This villa was built by Pompey between 61 and 58 b.c. and its construction was financed with the rich spoils from the war against Mithridates. It had quite a lot of owners for it passed from Pompey to his son Sextus, then to Dolabella. And finally it became part of the estates of emperor Augustus and his successors. The ruins that we can admire now extend over an area of nine hectares, that measures 340 m. in length and 260 m. in breadth. By a close watching of the masonry four different phases of extension, rebuilding and restoration can be noticed. The main body of the villa was erected on an artificial platform facing the sea and was three store high. There were nymphaea, cryptportici and other separate buildings, which all added to the magnificence of the villa, not to mention the numerous valuable statues, polychrome terracotta decorations, gardens and fountains. Some of the best-known finds, that were excavated between 1700 and 1800, are the marble altar carved with the labours of Hercules, the group of two centaurs in polychrome marble and the bearded Bacchus (now all this is kept in the Doria Pamphili Museum in Rome, since this family once owned the park where the remains of the villa have come to light). Other finds from the Villa are now kept in the Albano Museum.
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