elice Circeo seems
to occupy the site of the ancient town, the citadel of which stood on
the mountain top, for its medieval walls rest upon ancient walls of
Cyclopean work of less careful construction than those of the citadel,
and enclosing an area of 200 by 150 yds.

Circei was founded as a Roman colony at an early date--according to some
authorities in the time of Tarquinius Superbus, but more probably about
390 B.C. The existence of a previous population, however, is very likely
indicated by the revolt of Circei in the middle of the 4th century B.C.,
so that it is doubtful whether the walls described are to be attributed
to the Romans or the earlier Volscian inhabitants. At the end of the
republic, however, or at latest at the beginning of the imperial period,
the city of Circei was no longer at the E. end of the promontory, but on
the E. shores of the Lago di Paola (a lagoon--now a considerable
fishery--separated from the sea by a line of sandhills and connected
with it by a channel of Roman date: Strabo speaks of it as a small
harbour) one mile N. of the W. end of the promontory. Here are the
remains of a Roman town, belonging to the 1st and 2nd centuries,
extending over an area of some 600 by 500 yards, and consisting of fine
buildings along the lagoons, including a large open _piscina_ or basin,
surrounded by a double portico, while farther inland are several very
large and well-preserved water-reservoirs, supplied by an aqueduct of
which traces may still be seen. An inscription speaks of an
amphitheatre, of which no remains are visible. The transference of the
city did not, however, mean the abandonment of the E. end of the
promontory, on which stand the remains of several very large villas. An
inscription, indeed, cut in the rock near S. Felice, speaks of this part
of the _promunturium Veneris_ (the only case of the use of this name) as
belonging to the city of Circei. On the S. and N. sides of the
promontory there are comparatively few buildings, while, at the W. end
there is a sheer precipice to the sea. The town only acquired municipal
rights after the Social War, and was a place of little importance,
except as a seaside resort. For its villas Cicero compares it with
Antium, and probably both Tiberius and Domitian possessed residences
there. The beetroot and oysters of Circei had a certain reputation. The
view from the highest summit of the promontory (which is occupied by
ruins of a platform attributed wit