1871 - 1886 Carlo Alberto Salustri was born in Rome in via del Babbuino 114, on October 26 1871. Son of a waiter native to Albano; his mother Carlotta was from Bologna and made her living as a seamstress. In 1874 his father died and the entire family relocated first to via Ripetta and later to piazza di Pietra. Between 1880 and 1886 he attended the elementary school at Collegio San Giuseppe and repeats two grades as he was not a model student.

1887 - 1899 Carlo assumed the pseudonym "Trilussa" (an anagram) and on issue 7 of "il Rugantino" October 30, 1887 his first sonnet L'invenzione della stampa is published. Thus began his collaboration with Roman newspapers like "il Messaggero".