CIMINIA, VIA, an ancient road of Italy, which diverged from the Via Cassia at Sutrium, and led along the east side of the Lacus Ciminius (Macaulay's "Ciminian mere," mod. Lago di Vico, an extinct crater basin) out of which it climbed on the north to 2,785 feet. Thence it descended and rejoined the Via Cassia at Aquae Passeris, a few miles north of Viterbo. The Ciminian hills are still wooded, and of great beauty. Caprarola on the east slopes of the crater, contains a very fine palace built for Alessandro Farnese in 1547-59 by Vignola, with the interior decorated by the Zuccari brothers; other villages in the district (notably Soriano with the Palazzo Chigi, which also has a fine castle of 1278), also contain good specimens of his architecture ; while S. Martino al Cimino has a fine French Gothic 13th century church.
See S. Bargellini, I Monti del Cimino (Bergamo, Arti Grafiche, 1914, well illustrated) .