Pontine Islands
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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. The other islands in the archipelago are Ventotene, Palmarola, Zannone, Santo Stefano and Gavi.
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. A 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. Some two thousands years later the islands were used for the same reason by the Fascist regime.
The Pontine were abandoned during the Middle Ages due to constant raids by Saracens and pirates. During the 18th century, the Kingdom of Naples re-colonized the islands, that later became part of the Kingdom of Italy.
Currently, tiny vineyards, wild herbs and flowers, and secluded beaches and grottos make them a popular tourist destination.
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