ALBANO, 5l-bh!n6. A town of Italy, about 18 miles from Rome, on the declivity of the lava-walls which encompass Lake Albano (Slap: Italy, C 6). It is the seat of a bishop, has about 7000 inhabitants, and is surrounded by hand some mansions of the wealthier Romans. It is on the opposite side of the lake from the site of Alba Longa, and owed its origin to the villas of ancient Roman magnates, such as Pompey, Domi Han, and Clodius. A valuable wine is produced in the environs. Near the town, on the old Ap pian Way, are found the remains of an amphi theatre and ancient tombs. The Alban Lake, or Lago di Castello, is formed in the basin of all ex tinct volcano, has a circumference of 6 miles, with a depth of about 350 feet. Its elevation is nearly 1000 feet above the sea level. Ancient writers say that, while the Romans were at war with the Veientes (398 u.c.), this lake rose to an extra ordinary height in the heat of summer. Etruscan diviners declared that the conquest of Veii de• pended upon letting oaf the waters of the lake. Stimulated by this, the Romans, under the direc tion of the Etruscans, opened an emissary or tunnel through the lava-wall on the northwest.
In the execution of this work they acquired the art of In in ing, which they now applied to under mine the walls of Veii. The tunnel, which still remains, and still fulfills its ancient office, is more than a mile in length, with a height of 7 feet and a width of 4 feet. On the eastern bank of the lake rises Monte Cavo, the ancient Alba nus Mons, 3000 feet high, which commands an extensive and magnificent view. Upon its sum mit once stood the magnificent temple of Jupiter Latiaris, which was approached by a paved way, for the ascent of the solemn processions of the Latin confederation (Fcriw Latina!), and for the ovations of Roman generals. The road re mains, in great part, perfect to this day. The Albano stone, called peperino, was much used in Roman buildings. It is a kind of volcanic tufa, of an ash-colpr, and is still quarried extensively at Albano.