La Villa Imperiale Di Punta Eolo

The Roman villa of Punta Eolo is a large ‘pavilion villa’ on the northern promontory of the island of Ventotene. It extends into the sea for about 300 m in length and 100 m in width, and covers an area of three hectares which surrounded a small harbour. Originally conceived as an otium villa, from 2 BC to 3 AD it became the place of exile of Iulia Maior, the daughter of the emperor Augustus, who had been sentenced for adultery. In the following decades the villa continued to be used as an imperial ‘prison’ for four female members of the imperial family. A large number of fragmentary frescoes, stuccoes, pavement revetments and Campana reliefs were brought to light in the residential area of the Villa during the archaeological excavations by G.M. De Rossi in the years 1990-2005. The present study is the outcome of a long and patient work of documentation and analysis of this material.