Formia was founded in ancient times by the Laconi and named in Greek, Ὁρμίαι and later in early Latin, Ormiae. In the Roman Republic era it was called Formiae. It was a renowned resort during the imperial era. Cicero was assassinated on the Appian Way outside the town in 43 BC, and his tomb remains a minor tourist destination. The city was also the seat of St. Erasmus's martyrdom, by being disemboweled around 303 AD, during the persecutions of Diocletian. St. Erasmus later also became known as Saint Elmo the patron saint of sailors. Paulinus of Nola and Therasia stopped at Formiae on their journey back to Nola after visiting Rome, Easter 408. There they read Augustine's letter 95 addressed to them. After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, the city was sacked by barbarians and the population moved to two distinct burghs on the nearby hill, which were under the rule of Gaeta. Charles II of Anjou built a fortress in the maritime burgh, Mola di Gaeta. The other burgh was known as Castellone, from the castle erected there in the mid-14th century by Onorato I Caetani, count of Fondi. The two villages were united again in 1863 under the name of Formia. The reunited city was badly damaged in 1943–44 in bombing operations and the Battle of Anzio.
Geography
Formia lies on the Tyrrhenian Sea, in southern Lazio, close to the town of Gaeta and next to the borders of Campania region. The municipality borders with Esperia, Gaeta, Itri, Minturno and Spigno Saturnia. It counts the hamlets of Castellonorato, Gianola-Santo Janni, Marànola, Penitro and Trivio.
Main sights
The most famous monument of Formia is the mausoleum traditionally identified with the Tomb of Cicero: it is a tower on the old Appian Way, enclosed in a large, funerary precinct. Other sights include:
Tower of Mola
Tower of Castellone
Roman cistern, one of the world's largest. Similar to the structures in Constantinople and in the Domitian's villa of Albano, it dates from the 1st century BC.
Remains of the Villa of Mamurra, partly destroyed in 1943, and of Roman aqueducts and cryptoportici.
Church of San Luca, known from the 15th century. It has a recently discovered crypt with frescoes of Episodes of the New Testament and Madonna del Latte.
Renaissance monastery and church of Sant'Erasmo. It was erected on the alleged site of the saint's martyrdom.
Formia is the seat of the National Athletics School of the Italian National Olympic Committee, founded in 1955. Athletes such as Pietro Mennea and Giuseppe Gibilisco trained here. Formia is also a hub for cycling events of various types; road cycling and mountain biking All of which gives access to Parks in Gaeta and Formia; Parco Monte Orlando, Parco Regionale Riviera di Ulisse, Parco Naturale dei Monti Aurunci, and Tours to Rome via the Old Highway. Formia also has great water sports to enjoy; windsurfing and sailing.
