| It is the highest town of the Castelli
Romani (768 metres above the sea-level). The hill on which it
stands has a volcanic origin, and it finds between the internal
and external slopes of the Colli albani's massif. Probably
it was the ancient Corbium, subject of long struggles between
Romans and Latins from one side and Equi and Volsci on the other
side. Coriolano invaded it in 486 B.C. during the march towards
Rome and it was destroyed by the Roman consul Orazio Pulvillo
in 454 B.C. Over the ruins of the town was built an imperial villa,
in addition to the others villas which were very numerous in this
place. During the Middle Ages the Conti di Tuscolo fortified the
town; later on it was possessed by the Annibaldi. Its name Rocha
Periura is mentioned for the first time in 1191, while in 1269
it is mentioned with its actual name Rocca Priora. In 1382 it
was owned by the Savelli. They possessed it till 1569, when it
belonged to the Apostolic Chamber. During this period of time
two events occurred, which are worth to be mentioned: the destruction
of the town because of the Lanzichenecchi's invasion in
1527 and the Statute of the 1547. In the 19th century Rocca Priora
was sold to Luciano Bonaparte and to the Rospigliosi Family, who
controlled it till the unification of Italy.
On the near Monte Ceraso probably there was a temple consecrated
to the Goddess of the Fortune as in the nearby wood there were
ruins of capitals and marble columns. On the Colle della Molla
it has been found a settlement that could be dated back to the
Bronze Age, to the 15th-17th century B.C., the first discovered
in the Colli Albani's area.
The historical centre is very interesting. The structure, which
is the result of the historical events concerning the town,
still has its medieval form typical of defensive structures,
with the castle at the centre and the streets converging toward
it. The walls near the belvedere and an ogival arch along the
walls with Savelli's Coat of Arms are still marking the
past splendour of the town.
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