Paliano is a town and comune in the province of Frosinone, in the Lazio region of central Italy.

In 1556 papal forces captured the town, which was governed for a few years by Giovanni Carafa, nephew of Pope Paul IV, as Duke.

His wife, Violante di Cardona, was the Duchess of Paliano celebrated in Stendhal's novella of the same name.

Upon the death of Paul IV in 1559, Marcantonio Colonna regained the town.

In the 19th century the Colonna fortress was sold to the Papal States, which used it as a prison.