Town located in the lower part of the Lazio region, in the province of Frosinone, washed by the rivers Liri and Sacco, Ceprano was a colony founded by the Romans in 328 B.C., and named "Fregellae".
In 1994, during an excavation, the important discovery of "homo Argil", probably the oldest in Europe, attest that the area was already inhabited since more ancient times. The current name probably honors the name of the important family Ceparia.
Due to its favorable geographic location along some of the most important ancient trade routes, on the border between the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies and the Papal States, Ceprano was often raided and looted by the Goths of Totila, and later by the Saracens. Here Gregory VII assigned to Robert the Guiscard, the throne of Apulia and always here, in 1230, Emperor Federico II was acquitted of excommunication and later, king Manfredi swore allegiance to Innocent IV - suffering the humiliation of crossing the entire bridge of the Liri, holding the reins of the horse of the Pope, while, a few centuries later, the troops of Joachim Murat were defeated by the Austrian ones.
Sites of Interest:
- the archaeological park, a series of systematic excavations to unearth the remains of Fregellae, of which several exhibits are on display at the Archaeological Museum;
- a water tank of the Roman Imperial era;
- the Rosetta Stone on the river Liri, which indicates the place where the remains of King Manfredi were found;
- the milestones bordering between the Papal State and the Kingdom of Naples;
- the XIII century medieval watchtower, circular in shape, the only survivor of three that were defensive supports of the ancient city walls;
- the Church and Convent of Saint Anthony, built in the XVI century along the ancient Via Latina. The church, recently restored, features a single nave plan with a wooden XVI century altarpiece which dominates the apse;
- the Church of Sant'Arduino, built in 1930, just outside the historical city, where, according to tradition, the Saint stopped to restore himself on his return from the Holy Land;
- the Church of San Rocco, which was rebuilt in 1969 to replace the previous structure destroyed during the bombing of the Second World War;
- the Collegiate Church of Santa Maria Maggiore, almost completely rebuilt after the damages suffered by the bombings of World War II, features a medieval structure - although the traditions establish that the original structure was erected in 45 A.D. by the apostle Peter on his way to Rome. The interior, in neo-Classical style, retains some relics of Sant'Arduino and a marble urn in which are preserved the remains of King Manfredi, found during works to rebuild the bridge over the River Liri in 1614;
- the Sanctuary of the Madonna del Carmine (XIX century).