Ferentino

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Comune di Ferentino
Municipal coat of arms
Country	Italy
Region	Lazio
Province	Frosinone (FR)
Mayor	Piergianni Fiorletta (since May, 2003)
Elevation	393 m
Area	80 km²
Population
- Total (as of December 31, 2004)	20,461
- Density	249/km²
Time zone	CET, UTC+1
Coordinates	41°41′N 13°15′E
Gentilic	Ferentinesi or Ferentinati
Dialing code	0775
Postal code	03013
Frazioni	Porciano
Patron	St. Ambrose
- Day	May 1
Website: www.comune.ferentino.fr.it

Ferentino (Latin: Ferentinum) is a town and commune in Italy, in the province of Frosinone, 65 km southeast of Rome.

It is situated on a hill 400 m above sea-level.

[edit] History

Ferentinum was a town of the Hernici; it was captured from them by the Romans in 364 BC and took no part in the rising of 306 BC. The inhabitants became Roman citizens after 195 BC, and the place later became a municipium. It lay just above the Via Latina and, being a strong place, served for the detention of hostages.

[edit] Main sights

Ferentino still possesses considerable remains of ancient fortifications. The lower portion of the outer walls, which probably did not stand free, is built of roughly hewn blocks of a limestone which naturally splits into horizontal layers; above this in places is walling of rectangular blocks of tufa. Two gates, the Porta Maggiore, a double gate constructed entirely of rectangular blocks of tufa, and the Porta Sanguinaria (with an arch with tufa voussoirs), are preserved. Outside this gate is the testament of Aulus Quinctilius Priscus inscribed in the rock.

The highest part of the town, the acropolis, is fortified also; it has massive retaining walls similar to those of the lower town. At the eastern corner, under the present episcopal palace, the construction is somewhat more careful. A projecting rectangular terrace has been erected, supported by walls of quadrilateral blocks of limestone arranged almost horizontally; while upon the level thus formed a building of rectangular blocks of local travertine was raised. The projecting cornice of this building bears two inscriptions of the period of Sulla, recording its construction by two censors (local officials); and in the interior, which contains several chambers, there is an inscription of the same censors over one of the doors, and another over a smaller external aide door. The windows lighting these chambers come immediately above the cornice, and the wall continues above them again. The whole of this construction probably belongs to one period.

The Cathedral occupies a part of the level top of the ancient acropolis; it was reconstructed on the site of an older church in 1099-1118; the interior was modernized in 1693, but was restored to its original form in 1902. It contains a fine canopy in the Cosmatesque style.

The Gothic church of Santa Maria Maggiore, in the lower town (13th-14th century), has a very fine exterior; the interior, the plan of which is a perfect rectangle, has been spoilt by restoration. There are several other churches in the town.

This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain.