The previous steps were Prehistory and Etruscan civilization. Now, it’s time to narrate another great moment of the history of Elba Island: the Roman age. And there are five places to see that date back to this age.
- Villa romana delle Grotte. The first place to see is the most famous and important Roman villa on Elba Island. The villa romana delle Grotte, built in I century BC, was a very large building, owned by a rich family. It’s in the surroundings of Portoferraio.
- Villa romana di capo Castello. Built between the first century BC and the first century A.D., Capo Castello is near Cavo. Of this Roman villa, only the outer walls remain. The building overlooked an amazing sea view.
- Villa romana della Linguella. On the promontory near the dock of Portoferraio, there are the remains of what was a large Roman villa, built in the first century BC. Today, part of the villa is embedded in the Medici fortresses of Portoferraio.
- Portoferraio. Even in Roman age, Portoferraio was an important town of the island. In particular, in two cemeteries and small pipelines were discovered in the city area.
- Relitti. The last places to discover the Roman age on Elba Island is, in some ways, the most striking. In fact, in the waters surrounding the island, there are six shipwrecks. If you are a diving enthusiast, the emotions that these sites will give you are unparalleled.
Etruscan civilization
Image source: Di Villa romana delle Grotte – Opera propria, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=54111366
