The Castra Albana was a permanent legionary fortress of the Legio II Parthica, founded by the Emperor Septimius Severus (193-211) on the modern site of Albano Laziale. Today, the ruins of the structures inside the castra, such as the so-called Baths of Caracalla and the Amphitheatre represent one of the largest collections of Roman archaeological remains in Latium, outside of Rome. History The origin of the name The fortress of Legio II Parthica was named Albana making reference to the legendary capital of the Latin League, Alba Longa, founded by Ascanius, the son of Aeneas, thirty years after the foundation of Lavinium, "Near a mountain and a lake, sitting in the space between the two The most common location suggested for this ancient mothercity of Rome today is the south side of Lake Albano, between Colle dei Cappuccini in the comune of Albano Laziale and the Convent of St Mary ad Nives of Palazzolo in Rocca di Papa. Related names in the area included Lacus Albanus, Mons Albanus, aqua Albana (perhaps an aqueduct on the south side of the lake), the rivus Albanus (probably the modern marana delle Pietrare near Marino) and "Albani Longani Bovillenses", the official name of the inhabitants of the municipium of Bovillae (located on the Appian Way near the modern village of Frattocchie), The adjective Albanus was also used as a poetic synonym for Romanus. It is no coincidence, therefore, that the legio II Parthica came to be known as legio Albana and its legionaries as Albani, even though the whole legion did not remain at the Castra Albana, but had other encampments in Mesopotamia. Republican Era to Domitian In the Republican period, the area of the later castra was occupied only by some fortifications which were razed to the ground in the time of Severus during the construction of the encampment; remains have been found at various points in central Albano Laziale. Several suburban villas of Roman nobiles have been found in the general area, including the villas of Publius Clodius Pulcher (near Ercolano in Castel Gandolfo), and perhaps of Pompey the Great (in the Villa Doria) and an anonymous villa discovered near the railway station. The great abundance of villas and farms in the area must result from the ease of direct communication with Rome thanks to the Appian Way, built in 312 BC by the Censor Appius Claudius Caecus to connect the city