The island of Ponza likely takes its name from ancient Greek, either “Pòntos” or “Pontia”, meaning “sea”. This is because the island was colonized by the Greeks in the 8th century BCE, after having been a Phoenician colony and even earlier, a Volscian settlement.

The Pontine Archipelago eventually became a Roman colony in 312 BCE when the Romans recognized its strategic and economic potential. By 89 BCE, it had become a Roman city, representing a crucial point for controlling the central Tyrrhenian Sea.

Once it acquired Roman citizenship, Ponza flourished, as evidenced by the construction of numerous patrician villas. Even then, the island was a popular tourist destination for Roman aristocrats.

During Roman rule, several aqueducts, dams, and water reservoirs were built on the island, many of which still have remnants today. This allowed Ponza to become a vital supply port in the Tyrrhenian Sea.

In those years, the construction of the port was also significant. Initially located where the beach is now, two existing tunnels connected this area to what is now the port.

Shipbuilding thrived during that period due to the island’s abundant timber supply. However, this led to the first major deforestation. Despite this, Ponza’s importance as a maritime hub continued to grow. With the fall of the Roman Empire, the archipelago lost its logistical significance but remained a thriving center for trade and fishing.

In the Middle Ages, Ponza also became an important religious center. Pope Silverius died on the nearby island of Palmarola in 537, later becoming the patron saint of Ponza. The presence of Benedictine monks led to the construction of the Abbey of Santa Maria. Despite pirate raids in the 10th century, the abbey regained its splendor in 1233 when Pope Innocent III entrusted it to Cistercian fathers.

Over the centuries, the island witnessed naval battles between the papacy and the Aragonese, who definitively took possession of Ponza in 1454, driving out the Cistercian monks. These monks sought refuge in Formia, where they built the Church of Santa Maria di Ponza.

In 1542, Ponza was granted by King Charles V of Spain to Pier Luigi Farnese. The Farnese family continued to protect the island from pirate attacks, albeit not always successfully. In 1734, Elisabeth Farnese ceded the archipelago to her son, Charles III of Spain, King of Naples. He initiated intense colonization efforts, importing settlers primarily from the island of Ischia. Specifically, 52 Ischian families repopulated Ponza, which had been nearly depopulated for two centuries due to pirate raids. The current inhabitants of Ponza are direct descendants of those 52 families.

During this period, many enduring structures were completed. Notably, the current Port of Ponza, the town near the port, the Office Palace (now the Municipio), the cemetery, the fortress, the church, and Forte Papa alle Forna were constructed.

In 1808, the Pontine Islands were occupied by Napoleon’s troops under Joachim Murat, wresting them from Bourbon control. In 1813, Ponza was occupied by the English, led by Admiral Carlo Napier, who was appointed the island’s count. However, two years later, the Treaty of Vienna returned the island to the Bourbons. Ponza remained under Bourbon control until it was occupied by Garibaldi’s forces on November 7, 1860. In 1861, Ponza was annexed to the Kingdom of Italy.