Short answers, pulled from the story.
The site was already occupied in the 8th or 7th century BC. The 7th century BC marked a turning point for the settlement that would become Praeneste during the Orientalising Period.
In 1297, the Colonna family revolted against Pope Boniface VIII after owning Praeneste from the eleventh century as fief. In the following year, Papal forces took the town and it was razed to ground and salted by order of pontiff.
Gaius Appuleius Diocles lived in Praeneste after retirement and died there. He became one of most celebrated athletes in ancient history often cited as highest-paid athlete of all time.
The famous bronze Ficoroni Cista found in 1738 bears an inscription reading Novios Plautios made me in Rome, Dindia Macolnia gave me to her daughter. It is now housed inside the National Archaeological Museum in Palestrina.
Thomas Mann spent time there 1895 two years later long harsh summer 1897 stayed over again brother Heinrich Mann. Sojourn provided backdrop nearly half-century later Adrian Leverkühn pact Devil Mann's novel Doktor Faustus.