POZZTJOLI, a city of southern Italy, at the c. of the bay of Naples, in the province of Naples, with 11,752 inhabitants; has manufactures of soap. But the interest which attaches to it is drawn from itluumerous memorials of classic ages, Its cathedral was the temple of Augustus. There is the temple of Serapis, an Egyptian god, who was invoked by the priests to render the mineral waters of the place efficacious as remedies. The interior of the temple had a portico of 24 pillars, surrounded by 70 chambers for the sick and for the priests. In the harbor there may still be seen 13 pillars, which formerly supported as many arcades, under which the inhabitants used to congregate to watch for the vessels coming from Africa. There is an arch erected to Antoninus Pius, for having restored 20 of those pillars. There are the remains of an amphitheater which might have contained 25,000 spectators. The Solfatara (Forum YUleant) is a half-extinct volcano near Poz zuoli, from which springs saline water, used as a remedy for cutaneous diseases.' Near the Montennovo there is the famous lago d'Averno, inclosed among bilis; and at a short distance from it there is the Sibyl's cave (La grotto della Sibilla), which, however, is nothing more than the remains of a subterranean passage leading, perhaps, to Baja.
On a plain there is an extinct volcano; there Cumw once stood, now all in ruins. In the environs of Pozzuoli are to be seen the promontory of Posilipo, the Elysian fields (Campi Ells° near the harbor of Miseno, and the lake of Agnano, formerly the crater of a volcano.
Pozzuoli was probably built by the Omani (Greek colonists of Cumm), who gave to its gulf the name of Camanus. They called the new port De Ccearehia, a name which was afterward changed to Puteal, in allusion perhaps to the sulphur wells or springs (Wet) with which it abounded. Puteoli is first mentioned in history during the scant] Pilule war, when, by order of the senate, it was surrounded by strong walls. In 214 n.c. it repulsed Hannibal, and from this period rose in importance until, toward the close of the republic, it became virtually the port of Rome. and during the empire was reallv the first emporium of commerce in Italy. Puteoli was destroyed by Alaric, Genseric. and Totila, and though rebuilt by the Byzantine Greeks, it was exposed to new devastations, to earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions, and soon sank into the decay which continues to mark it.