The location was initially chosen as an encampment for Romans travelling from Siena to the thermal spas. On ancient maps, the main road for Siena ran along the River Ombrone. Over the centuries, Siena fought and won various battles against Florence, and when Siena was definitively defeated, the Florentines exacted revenge by destroying all of the fortifications protecting the vanquished city, including Laticastelli. Centuries later, Laticastelli was rebuilt as a farm, part of an extensive estate covering around 1000 hectares, with its own vineyards, crop fields, olive groves, mills and livestock. The farm proved to be economically prosperous, and so was transformed into a small hamlet (or "borgo") with its own local government. This civic development is clear to see, particularly in the Town Hall ("Sala Comunale"). Over the years, the owners sold off most of the plots, until the entire site ended up being abandoned for more than twenty years, after which its reconstruction began in earnest. The "Lati" in LATICASTELLI refers to the panoramic view that the hamlet affords of the surrounding countryside.