olina Aterno in pre-roman and roman times, must have
been a pagus of the city of Superaequum and must have englobed a vicus. They document
the habitual visiting of the high land of the Molina Aterno area since archaic eras, the
fortified centres of Mandra Murata and Colle Castellano, where towards the end of the last
century (1892), the acclaimed archeologist, Antonio De Nino, found important remains of
double fortress walls made of poligonal blocks and a street that from Sprecato, leads up
to Colle Castellano which was dug out in the rock.
In the district of Sprecato,
furthermore, a necropolis of the Repulican period was discovered. The same De Nino counted
8 or 9 chamber tombs (similar to those of the famous Corfinium).In the district called Campo Valentino and in the Pretoli district, around Lake Acquaviva, during the last century, walls, tombs, mosaics, sepulcres, capitals, a headless statue, a large fine clay hydria (now kept in the palace of Pietropaoli) were found. In addition, ceramics, drums of columns, coins and several inscriptions (now walled into the pavement of Piazza S.Nicola) in which the presence of the following public administrators are beared witness: aediles, duoviri e perfectii iure dicundo.
In the same area of Campo Valentino, which is said to have been a destroyed ancient city, a series of once-populated nuclei have been recently found, with mosaic floors, and a very interesting tomb of a warrior with a funerary wealth of weapons and italic vases dating back to the VI century B.C.
Between the Fontanella district and Colle Fonte Vecchio, during work being carried out on the railway line, ancient constructions and part of a necropolis with sepulcres of the roman period were found.
The funerary relief of a couple offreed slaves of the Varii probably originates from this necropolis as well as the temple dedicated to Hercules, as can be seen from inscriptions of the late-republican era found here along with numerous small bronze pieces depicting the mythical hero.
In 787, from the Chronicon Vulturnense, document n° 25, we understand that Agilbertus and Remo, envoys of Charlemagne, during a dispute between the monks of S. Vincenzo and several men of Balva, through a direct and indirect inquiry, compile a list of subjects of the monastery with the amount of land in Molina Aterno.
In 1076 Teodino, Count of Gagliano valvense, donates his estate in sevitio including that of Molina Aterno (Reg. Farfa, doc.n.1028) to the Monastery of Farfa.
In 1085, Count Teodino, son of Count Randuisio who lived in Navino (Castelvecchio Subequo) and his wife Oria donate the mill situated in the place called Acquaviva to the church of Farfa, S.Giovanni in Vennari (Molina or Castel di Ieri).
In 1092, we know that the Abbey of San Benedetto in Perillis owns the Church of San Pio in Molina and
several plots and
real estate around the Lake of Acquaviva. In the same year we find the Castle of
Molina mentioned for the first
time, : "April 15, 1092, I , Ugo Malmozzetto son of Gilberti
de genere fracorum, living by the law of the Longobards, donate to the episcopate
and church of S.Pelino, my entire monastery...in colle rotundo founded by
Bishop Trasmondo with all the property and pertinencies in the Castle of Molina and
Acciano".In 1112 in the seal of Pasquale II, the Church of Santa Maria in Molina is mentioned.
In1143, Rainaldo, the Count of Celano, son of Crescentis Marsicanorum comes, after having recognised the sovreignity of King Ruggero, is nominated proprietor of the new County of Celano and also becomes feudatory of Molina.
In 1182, in the Catalogue of Barons, compiled under King Guglielmo II of the House of Altavilla, Molina is assigned to a certain, Rainaldo di Molino by the Counts of Celano.
In 1188 Pope Clemente III confirms the possessions of Molina to the Abbey of S. Benedetto, the Church of S.Pio along with the fourth part of the Castle, the vassals, the mill, land, the vineyards and hemp fields.
In 1273 Molina becomes part of "Abruzzo ulteriore".
In 1294, Pietro del Morrone, during his transferral from Sulmona to L’Aquila where he was to be incoronated Pope Celestino V, after having stayed overnight in the Convent of St Francis in Castelvecchio Subequo, passed through Molina following a sheep-track that runs along the Aterno River.
In 1309 Molina is the estate of Cantelmo of Popoli.
In 1427, the owner of Molina is the grandson of Cantelmo of the Dukes of Popoli and of Sora.
On August 27, 1438, King Renato, who was lord of the province, declares rebels Antonio Cantelmo, the Count of Popoli, Giovanni di Antonio di Matteo of Molina and other persons linked with him for having supported his enemy, Alfonso d’Aragona. He sends troops to conquer Molina and he sells it to Aquila considering it formerly as a donation to the land of the Aquila countryside. In fact, the castrum of Molina, taken from the Count of Popoli, on the Aragonese side, was definitely incorporated in the aquilano contado by soldiers of Baron Angioini and later on auctioned off by King Renato only to be then re-sold by l’Aquila for 400 gold ducats and 5 silver tarini of carlini.
In 1509 the owner of Molina is Antonio di Cantelmo of the Dukes of Popli and Sora. After him, it passes on to the Secinara family of Rieti and later to the Aristoteli of Sulmona, from whom it is bought by Leonardo de Simeonibus of L’Aquila on the agreement that it can be re-bought.
In 1510 the vice kingof Naples, D. Raimondo di Cordona, on December 20, offers the privilege of special immunity of the family, to the same Leonardo de Simeonibus in reward for their constant fidelity in supporting the crown of Aragona in the kingdoms of Naples and Sicily and confirms their possession of the estate of Molina.
In 1527, it is the year of the foundation of the Church of Santa Maria del Colle, with a single nave, two lateral chapels and and little dome over the presbytery.
In 1546, Molina belongs to Giovanni Felice of Aristoteli.
In 1572, the baron of the Castle of Molina is Giņ Francesco de Simeonibus of L’Aquila, whose consort is Antonia, daughter of Bartolomeo of Prato.
In 1599, on December 10, the church of St. Nicola di Bari (previously Santa Maria di Colle Pescaro) with a single nave with transept, is consecrated.
In 1610, Simeonibus of L’Aquila is the Baron of Molina.
In 1631, is the date on the dome bell tower of the Church of St.Nicola, placed on the back face of the church. The bell tower features two parallel barrel-vaults and one which is overlapped.
In 1650 Molina becomes the property of Baron Fulvio di Pietropaoli.
In 1669, Pietro di Pietropaoli is the baron of Molina and is taxed for 43 fires.
In 1807, feudality is abolished, in the constituency of the kingdom of Naples, by King Giuseppe Buonaparte. Molina merely appears as a hamlet of the municipality of Goriano Valli.
In 1891 under the Kingdom of Italy, after the Pescara-L’Aquila railway line was completed on October 15, the Municipality of Goriano Valli was authorised to transfer its municipal head-quarters from the hamlet of the same name to that of Molina.