The name of the locality is linked to a figure of the Aeneid, the legendary Palinuro, helmsman of Aeneas's fleet.

Palinuro lost his life because Morpheus he does fall asleep, causing him to fall into the water. Aeneas, aware of absence of a friend, searching for him, but not finding it imagines his death. Palinuro actually swims to reach the coast, where is killed by the locals because it was mistaken for a sea monster, and is left unburied on the shore of the sea. For this reason, when Aeneas descends to the underworld and encounters the ghost of Palinuro, they asked him to seek the body and bury him so that his soul may rest in peace.

Founded probably as a site for coastal control, was resting place of Emperor Massimiano (240-310 AD) and his son Massenzio. It seems, also. who has given birth to Libio Severo, Roman emperor of the West (461-465 AD). After undergoing several sacks (544 AD and 1113 AD), and after being destroyed by the Ruggero II the Norman in 1135 in retaliation to his people, was finally destroyed on the night of '11 June 1464 by the Saracens, who assaulted the city in the night.