PONZA (anc. Pontine)  , the principal of a small group of islands belonging to Italy . Pop . (Igor), 4621 . The group is of volcanic origin, and includes Palmarola (anc . Palmaria),:Zannone (Sinonia), Ventotene (Pandateria, pop. in 1901, 1986) and San Stefano . It is situated about 20 M . S. of Monte Circeo and 70 M . W. of Naples, and belongs partly to the province of Caserta and partly to that of Naples (Ventotene) . There is regular communication with Naples by steamer, and in summer with Anzio . The islands rise to a height of about 70 ft. above sea-level . They are now penal settlements, and their isolated character led to their being similarly used in ancient times . A colony with Latin rights was founded on Pontiae in 313 B.C .

'

Nero, Germanicus's eldest son, and the sisters of Caligula, were confined upon it; while Pandateria was the place of banishment of Julia, daughter of Augustus, of her daughter Agrippina the elder, and of Octavia, the divorced wife of Nero .