The first traces of human presence around modern Frosinone date from the Lower Paleolithic (around 250,000 years ago). The earliest settlements in the area are from around 4,000 years ago, including late Bronze Age remains in what is now the upper part of the city (12th-10th century BC) and 7th-6th century BC sepultures. 21 tombs from a Volscan necropolis were found in the Frosinone centre. "Frusino" (as it is called in ancient Latin sources) was part of the Hernici but its inhabitants were mostly Volscans. In 306 BC, the city took part in the Hernic League against Rome; defeated and sacked, it lost much of its territories to the nearby Ferentino. Later, during the Second Punic War, it was devastated by Hannibal's armies, to which it refused to surrender.