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Villa Jovis ("Villa of Jupiter") is a Ancient Rome palace on Capri, southern Italy, built by Emperor Tiberius and completed in 27 AD. Tiberius ruled mainly from there until his death in 37 AD.
Villa Jovis is the largest of the twelve Tiberian villas on Capri mentioned by Tacitus. The entire complex, spanning several terraces and a difference in elevation of about , covers some . While the remaining eight levels of walls and staircases only hint at the grandeur the building must have had in its time, recent reconstructions have shown the villa to be a remarkable testament to 1st-century Roman architecture.
The north wing of the building contained the living quarters, while the south wing saw administrative use.Krause (2003), p. 82–83 The east wing was meant for receptions, whereas the west wing featured an open-walled hall ( ambulatio) which offered a scenic view towards Anacapri.Krause (2003), p. 83
As water was difficult to obtain at the villa's location, Roman engineers constructed an intricate system for the collection of rainwater from the roofs and a large cistern that supplied the palace with fresh water.
South of the main building there are remains of a watch tower ( specula) for the quick exchange of messages with the mainland, e.g. by fire or smoke.Krause (2003), p. 84
Access to the complex is possible only on foot, and involves an uphill walk of about two kilometres from Capri town.
The Villa Jovis is also, at least according to Suetonius, the place where Tiberius engaged in wild debauchery.Suetonius, The Lives of Twelve Caesars, Life of Tiberius 43, 44, 45 Most modern historians regard these tales as sensationalized, but Suetonius's stories at least paint a picture of how Tiberius was perceived by the Roman people at the time.Wallace-Hadrill, Andrew (1984) Suetonius: The Scholar and His Caesars, Yale University Press,
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