"Vasto, an ancient center of the Frentani originally called Histonium, was strengthened by the Romans and then destroyed by Silla. In the Middle Ages it came under the Lombards and then under the Franks, that razed it to the ground it in 802 AD. It was reconstructed by the "gastaldo" (=governor) Aymone of Dordona from whose name Guasto d'Aymone ( Wast meant "gastaldo" in the original language), subsequently changed in Vasto. During the XI century it became an Aleramic feud (the Aleramici were descendents of Aleramo, ancestor of the marquises of Monferrato) of Tete or Teottone, son of Aleramo. Later on, after the Angevin period, Vasto was under the Spanish family D'Avalos, who received the title of marquises of Vasto and built the splendid D'Avalos palace"

''Situated in the Pudente square, it was built on the remains of a building of the 14th century. The original structure is still visible in a number of decorative details: a splendid double lancet window is a testimony. After the Angevin period that left deep traces in its structure, in 1427 the palace was made into a sumptuous residence by the Caldora. At the end of the 15th century Vasto came under the dominion of Innico II D'Avalos, who took the title of Lord of Vasto. The D'Avalos, family, of Spanish origin, introduced the magnificence of the Iberian court and erected a fabulous building; the city, for its beauty, was called the "Athens of Abruzzi"

Sabinus & Aurelius Vindex talking with the representatives of the Vasto's Municipality and Museum.

ILS 5178 :  " To Lucius Valerius, son of Lucius, Pudens. When he was fourteen years old, at Rome, in the sixth games sacred to Capitoline Jupiter , he was crowned for his shining genius among the Latin poets by the vote of all the judges. All the plebs of the municipality of Histonium decreed a bronze statue for him at state expense"

See also an interesting article about water cisterns from Vasto :

    " LE CISTERNE "