n an anthropological and morphological level the territory of the Sirentina Mountain Community still preserves an immense and inestimable archeological, artistic and architectural heritage-a veritable out-door museum.
There is evident diversity between the thirteen municipalities which constitute the territory (Fagnano Alto, Fontecchio, Tione degli Abruzzi, Acciano, Molina Aterno, Castelvecchio Subequo, Castel di Ieri, Goriano Sicoli, Gagliano Aterno, Secinaro, Ovindoli, Rocca di Mezzo and Rocca di Cambio) not only on a morphological and orographical level but also in the history and culture of its areas from an archeological and monumental point of view, taking into consideration architectural styles present in the Valle Subequana, in the Media Valle Aterno and in the Altopiano delle Rocche.
The innumerable archeological finds found in various eras in the different localities prove that the territory was once inhabited by ancient tribes dating back to the distant past, during the era generally known as "Pre-Roman, or in other words, before the 4th-3rd century B.C. This can be deduced from the ancient fortified centres and from the necropolii which are scattered along the mountainside of the entire territory of the Sirentina Mountain Community, eg. the areas of Castellone di Fontecchio, Monte Ventola and Le Spugne di Castel di Ieri, Colle Rischia di Tione degli Abruzzi, Monte Urano di Castelvecchio Subequo, Mandra Murata and Colle Castellana di Molina Aterno, Colle S. Donato and La Cvitella di Goriano Sicoli. During Roman times it was inhabited by various populations such as the Peligni and the Vestini, as the once-lived-in areas and their dwellings infer: (civitas, mansio, pagi peligni, vici and conciliabula). Examples of this are: the civitas of Superaequum with the catacomb-like hypogean cemetery of Castelvecchio Subequo along side it; The mansio of Statulae in Goriano Sicoli; the pagi of Boedinus in Gagliano Aterno and Vacellanus in Molina Aterno; the vestino of Aufeginum in Fagnano; the vicus at S.Potito di Ovindoli; the small italo-roman temple in Acciano and the temples in Castel di Ieri which are found scattered along the area between Fagnano Alto and Altipiani delle Rocche which was used for grazing as far back as prehistoric times and more recent times.
From this we understand that the territory under examination was undoubtedly a primitive italic village in prehistoric and proto-historic times that we can deduce from the examples of the palaeolithic and neolithic eras and from the more remote metallic era found in the areas of Goriano Sicoli, Castel di Ieri and Castelvecchio Subequo. These are partly kept in the Pigorini Museum in Rome and some bronze finds from Perugia are kept in the "G. Bellucci" Museum of Prehistorical Central Italy. This set of bronze finds (fibulas, pendants and rings) are all from the same period in history being the Protovillanovian period-Examples of items found made of analogous materials are found in the Latium area in places such as Tolfa, Allumiere and Costa del Marano.

Resulting from the many important archeological finds of the area show that from those times in history mentioned above, the territory of the Sirentina Mountain Community has been uninterruptedly inhabited. Proof of this is: the discovery of an italic settlement and fortress in the area of "Colle Cipolla"; a necropolis of the VII- VI B.C. in the area of "Le Castagne" in Forca Caruso; The discovery of a BISOMA tomb dating back to the Iron Age in the area of "Macrano" all within the municipality of Castelvecchio Subequo and the recent discovery of the tomb of a warrior equipped with weapons, utensils and italic vases dating back to the VI Century B.C. in the area of "Campo Valentino" in the municipality of Molina Aterno.

It must also be said that the two inscriptions defined as "sabelliche" and proto and paleo-sabelliche of Castel di Ieri belong to the VII-VI Century; several epigraphic documentation written in the dialect of the Peligno area found in the Secinaro and Molina Aterno territories belong to the IV-III Century; belonging to the III-II Century are the two inscriptions written in the osco-umbro dialect which once belonged to the  worship ditch dedicated to Hercules the Victor, found in Castelvecchio Subequo; probably even the temples of Castel di Ieri also belong to the III-II Century B.C.; the small italic-roman temple of Acciano belonging to the II-I Century B.C.

Another find which must not go unmentioned is the catacombe of Superaequum situated in the area of "Colle Moro" in Castelvecchio Subequo, which is to date, the most ancient example of paleo-christianity of the Abruzzo region. Known also as a hypogean cemetery, it consists of two arms of equal length, each measuring approximately 20 m. with evidence of three types of burial: pits or forms, arcosolii and loculi. Among the material found are different oil lamps made of red, brilliant black, yellow-red and coral-red clay. Also found are: a small earthen-ware jug; a balsam jar in very fine glass; a large red clay bowl and a very thinly made yellow clay jug. The catacomb, without question, belongs to the IV Century A.D. as also indicated by: the two III Century Constantine monograms, one of which was found on a lantern and the other scratched into a wall; the numerous n° 30-31 Dressel-shaped oil-lamps; the consistent evidence of the words "depositio-depossio" on the pre III Century epitaphs; the inscriptions; the type of Christian names-Musicus, Renatus, Hilaritas, Maxima; the similarity with other similar catacombs such as those in Rignano and Paliano.

The history of the people of the Peligno-Superequano and of the Vestini people from this point and several centuries henceforth remain completely unknown.
During the IX Century, a convent was built by the Benedictines in Gagliano Aterno, which was later used by the Clarisse order, and probably during the same period, the farfensi monks had a monastery built at Goriano Sicoli in the area of "Colle dei Frati".
After 1140, following the Norman invasion of the province of the Marsi, the Valle Subequana was politically separated from the region of the Peligni for almost five centuries.
In the year 1216, the Counts of Celano welcomed St. Francis into their residence in Gagliano Aterno and donated the little church of St. Maria to him, with adjoining land in Castelvecchio Subequo where later, a convent of the same name was built.
In 1294, it is certain that on his way from Sulmona to l'Aquila where he was to be incoronated as Pope Celestine V, he first stopped at Castelvecchio to visit the convent, where Marino and Telera said that he was to have performed a miracle, and later stayed at Acciano where he performed another miracle.
The XIII Century was rich in Franciscan fervor; evidence of this is the presence of Minor Convent Monks of Castelvecchio and the Sisters of St. Claire of Gagliano Aterno, not to mention the birth of the Convent of St. Francis in Fontecchio.
In the year 1328 the Countess of Celano, Isabella of L’Aquila, had the Castle of Gagliano Aterno built on the ruins of an ancient fortress.
From the XV Century onwards, all the municipalities of the Mountain Community were ruled by the Princes: Colonna, Piccolomini, Barberini, and later, by Baron Pietropaoli until the end of the XVIII Century. By wish of these great, influential families, interesting religious and civil architecture flourished.
The monumental heritage of the territory also includes, as Superintendent Renzo Mancini pointed out, " the totality of architectural styles that, despite being poor in their general line or disproportionate with respect to stylistic guidelines, has its own character. It is known as minor architecture, which must not be considered as clashing, but as complementing the more classical architectural style, thus allowing for a broader knowledge of the artistic character of the local societies."
Illuminating examples of this are the characteristic tholos huts that have a single room, in the territories of Castelvecchio, Fontecchio, Fagnano and Rocca di Mezzo, not to mention the well-known "pagliare" of Tione, Fontecchio, and Fagnano, the little stone houses ("casette") in the territories of Castelvecchio Subequo and Altopiano delle Rocche, which are typical of agro-pastoral civilizations.
Worthy of being mentioned are also the scattered towers positioned for maximum control and defence of the territory.