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Where Cicero and the Romans were spending their holidays...
FORMIA
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Ulixes' Coast,
Amalfi,
Capri
Caserta,
Erculaneum,
Formia,
Gaeta,
Ischia,
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Pompeii,
Ponza &
Ventotene islands,
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Do
it yourself - Walking tour
A LITTLE HISTORY
CAPSULE (CAPOSELE) HISTORY There is historical evidence
to show that Formia was inhabited as far back as 500 B.C. by an
ancient Italic people known as the Volsci. These people fought the
expansion of Rome, but eventually yielding, they became Roman citizens
in 338 B.C. Under Roman citizenship Formia developed as a political
center due mostly to its strategic location on the Via Appia. In
the Republican Era and during the days of the Roman Empire, Formia
became a noted seaside resort for the Roman aristocracy. After the
ravaging by both Goths and Vandals, the town was finally destroyed
by the Saracens in 846 A.D. The survivors of the destruction moved
to the protected town of Gaeta and other neighboring villages. What
remained of the area were two villages—Mola and Castellone.
The name of Formia was then lost for 1,000 years until, in 1863,
under the rulership of Victor Emmanuel II, during the unification
of Italy movement, the two villages of Mola and Castellone were
joined and the ancient name of Formia was reassumed. A TOUR OF
FORMIA In Formia, as well as in Gaeta, one can find many interesting
and historical sights, and the "finding" can be as much
fun as looking at the site.
For these excursions you may want to have the following books tucked
under your arm for more complete information: The Appian Way: A
Journey and Archaelogical Latium. A good map of Formia (From the
Azienda Autonoma Soggiomo e Turismo) may help also. CICERO'S
TOMB
 The
first section of Formia is on the Southwest side of town. Turn off
the road SS 213 just as Vindicio Beach starts and head towards Itri-
When you arrive at the T intersection, turn right onto SS 7, the
old Via Appia. Watch for the tall cylindrical brick tower on your
right at road marker 137.3.
This is the Tomb of Cicero {Tomba di Cicerone}, or at least it is
a monument to Cicero. There is much controversy over whether this
is one or the other. Cicero was the famous Roman orator, politician
and philosopher who opposed Julius Caesar and hated Mark Anthony.
Cicero's hatred for Anthony cost him his life at the hands of Anthony's
thugs and he died in Formia in 43 B.C. The mausoleum is supposedly
open on occasion, but we have never found the gate open, a bell
to ring, or a person in attendance. If you want to enter,
we wish you better luck!
There are other mausoleums along this road. One is that of Cicero's
daughter, Tulliola, but we have never found the actual tomb. The
mausoleum we have found is for an unnamed person. This second mausoleum
is interesting due to the difference in style from Cicero's tomb.
To find this tomb follow along the Via Appia towards downtown Formia.
Go past the entrance for the Italian hospital, Casa del Sole, and
look for the road marker IV-140 on your right. Above the road on
the left at this point you will see a polygonal tower—another Roman
mausoleum. 
kilometer (look for road marker V-140} and on your left find the Roman
fountain of San Remigio. You can see the well-preserved stone arrangement
called "Opus quadratum," the low through, some remains of
the decorative works on the fountain, and some of the original paving
stones of the Via Appia. (You may also find a few Italians washing
their cars at the fountain.)TOWER OF CASTELLONE Further
down the road , but not as far as standa, there are two signs—one
is for the Castello Miramare, the other for the Torre di Castellone.
The signs are difficult to see as they are hidden in bushes and not
always turned in the correct direction. So look for more reliable
sign "Tequondo Ginnastica" and turn there. Follow the road
up to the first piazza named "Piazza Santo Erasmo". In this
piazza is the Torre di Castellone, dating from the fourteenth century.
(You may remember that Castellone was one of the villages left after
the Saracens razed Formia.) There is also a church in this piazza,
dating from the fourth century, called Santo Erasmo.
Follow the signs out of the piazza towards Santa Maria della Noce
(a church built in the tenth century) and wind your way up to the
Castello Miramare. This is currently a restaurant and hotel, but it
was, as its name implies, once a castle. There is a panoramic view
of Formia from the road leading to the Castello. PORT OF CAPOSELETraveling
down into Formia you will want to see some of the Roman and medieval
remains along the water. You can start by going to the Caposele Hotel
along Vindicio Beach. Continue pass the hotel on the road which follows
along the water. Park when the road ends and you will find yourself
looking at the Port of Caposele with remains of villas and Roman port
structures. If you look above the port structures on your left as
you begin walking into the port you will see a glass-enclosed building.
You can get up to this point by going straight ahead and entering
the doorway. After climbing the circular stairs you will have a nice
overview of the port and you can get ration of capuccino, too!VILLA
RUBINOThe next stop is on the main road (SS 7, Viale delI’Unita
d' Italia) which runs pass Standa. Park near Standa and walk along
the sidewalk on the side of the street opposite Standa. Below street
level, in the area under a tower, you will see some arches.
Here lies the Villa Rubino, one of the famous Roman villas, popularly
called Cicero's Villa. Cicero did have a villa in Formia, but there
is controversy about his connection with this villa. Unfortunately,
the villa is not open to the public, but if you can manage to find
someone to show you through, you will find the remains quite extensive.
Sketches of the villa can be seen in Archeological Latium, a book
that we highly recommend that you buy.THE WALLS OF NERVAContinuing
down the main road pass the Marina di Castellone, you will find remains
of the walls of Nerva (Mura di Nerva). These walls, parts of which
are pre-Roman and parts of which are from the Republican time, are
remains of the city walls, which ran up to the fortress overlooking
the port. {Nerva, by the way, was the emperor following Domitian and
preceding Trojan.)ROMAN FISH HATCHERIESContinuing even further
along the road, pass today's port entry, and across the street from
the Bar della Rocca, as the sidewalk skirts the water, you can see
in the water the remains of the Roman fish hatcheries. The moss-covered
stones, between two cement walkways jutting into the water, indicate
three main sections. Plans for the fish-breeding ponds can be seen
in Archeological Latium and will give you a better idea of what you
are looking at and how the ponds were used.TOWER OF MOLA Most
of you will be aware of the large tower on the waterfront in Formia.
This is the thirteenth century Torre di Mola (Mola was one of the
small villages which remained after the ninth century destruction
of Formia by the Saracens). Some very interesting stories relating
to Mola and the tower are to be found in The Appian Way. A Journey,
as well as an engraving showing the tower as it was in the Middle
ages.ROMAN PORT OF GIANOLAOne last item of interest before
we leave Formia is the little Roman port of Gianola. This is a little
tricky to find, but if you are persistent you will locate it. The
port is 10 km away from old Gaeta, at the turn from the main road
SS 7 at the curve towards Scauri. (There is a sign here for the Porto
Romano). Look for a narrow dirt road on the waterside of the street.
There are, on occasion, crude wooden signs indicating the turn-off.
One access road parallels the white concrete walls surrounding
new apartment buildings.
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