Capreae
Part of The Encyclopedia of Southern Italy.
Capreae: (mod. Capri). A small island off the coast of Campania, situated at the southern entrance to the gulf of Puteoli, near the Promontory of Minerva. The name means “goat island”, so named from the large numbers of wild goats which once inhabited the island. Ancient tradition claimed that the earliest inhabitants were the Teleboae. In historical times, Capreae came under the control of Neapolis (Naples). The Neapolitans either sold the island to Augustus, or traded it for Pithecusa (Ischia). Whatever the case, it became the private property of the Julio-Claudian Emperors of Rome. The island’s beautiful scenery and mild climate soon made it a favorite place of escape for the Emperors. Capreae’s most famous resident was the Emperor Tiberius, who lived on the island for the last ten years of his life. The remains of the magnificent villas he built here, the site of his infamous acts of debauchery, can still be seen. Also see Capri (NA).