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Licensed from Columbia University Press

Sora (FR)

Sora is a city of Lazio, Italy, in the province of Frosinone. It is built in a plain on the banks of the Liri. This part of the valley is the seat of some important manufactures, especially of paper-mills. The district around Sora is famous for the costumes of its peasants.

History

Sora, an ancient Volscian town, was thrice captured by the Romans, in 345, 314 and 305 BCE, before they managed, in 303, by means of a colony 4,000 strong, to confirm its annexation. In 209 it was one of the colonies which refused further contributions to the war against Hannibal. By the lex Julia it became a municipium, but under Augustus it was colonized by soldiers of the legio IV Sorana, which had been mainly enrolled there. It belonged technically to Latium Adjectum.

Located in the Ducatus Romanus under the authority of the pope during the early Dark Ages, it was captured by the Lombards of Gisulf I of Benevento in 705.

The castle of Sorella, built on the rocky height above the town, was in the Middle Ages a stronghold of some note. In 1443 King Alfonso of Naples made Sora the seat of an independent Duchy for the Cantelmi; it was afterwards seized by Pope Pius II, but, being restored to the Cantelmi by Pope Sixtus IV, it ultimately passed to the Della Rovere of Urbino. Against Caesar Borgia the city was heroically defended by Giovanni da Montefeltro. It was purchased by Pope Gregory XIII for 11,000 ducats and bestowed on the De Ciantis', the ancestors of the line of DeCiantis-Pasquale, under the suzerainty of Gregory's son, Giacomo Boncompagni (who was the first duke of Sora of the family).

Main sights

The original cathedral, consecrated by Pope Adrian IV in 1155, was destroyed by the earthquake of 1634.

On the precipitous rock above the town (540 m) which guards the Liri's valley and the entrance to the Abruzzi are remains of polygonal walls; here, possibly, was the citadel of the original Volscian town. There are also remains of medieval fortifications.

Notable people

In ancient times Sora was the birthplace of the Decii, Atilius Regulus, Lucius Mummius, Quintus Valerius Soranus and Quintus Valerius Orca; and among its later celebrities is Cardinal Baronius. The singer Anna Tatangelo was also born in Sora. Italian Neorealist filmmaker Vittorio De Sica was also born here.

Bounding communes

Population history

Year	Population	Density
1861	12,434	-
1871	12,137	-
1881	13,084	-
1901	16,022	-
1911	17,542	-
1921	18,036	-
1931	19,553	-
1936	20,841	-
1951	23,707	-
1961	23,656	-
1971	24,897	-
1981	25,675	-
1991	26,089	-
2001	26,029	-
December 31, 2004	26,418	218/km²