The Ancient Italian Port of Ostia

Roman Ruins Provide an In-Depth Look at Ancient Life in Italy

Oct 27, 2008

Ostia Antica is less than an hour from Rome yet portrays a vivid glimpse into centuries of Roman lifestyle and culture more complete than many other ancient ruins.

The ruins of Ostia, Ancient Rome's seaport and gateway to the empire, are less than fifteen miles from the heart of Rome. While Pompeii receives thousands of visitors yearly, Ostia is largely neglected. Yet Ostia provides an excellent opportunity to explore and experience Rome at it's zenith of power, commercially and politically. The ruins are remarkably well preserved and detail everyday life in Ancient Rome through nine centuries. Visitors spending more than a day in Rome should consider visiting this example of Roman life and culture.

A meaningful exploration of Ostia begins at the Porta Romana and follows the main road into the heart of the city, passing the restored Theater, prominent baths, and a variety of other structures. What makes Ostia different from Pompeii or Herculaneum is its longevity, spanning 900 years of Roman cultural and social life. The ruins under the shadow of Vesuvius represent agricultural communities snuffed out in the first century. Ostia, by contrast, represents a true merchant city that allows the visitor to gain a more complete picture of everyday life that changed over the many centuries of Roman hegemony.

The Theater, restored in the 1940s, still displays the original foundations. It is one of the first major sites on the path. Further along, the visitor encounters the Baths of Neptune, public baths where visitors can still marvel at the intricate mosaic patterns bordering the floors. Eventually, the ruins become more pronounced as the walk winds into the former city, an area of crisscrossing streets such as the Via di Diana which features three story houses and shops in remarkably good condition.

The Forum is much smaller than the Forum Romanum and is dominated by the Capitolium, used for Roman state religion and once covered in the finest marble. Most of Ostia's precious marble was carted to Rome in earlier centuries following the fall of the Empire as Christians began to build great basilicas. Today the Capitolium is a mass of red brick, the top accessed by steep stone stairs. At the Forum, the visitor can also see the Temple of Rome and Augustus, the market or Macellum, and the Forum Baths.

Near the Forum, the visitor can obtain a detailed look at social life in the Ostia museum. The museum features hundreds of marble sculptures and statues, part of the collection of over 3000 excavated from Ostia and its environs. Hundreds of artifacts document every aspect of Roman life from amphorae to terra cotta lamps. Replicas can be purchased in the gift shop.

Although a bustling seaport founded in the fourth century BC, Ostia lies inland today. An historical treasure trove, Ostia exudes an aura that is peaceful. Visitors may find the walk through Ostia to be like strolling through a massive park. Ostia offers a restful afternoon respite from the sites of Rome which can be overwhelming. It is accessed by bus or train and visitors can book local tours of the ancient site with their hotel. The entrance fee is 6.50 Euro ($8.00) and senior discounts are available. Train tickets to Ostia are 2 Euro ($2.50).

The copyright of the article The Ancient Italian Port of Ostia in Italy Travel is owned by Michael Streich. Permission to republish The Ancient Italian Port of Ostia in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.