 Unfortunately, there are many legends about the origin of this name, most of which have no factual basis and appear to be the fruit of creative imaginations over many centuries.Possibly the oldest legend concerns a letter that Pliny the Younger (born 61 or 62 AD), a Roman lawyer, author and magistrate, was to have written to Emperor Trajan describing a prison for women that he saw on this small island.Pliny was a prolific letter writer and some 247 survive.