The society was founded in Cosenza by Giovan Paolo Parisio ("Aulo Giano Parrasio") in late 1511 or early 1512, and was initially known as the "Accademia Parrasiana".

[citation needed] Following the death of Parrasio, which may have been in 1522[2] or in 1534,[1]: 93  the academy came under the control of Bernardino Telesio, who gave it a more scientific and practical direction;[1]: 62  it was known as the "Accademia Telesiana".

In 1608 Giovanni Battista Costanzo, the archbishop of Cosenza, re-opened the society as the Accademia dei Costanti, with a larger number of members from the church.

[citation needed] Another archbishop, Giuseppe Sanfelice, founded the Accademia dei Negligenti in about 1649; it remained active until his death in 1660.

[citation needed] On 11 June 1871 the Accademia Cosentina founded the Biblioteca Civica, the public library of Cosenza, which remained inactive until it was officially inaugurated on 4 March 1898.