The name Abruzzo appears in the middle ages and seems to come from the Latin word "Aprutium", a county of the old Teramo, where the people Pretuzi lived.

Throughout history this region has never been a unitary territory. In ancient times it was divided into a large number of peoples like the Marsi, Vestini, Peligni, Marrucini,Frentani, Piceni, Equi e Pretuzi.