Cassino () is a comune in the province of Frosinone, Southern Italy, at the southern end of the region of Lazio, the last city of the Latin Valley. Cassino is located at the foot of Monte Cairo near the confluence of the Gari and Liri rivers. The city is best known as the site of the Abbey of Montecassino and the Battle of Monte Cassino during World War II, which resulted in huge Allied and German casualties as well as the near total destruction of the town itself. It is also home to the University of Cassino. Cassino has a population of 35,969 , making it the second largest town in the province. History Ancient Cassino's roots lie in the settlement of Casinum, the last city of the Latins, of Umbrian or Venetic or Oscan origin, sited atop the hill of Cassino near Monte Cairo, five kilometres to the north. Casinum passed under the control of the Volscians first and then the Samnites, Eventually Sabini (a Volsci branch and Umbrian/Venetic origins) were defeated by the Romans that gained control of Casinum and its territory (ager casinas), establishing a fortified Latin colony there in 312 BC, Interamna Lirenas. During the Roman era the most venerated god was Apollo, whose temple rose up on Monte Cassino, where today stands the abbey. At least once during Punic Wars, Hannibal passed near Casinum. Casinum was also the site of a villa presumed to belong to Marcus Terentius Varro. Medieval The ancient Casinum was deeply damaged by several barbarian raids. In the book Dialogues, Pope Gregory I gives us the testimony of the Benedict of Nursia settlement among the ruins of Casinum Acropolis. He destroyed the image of Apollo and pagan altars, and sanctified the place in name of St. John Baptist. From that moment on, he would never leave Monte Cassino: he founded the monastery that became a model for the Western monasticism and one of the major cultural centers of Europe throughout the Middle Ages and wrote the "Rule", containing precepts for his monks. In the meanwhile the population built a village called Castellum Sancti Petri. Because of their strategic position, the abbey and the village were involved in military events. In 577 a raid of the Lombards, led by Zotto, forced the monks to leave Monte Cassino to seek refuge in Rome. They came back only after more than a century. In