FORMIA, a town of Campania, Italy (anc. Formiae), prov ince of Rome, on the new direct line between Rome and Naples, 5o m. N.W. of the latter. Pop. (1931) 11,787 (town); (commune). It is situated at the north-west extremity of the Bay of Gaeta, and commands beautiful views. It lay on the ancient Via Appia, and was much frequented by wealthy Romans ; and it is still a seaside resort in the summer. There was considerable imperial property here and along the coast as far as Sperlonga, and there are numerous remains of ancient villas along the coast and on the slopes above it in some of which important sculptures have been found. The so-called villa of Cicero contains two well-preserved nymphaea with Doric architecture, now visible in the villa Caposele, once a summer residence of the kings of Naples. There are many other modern villas, and the sheltered hillsides (for the mountains rise abruptly behind the town) are covered with lemon, orange and pomegranate gardens. The now deserted promontory of the Monte Scauri to the east is also covered with remains of ancient villas ; the hill is crowned by a large tomb, known as Torre Giano. To the east at Scauri is a large villa with substructions in "Cyclopean" work. The ancient. Fbrmiae was a Volscian town. Cicero possessed a favourite villa here, and was murdered in its vicinity in 43 B.C., but neither the villa nor the tomb can be identified with any certainty.