Sirmione has been settled since the Stone Age, with early finds showing that it was probably a small village of fishermen living in houses on stilts on the banks of Lake Garda.Its strategic position near the southeastern "corner" of the lake and the defensive qualities of the peninsula meant that it was of military importance over the years. But the beauty of the setting also meant that it was - and still is - a popular place for people to visit.Rich Romans, for example, built holiday villas on the end of the peninsula, of which one still exists:The "Grotto of Catullus" on the end of the Sirmione peninsula is a bit of a misnomer as it is neither a grotto nor - contrary to what some tourist blurbs would have you believe - did the Roman poet Catullus ever live there. It was originally termed a "grotto" in reference to the run-down and collapsed walls. As far as the history goes, Catullus lived before this building ever existed (although his family did own a villa here). The villa itself is a three-story building from around 150AD (Catullus died in 54BC) and the main sights to be seen are the supports for what was once a patrician villa for a rich family.