Roman Lighthouse

• The Romans built lighthouses across the Roman Empire. They were usually modeled on the Pharos of Alexandria in Egypt.
• The Roman Lighthouse at La Coruna, Spain, is still in use today.

Roman Lighthouses still Standing Today

• Britannia
  • Dover Roman Lighthouse, England.

• Hispania Tarraconensis
  • La Coruna Roman Lighthouse, Spain.

• Lycia
  • Patara Roman Lighthouse (Ruins), Patara, Turkey.

Roman Lighthouses known from Classical Literature

Egypt

• Pharos of Alexandria.
  • Although not Roman, as it was built by the Ptolemies, the Pharos strongly influenced Roman Lighthouse construction. It had a giant mirror to reflect the sun during the day. It used a fire at night.
  • Location: thought to be where the Citadel of Qaitbey stands today.
  • The Pharos of Alexandria was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World

Gallia Belgica

• Boulogne Roman Lighthouse
  • Built in 46 CE by Caligula after his aborted attempt to invade Britania, and switched off in 475 CE. Location: Known as the Tour de l’Ordre or Le Phare de Caligula, it collapsed on the 29th July 1644 CE. A seventeenth century engraving is kept in the Boulogne Castle Museum. It shows a 12 storey octagonal tower 55-60m high, similar to the Dover lighthouse, with which it was intervisible.

Gallia Narbonensis

• • Frejus Roman Lighthouse, France.

Italia

• Pharos of Portus, Portus, Rome.
  • The Pharos of Portus was constructed on an artificial island. Claudius built two semi-circular moles to enclose his new Harbour, and the island was placed between the moles.
  • The artificial island was created by sinking a huge vessel, Caligula's Giant Ship, between the two moles. The huge vessel had brought an Obelisk from Egypt to sit on the Spina of the Circus of Nero.
  • Suetonius, (Claudius XX) recounts that the Pharos of Portus was built in imitation of the Pharos of Alexandria.

• Pharos of Centumcellae
  • The Lighthouse was situated on an artificial island between two giant moles that protected the entrance to the harbour of Centumcellae.

• Villa Jovis, Capri.
  • The Lighthouse was in Tiberius‘ villa on the Island of Capri. It operated until the 1600’s. It was 82 feet (25m) high, and used to send and receive messages from the mainland.
  • It was intervisible with two other similar Lighthouses nearby:
• The Pharos at Cape Miseno
  • next to the naval port of Misenum
• The Pharos at Campanella Point
  • opposite Capri.
• The Pharos of Messina
  • in the Straits of Messina.

• Stromboli
  • This still continuously active volcano was known as the ‘Lighthouse of the Mediterranean’ in Roman times. By day it produces a plume of smoke. It is visible up to 50 miles (80km) away.
  • A vessel from Naples can head straight for Stromboli, knowing that the Strait of Messina lies beyond it.

Possible locations of Roman Lighthouses

• Gallia Narbonensis
  • Narbonne: this was one of the most important ports after Rome.
    • Narbonne Roman Lighthouse

Tower of Hercules, La Coruna