Explorations of the ruins of Rome’s ancient port!
Ostia Antica (Ancient Ostia) is located at the mouth of the Tiber River, downriver from Rome. Because of silting and blowing sand, the ancient city now sits about 2 miles (3 km) from the Mediterranean Sea. The buildings and ruins of Ostia Antica were preserved because the city was abandoned after Rome declined. The harbor was no longer maintained and people left the area. Sand dunes would eventually cover many of the buildings.
The entrance to Ostia Antica is lined with tombs, in traditional Roman fashion. Romans did not like people to be buried within the city walls, so roads leading to and out of the city were often lined with tombs.
Jana Irving There were a few large columbaria along the road. The niches would hold urns filled with cremated remains.
Jana Irving The Decumano Massimo, the main road through the city.
Jana Irving A well was put right in the middle of the main road after the city started declining.
Jana Irving Insula del Soffitto dipinto. Once you get down the road a bit, the buildings become a bit taller. Insulae were a multi-use building often with shops and wealthy homes on the bottom floors and apartments higher up.
Jana Irving The theater. There has been some restoration work on this building.
Jana Irving A bit of restoration on the inside as well.
Jana Irving I believe this is one of the Republican temples, the oldest in the city.
Jana Irving The Fullonica su Via degli Austustali. A fullonica (fullery-basically an ancient laundry service) was opened inside of a converted house in the 2nd century CE.
Jana Irving A fancy marble floor. I visited in February, so much of the awesome mosaics were still covered to protect them from the frost.
Jana Irving The buildings in this area are the best preserved.
Jana Irving It was because of these buildings that we know what Ancient Roman insulae looked like. Rome was full of buildings like the one of the right.
Jana Irving One of the taller buildings had an observation deck. Great views of the ruins from up here.
Jana Irving The Thermopolium di Via di Diana was an inn with a fancy wine bar. Food would also have been served.
Jana Irving Someone tried to close off a large archway with some success.
Jana Irving I don’t know how this survived.
Jana Irving The city’s main temple was dedicated to Jupiter, Juno and Minerva. This building, called the Capitolium, was constructed in about 120 CE. It was built over the spot of another earlier temple, which was also built on an even earlier temple.
Jana Irving There was once many buildings clad with fancy marble. Not much of it remains anymore.
Jana Irving The Forum Baths, or what remains of it. There would have been marble everywhere in this building, along with a heating system.
Jana Irving The atrium of a complex that sold luxury goods. There is a really neat shrine on the left side.
Jana Irving It’s remarkable that the balcony is still there.
Jana Irving A fancy entrance for a multi-use insulae with a commercial business attached, possibly a warehouse.
Jana Irving Domus di Amore e Psiche, an aristocratic residence from the 4th century. The smaller columns were part of the decoration of an open air garden.
Jana Irving This house had some fancy mosaic floors as well.
Jana Irving Opposite the garden is a room clad with marble.
Jana Irving A mosaic that represents the mensores, the men that measured the grain, or something like that.
Jana Irving Portico mosaic of the Caseggiato(an apartment block in Italian) di Bacco e Arianna, a complex of rooms with many mosaics.
Jana Irving The giant Caseggiato del Serapide, one of the city’s largest building complexes.
Jana Irving It had a large courtyard and was at least two stories with apartments.
Jana Irving Giant entrance with a shrine on the right.
Jana Irving Two story portico around one of the courtyards.
Jana Irving Stairs no longer going anywhere.
Jana Irving A large, domed room part of the Terme dei Sette Sapienti, the same complex from above. Ostia had many private and public baths.
Jana Irving One of the plunge pools from the baths. I think the frescoes survived because the ceiling mostly survived. Pretty incredible.
Jana Irving I may have gotten a bit turned around in this giant complex.
Jana Irving It really isn’t had to get lost with all these interconnected hallways and rooms.
Jana Irving This complex may have been my favorite.
Jana Irving Nearby is another giant complex, now called the Garden Houses. Not as confusing as the previous one.
Jana Irving The Fontana con Lucerna took a form of a basin decorated with a screen and completely covered in marble. Very fancy.
Jana Irving And lastly, the Ninfeo degli Eroti, a nymphaeum (a shrine to nymphs) built in the 4th century. It was a marble covered room with a large fountain in the middle.
This is just a small bit of what I saw at Ostia Antica. It’s a very large city, much of which is excavated. It doesn’t have the frescoes of Herculaneum or Pompeii, but it gives a great idea of how the streets of Rome would have looked.
Ostia Antica is easily reachable by commuter train from Central Rome. Only a short walk from the train station (aptly named “Ostia Antica”) is required to reach the site. Nearby, there are a few other remote sites that are a bit harder to reach. However, just a short walk from the entrance to Ostia Antica takes you to a castle, which is included on the same ticket.
Check out my next update where I explore the very hilly Ragusa!
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