Ancient Ostia
Ostia Antica is about 25 km southwest of Rome only therefore it makes an ideal day trip outside the city of Rome,
It was a major port and military base during Republican times. Its aim was to protect and defend the coastline and the mouth of the river Tiber.
In the 2nd century despite the development of a new port called Portus (just slightly to the north west), Ostia port continued to flourish under the Empire.
Unfortunately during the 4th century the reduction of trade and also the silting up of the harbor damaged the town.
When malaria became endemic in the area, the town, which at its peak had a population of around 100 000 was then completely abandoned.
Ancient Ostia has been buried for centuries under the sand but is nonetheless very well preserved. It enlightens on the every day life during the Roman Empire and indeed people from all social classes and from all over the Mediterranean lived and worked there.
Visitors can easily see the lay out of Ostia from the main road through the town and you will locate many public and private buildings, bath houses such as the Baths of Neptune and the Baths of the Cisiarii in which you can still see the fine black and white mosaics.
Visitors also see the restored theatre with its three large masks which are part of the stage decoration, and during summertime the Ancient Ostia Theatre hosts musical plays.
Away from the main street is where the Ostia inhabitants lived, most of them stayed in rented apartments in a block of 3 or 4 stories high.
Other buildings must have been absolutely pretty like the house of Diana with its elegant look : It bore a balcony around the second floor, a private bath house and a central courtyard.
For the wealthy there were detached houses called domus such as the House of Dioscuri which has fine colored mosaics. Other houses are the ones of Cupid and Psyche.
Among houses and shops there were also other buildings like laundry and firemen’s barracks.
Various religions were practiced in Ancient Ostia. There were no less than 18 temples dedicated to the persian god Mithrus, Jewish synagogue dating from the 1st century and a Christian basilica.
To make the most of your visit why not take a guided Ancient Ostia Tour with a pick up from your Rome Hotel ?
How to get to Ostia Antica from My Hotel Rome :
Take B line Metro from termini Station and get off at ‘Piramide’.
From there switch to a local train to Ostia .
Excavations and museum are open from 8:00 am till one hour before sunset.
See here for their timetables.
Telephone number . +39 06 5635 8099
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