Publisher's Synopsis
Antium was situated on the sea-coast about thirty miles south of the Tiber. A bold promontory hereprojects into the sea, affording from its declivities the most extended and magnificent views onevery side. On the north, looking from the promontory of Antium, the eye follows the line of thecoast away to the mouth of the Tiber; while, on the south, the view is terminated, at about the samedistance, by the promontory of Circe, which is the second cape, or promontory, that marks theshore of Italy in going southward from Rome. Toward the interior, from Antium, there extends abroad and beautiful plain, bounded by wooded hills toward the shore, and by ranges of mountains inthe distance beyond. On the southern side of the cape, and sheltered by it, was a small harbor wherevessels from all the neighboring seas had been accustomed to bring in their cargoes, or to seekshelter in storms, from time immemorial. In fact, Antium, in point of antiquity, takes precedence, probably, even of Rome.The beauty and the salubrity of Antium made it a very attractive place of summer resort for thepeople of Rome; and in process of time, when the city attained to an advanced stage of opulenceand luxury, the Roman noblemen built villas there, choosing situations, in some instances, upon thenatural terraces and esplanades of the promontory, which looked off over the sea, and in others cooland secluded retreats in the valleys, on the land. It was in one of these villas that Nero was born
