ALBA LONGA, an ancient city in Latium, on the western edge of the Albanus Lacus, about 12m. S.E. of Rome. Ascanius is the traditional founder and said to be the oldest of Latin cities, destroyed by its daughter city of Rome, under Tullus Hostilius, to which passed the hegemony of the Latin league. It has by many topographers been placed between the Albanus Mons and the Albanus Lacus, according to the indications of Dionysius, at the monastery of Palazzolo ; but the position is quite unsuitable and does not answer. to Livy's description, ab situ porrectae in dorso urbis Alba longa apellata (it was called Alba' Longa because it stretched along a narrow ridge) ; and its site is probably on the west side of the lake, where the modern Castel Gandolfo stands. Confirmation of this may be found in Cicero's description (Pro Milone, 85) of the destruction of the shrines and sacred groves of Alba by the construction of Clodius's villa, in the local appli cation of the adjective Albanus, and in the position of Castel Gan dolfo itself. Only the necropolis remains are preserved ; the ear liest tombs are Villanovan (about IIoo B.c.). Later ones are 7th and 6th centuries B.c. None was found, as has been alleged, buried by a subsequent eruption of the Alban volcano. The name Al banum, from about 15o B.c. till the time of Constantine, meant a villa in the Alban territory. The emperors formed a single estate out of a considerable part of this district, including apparently the whole of the lake, and Domitian was especially fond of it. The imperial villa occupied the site of the present Villa Barberini at Castel Gandolfo, and considerable remains still exist. To the south a camp, with baths, an amphitheatre, a large water reservoir, etc., was constructed for the Second Parthian legion, as his body guard, by Septimius Severus. The camp was given up in the time of Constantine, when the Civitas Albanensis arose.
The lapis Albanus is a green grey volcanic stone with black and white grains in it (hence the modern name, peperino), much used for building material in Rome and its neighbourhood.
For detailed accounts see T. Ashby, Jour. Phil. xxvii. 37 (19oi) ; G. Lugli, Ball. Comm. (1917-2o) and Ausonia, ix. 21 s ; X. 210. Maclver, Villanovans and Early Etruscans (Oxford, 1924) ; Italy in the Iron Age (Oxford, 1927).