The chili pepper has a very ancient history. It was first mentioned in the biography of Montezuma, a member of the Aztec dynasty who spent his time eating dishes based on chili during his imprisonment, in the company of his concubines. In more recent times, it was Christopher Columbus who imported it from the Americas, and the Spanish introduced it to Europe. People soon realized that it was an easily cultivable plant that could adapt to many climates.
The Italian name "Peperoncino" stems from the Latin Capiscum, where capsa means box; indeed, this fruit has a very similar shape to a box containing its seeds. An alternative theory is that the name derives from the Greek Kapto, which means to bite, referring to the spicy flavor that "bites" the palate upon tasting.