Pontine Islands
From Biocrawler, the free encyclopedia.
The Pontine Islands are an archipelago in the Tyrrhenian Sea off the west coast of Italy. The islands were collectively named after the largest island in the group, Ponza, which was named after the Roman provincial governor, Pontius Pilate.
Other islands in the archipelago are Ventotene, Palmarola, Zannone, Santo Stefano, and Gavi. Other nearby islands, such as Capri, Ischia, and Elba, are not part of the archepelago, but are sometimes mistakenly included.
The archipelago is the result of volcanic activity and has been inhabited for thousands of years. Neolithic artifacts and bronze age obsidians have been excavated on the islands. The islands were used by the Etruscans who carved the "Blue Grottos". The earliest recorded history of the islands occurs with the Roman victory over the Volsces at 338 B.C. Local Legend says that this was once the lost Kingdom of Tyrrhenia which sank with a narrow strip connected to mainland Italy.
During the reign of Rome's Caesar Augustus, residential expansion on the islands was encouraged and people spread from Ponza to Ventotene. Rome used the two islands as a retreat and a place to exile politically troubling citizens. Currently, tiny vineyards, wild herbs and flowers, and secluded beaches and grottos make it a popular tourist destination.
External links
- Satellite Image of Pontine Islands (http://www.terraserver.com/imagery/image_gx.asp?cpx=13.147800979032425&cpy=40.87437600845591&res=125&provider_id=320&t=pan)
- Italian Government Tourist Board, Pontine Islands information (http://www.italiantourism.com/island4.html)
