids. In the early fourteenth century, the city suffered the violence of Sciarra Colonna (1270-1329) and William of Nogaret (1260-1313)  against  Pope Boniface VIII, who had taken refuge within its walls.  His condition was much worse in the fifteenth century, when Ladislaus, king of Naples (1377-1414), aspired to the sovereignty of Rome and Italy, and when, for disputes arising between Pope Paul IV and Philip II, the King of Spain and Sicily , Duke of Alba (1507-1582), viceroy of Naples, invaded the Papal States, and, despite the resistance, he had dealt it with the Spanish troops. These stops here eight months, looting and destroying part of it.

From the seventeenth century, the city remained under the dominion of the Papal States, until the unification of Italy.