Torre di Mola, Formia’s history on the sea

The town was once the site of massive defense operations, during the late Roman Republic and Empire when Formia was the site of many luxurious Roman villas. Descending from Via Tonetti from Ponte di Rialto to Porto Caposele, travelers can admire the 16th century villa known at the time as Villa Caposele but referred today as Villa Rubino, residence of the King of Naples, Ferdinando II, in 1852.

Villa Rubino was the site of the surrender monarchy which marked the end of the Bourbon dynasty dominance and the beginning of the unification of Italy as a united country. The lower part of the villa includes vast Roman structures including two vaulted lilily ponds whose ceilings are sustained by fine columns (1st century BC). In the 18th century, the Prince of Caposele asserted that the spring feeding these ponds was the Artacia spring mentioned by Homer and that therefore the ruins belonged to those of Cicero’s villa.

          Mola's Tower

Other remains of an ancient Roman villa can be admired near the yacht club whose boat-sheds are known locally as La Scuola di Cicerone (Cicero’s School). The port was restored by the Bourbons and used by locals and guests of these villas. Other Roman remains can be seen towards the east and along Via dell’Unita’ d’Italia where it crosses the republican defense structure known as Le Mura di Nerva (Nerva’s Walls) where St Erasmus is said to have lived.

The road continues towards Naples passing alongside the port with busy ferries and hovercrafts cruising to and from the Pontine Islands. In the port one can see a small park, the Villa Comunale, again built over the vaults of another Roman villa (1st century BC) in front of which there were various pools fed by complex Roman water canals. The present port follows the shape of the ancient one which runs towards east as far as Mola’s Castle.

This fortification built with a large cylindrical tower was built by Charles II D’Anjou (13th century) and then passed under control of the powerful Caetani’s family in 1460. Built to protect the district of Mola, it grew around the 10th century water mills from which it gets its name, the castle apparently was built over the natural springs which fed a an ancient Roman temple of Nettuno and to which followers of St John The Baptist, co-patron saint of Formia with St Erasmus, are particularly devoted.