Paganica is a hillside town in the province of L'Aquila, in the Abruzzo region of southern Italy.

located at 669 meters above sea level, at the foot of the Gran Sasso d'Italia, about 7 kilometers east of the historic center, along the state road 17 bis that from Bazzano climbs to Campo Imperatore passing for Tempèra, Camarda, Assergi and Fonte Cerreto, with a population of about 10 000 inhabitants, making it the largest fraction of the city, as well as of considerable economic importance.

On April 6, 2009, Paganica was severely damaged, with 70 percent of its buildings destroyed, as a result of the 2009 L'Aquila earthquake.

A similar competition took place in past centuries during the Feast of Sant'Antonio Abate (January 17).

[4] Many years ago the event was reborn and the contending teams come from the four historic districts of the country.