Circeii

Circeii is the name given in antiquity to a coastal region and promontory in Latium, on the Tyrrhenian Sea, near the modern town of San Felice Circeo in present-day Lazio, Italy. The promontory, sometimes referred to as Promontorium Circeii in classical Latin, marked a well-known geographic landmark along the western coast of central Italy. The name Circeii survives in toponymy and literature of the ancient world, where the area is associated with the myth of Circe, the enchantress who, in legend, inhabited lands along this coast.

Geographically, the Circeii area lies within a rugged coastal landscape that forms part of the Circeo massif. The region is characterized by cliffs, beaches, and dune environments that contribute to a distinctive coastal ecosystem. In modern times, the surrounding area is recognized for its natural value and is largely encompassed by the Circeo National Park, which protects coastal habitats, forests, and wetland areas that are home to diverse flora and fauna.

Historically, Circeii appears in ancient geographic and literary sources as a notable locality on Latium’s coast. Although precise details about an urban center bearing the name Circeii are varied across sources, the region’s connection to Circe and its position as a coastal landmark are consistently recorded. The area later became integrated into the Roman world and the broader Latian landscape, and today it remains an important archaeological and natural area.

Today, the Circeii designation endures in the name of the modern locality of San Felice Circeo and in the Circeo National Park, which preserves both cultural heritage and the coastal environment of this historic region.