The Ancient City of Ostia Antica (Ostia)

Situated outside Rome, about thirty minutes by train, Ostia (Ostia Antica) is an ancient city that was once the port of Rome. Today lying 5 km from the coast because of silting, the town was forgotten for centuries before excavation began in the 19th century. It is now a very fine site to discover, allowing you to imagine everyday life in antiquity thanks to varied remains such as baths, theatre and temple, but also its shops, houses and the firemen’s barracks.

Getting there: Coming from Rome, the most practical solution is to take the train from Porta San Paolo station and get off at Ostia Antica station. Then follow the signs that lead you over a footbridge crossing the road.

To reach Porta San Paolo station, you can use the metro (line B) as far as Piramide station or one of the bus lines serving Piazzale Ostiense/Piramide (lines 77, 769, 775, 23, 280…). The train journey is made with a simple metro ticket, with daytime departures every 15 minutes.

Access by car, paid parking on site. GPS coordinates: N 41.758199, E 12.297756

Address: Via dei Romagnoli 717 – Ostia Antica, Roma

Opening hours: open every day from Tuesday to Sunday.

Closed on Mondays, 1 January, 1 May and 25 December.
From 25 October to 28 (or 29) February: 8:30 – 16:30
From 1 March to 31 March: 8:30 – 17:15
From 1 April to 30 September: 8:30 – 19:00
From 1 October to 24 October: 8:30 – 18:30

Entry closes about 1 hour before closing.

Ticket prices: €18 full price. Free for under-18s, reduced price of €2 for young people aged 18 to 25 who are citizens of the European Union.

Official website: Archaeological Park website
In addition to the official site, if you wish to deepen your knowledge of Ostia, we recommend the following site:  Ostia Antica

Allow a good half-day for the visit to enjoy the site and discover its remains. That is the time you will need to follow the tour suggested below.

History

Ostia was born very early in Roman history; the city is considered the first colony founded by Rome. The site, at the mouth of the River Tiber (Ostia means mouth), allowed the exploitation of the salt marshes and access to the sea.

Roman tradition dates its foundation to the 7th century BC, but the archaeological remains found so far go back to the 4th century BC and attest to the presence of a fortified camp (castrum).

The city developed with the growth of goods arriving in Rome from its conquered territories. It also became its main naval base, needed to supply its armies on campaign, especially during the Punic Wars (against Carthage).
Protecting Ostia became a necessity against pirates (the town was sacked in 79 BC) and also because of the internal struggles of the Republic. A powerful wall, enclosing 70 ha of land, was built for the defence of Ostia.

Around 30 BC, Ostia was already prosperous, a true trading centre for Rome, and had about 10,000 inhabitants. The development of the town continued with that of the empire, and goods converging on Rome passed through it. The port nevertheless reached its limits because of saturation and also because of silting by the alluvium of the Tiber. Ships were then obliged to unload goods at sea onto smaller craft that supplied the port.
The construction of new harbour areas became necessary and in the 1st century AD two ports were built a few kilometres north of Ostia.

Ostia reached its peak in the 2nd century AD; its population reached 50,000 inhabitants and it was covered with prestigious buildings that can still be discovered today.

Commercial activity began slowly to decline in the 3rd century with the crises that the empire went through, and Ostia lost its importance. By the 6th century the city had lost its walls and the road to Rome was no longer maintained. Ostia was sacked in the 9th century by the Ostrogoths, then abandoned and silted up over the years. Its riches were nevertheless reused, especially from the Renaissance onwards, with the recovery of marbles, columns and statues to adorn the new buildings of Rome and the Papal States.

Visit

The visit begins with the necropolis of the Via Ostiense and the Via dei Sepolcri outside the fortified enclosure. At that time, cemeteries were indeed situated outside the towns. The tombs here cover a long period, from the 2nd century BC to the 4th century AD, and concern both cremation and inhumation funerary rites. You will therefore find niches in columbaria that could hold urns containing the ashes of the dead, as well as places for sarcophagi. Several tombs present interesting architectural elements, for example the vault of the arches.

You enter Ostia by the Porta Romana, one of the three gates of the ancient city, of which a few decorative elements still remain.

The gate gives access to one of the main streets of every Roman city, the Decumanus Maximus, which you will follow for much of the visit.

On your left you will find the Piazzale della Vittoria (Square of Victory), whose name comes from a statue of Minerva found here (a copy can be seen on the spot). It originally adorned the Porta Romana.

Opposite the square you will find the Baths of the Coachmen (Terme dei Cisiarii), which take their name from a mosaic in the frigidarium showing a chariot drawn by two horses, occupied by its driver and two passengers. Other elements such as a triton and swimmers appear on this black-and-white mosaic. Other mosaics are visible in the various rooms of the baths.

Continue along the main street, the Decumanus. You will pass various remains of buildings and shops as far as the vast Baths of Neptune. The construction of these baths dates from the 2nd century AD and was financed by the emperors Hadrian and Antoninus Pius. The east side comprises the various rooms devoted to bathing, while the central and western parts include a large colonnaded palaestra for gymnastics.

Fine black-and-white mosaics adorn several of the rooms, the best known being that of Neptune, which gave its name to the baths.

Neptune is shown there, armed with his trident, in a chariot drawn by hippocampi. Dolphins ridden by little Erotes, fish, crustaceans and other marine creatures complete the mosaic.

In the adjoining room to the south is a mosaic representing Amphitrite, the wife of Neptune. She rides a hippocampus and is accompanied by Hymen (a winged Eros with a torch, referring to marriage) and tritons.

You can enjoy the view over these mosaics and the palaestra from a platform overlooking them.

Behind the Baths of Neptune, reach the Caserma dei Vigili via the Via delle Corporazioni.

The vigiles were the firemen of Ostia. Their duties extended to fire prevention and they checked that access to water in buildings was possible as well as the proper use of fire in dwellings and shops. The building you see today dates from the emperor Hadrian, in the 2nd century AD.

The barracks were a true place of life, with 300 to 400 men living here permanently. Coming from Rome, they remained on garrison for periods of three months. The lodgings were arranged all around the central courtyard on two storeys. At one end of the building you will find the remains of a chapel dedicated to the cult of the emperors. Bases that once carried statues are still visible, as well as a remarkable mosaic representing the sacrifice of a bull.

Retrace your steps to the Decumanus and reach the theatre nearby. A first theatre was built in the 1st century BC before being largely rebuilt in the 2nd century AD under the emperors Commodus and Septimius Severus to reach a capacity of 4,000 spectators.

Access to the theatre was from the Decumanus by a broad central corridor and two lateral ones that gave access to the lower part of the cavea (the seating). Four staircases then led up to the second and third levels of the theatre. Three theatre masks, part of the decoration, are visible at the site of the stage wall, which has almost entirely disappeared.

Continue your visit and go behind the theatre to reach the large Piazzale delle Corporazioni (Square of the Corporations).

This vast complex about 110 metres long and 80 wide is bounded on the south by a fine marble colonnade separating it from the theatre. A double portico borders the other three sides of the square, under which about 70 small offices were arranged, in front of which remarkable mosaics in black and white tesserae can be seen. You will find representations of animals, ships and imported goods. Several ancient cities are mentioned, such as Narbonne (Navi Narbonenses). These mosaics of the 2nd century AD are remarkable sources of information for understanding the commercial exchanges of this period and also for the study of naval and harbour architecture.

These offices were meeting places for merchants from the cities of the empire, captains, buyers supplying Rome, and travellers of the Mediterranean basin.
In the centre of the square, the remains of a small temple of the late 1st century AD, traditionally attributed to Ceres, goddess of agriculture, harvests and fertility. Two columns mark the entrance to the temple.

To the south-west of the square you will find a small sanctuary containing the altar of Romulus and Remus, sculpted on all four faces. On the least damaged face, Romulus and Remus can be seen suckled by the she-wolf.

The two shepherds who found the children are also present, as well as Jupiter represented in the form of an eagle.

Finally the Palatine Hill and the River Tiber are personified by the last two figures.

Continue along the Decumanus as far as the Via dei Grandi Horrea (the great warehouses) to discover Ostia’s main warehouses and one of its largest buildings. Already existing in the time of Claudius (late 1st century BC), they were enlarged several times, especially in the 2nd century AD. A large number of rooms, slightly raised to protect merchandise from vermin, could store up to 7,000 tonnes of grain. The entrance of the building faced the river from which the goods arrived. Little remains of this building, but the various compartments that composed it can still be seen.

The following buildings, on the Via dei Molini (Street of the Mills), include the Molino del Silvano, in which the stone millstones used to make flour are still visible. The adjacent building was a bakery in which the remains of an oven are present. A bas-relief represents the Genius Loci, the protective spirit of the place, shown carrying a cornucopia and a serpent.

Continue by taking the Via di Diana, which leads you to the House of the same name (Casa di Diana) because of a relief of the goddess Diana found here. We are in one of the popular districts of Ostia, which included many apartment blocks. These insulae date from the mid-2nd century and comprised four or five storeys with shops on the ground floor and apartments above. The rooms were arranged around a central courtyard that had a shared fountain. Two ground-floor rooms were converted into a Mithraeum, a place dedicated to the cult of the god Mithras, which was widespread in the Roman Empire.

A little further along the Via di Diana, on your left you will find the Thermopolium, a place for meals and a wine bar. The spot is very evocative: you can still see the L-shaped counter, its stepped shelves and its water basin underneath. Frescoes are still present, including those representing vegetables, a glass and perhaps cymbals. At the rear, a courtyard with a fountain as well as benches where customers could drink in a cool place.

Opposite, a group of more luxurious apartment buildings bordered a vast interior garden. You can access a terrace offering an interesting view over the town. Wall paintings are still visible in this complex.

Continue along this street, the Via dei Dipinti, as far as the small museum of Ostia, which includes a bar and restaurant. An opportunity to take a break before continuing the visit.
The museum presents interesting sculptures linked to the various cults practised, such as Mithras sacrificing the bull, and representations of the priests of Attis and Cybele sacrificing to their gods.
Statues of gods, emperors, their families and important members of the city are also displayed.

Then retrace your steps to reach the Forum.

The Forum is the main square of Ostia, gathering the key places for political, judicial, economic and religious matters. Its present layout dates from the time of Hadrian, a major period of transformation for the town. Here you would find the Curia (the city council of 100 members), a civil basilica for economic and judicial business, and two temples closing the square: the Capitolium to the north and a temple dedicated to Rome and Augustus to the south. The east side was closed by colonnaded porticoes. The forum was cut in two by the Decumanus Maximus, one of the main streets of the town.

The remains of the Capitolium are impressive and make it easy to imagine the structure of the most important temple in the town. Dedicated to the Capitoline Triad (Jupiter, Juno and Minerva), it is built on a high podium reached by a monumental staircase. The vestibule comprised 10 marble columns and the pediment was decorated with ox heads and floral garlands. The height of the building must have reached 20 metres and it was decorated with marble plaques that have been stripped away over the centuries.

Cross the Forum towards the south-east to reach the Forum Baths. These baths, whose first construction phase dates from AD 160, were among the most important in Ostia.

Before entering you will pass toilets of which about twenty pierced seats are still visible. Visiting the various rooms of the baths and the palaestra is pleasant.

Return towards the Forum to continue along the Decumanus.

You will pass the House of the Lararium (Caseggiato del Larario), whose ground floor was occupied by shops and the upper floor by dwellings. In the courtyard you will find a charming polychrome lararium. This niche was a shrine dedicated to the Lares Familiares, the gods of the household.

A little further on you arrive at a junction of five streets. Here you will find two fishmongers’ shops (Taberne dei pescivendoli) dating from the 3rd century AD. The two adjoining buildings are similar in layout, with a marble table in the centre and a fish basin. Mosaics on marine themes are still in place, including a representation of a dolphin holding an octopus.

Continue along the Decumanus, turning slightly to your left, until you reach the Christian Basilica (Basilica Cristiana) on your right. Built during the 4th century AD, it is the largest Christian building in the town, with its two long naves separated by columns. On the right-hand side, three chapels are marked by columns at their entrances.

A few metres further on, opposite, you will find the Guild of Trajan (Schola del Traiano). This vast building of the 2nd century AD seems to have been the seat of a powerful guild of Ostia, probably that of the shipwrights. Marble columns framed the entrance giving access to a vestibule leading to several rooms as well as to a vast interior courtyard bordered by colonnades and a long narrow basin in the centre. On the other side of the courtyard, a building was added in the 4th century. There you will find various rooms with mosaics as well as latrines.

You can still continue your way beyond the Porta Marina.

You will pass several buildings, including the portico of the fountain with a lamp (Fontana con Lucerna).

This fountain, whose water flowed from an oil lamp set on a column, was richly decorated.

Once through the gate, you can reach the Baths of Porta Marina by way of the Forum. This sector is little excavated, little visited and retains its romantic character. The baths contain interesting mosaics.

Now retrace your steps along the Decumanus as far as the Via degli Aurighi (a little before the Schola di Traiano).

You will pass several buildings including warehouses, residences and shops. Of note is the interesting House of the Gardens (Case a Giardino), a vast, luxurious residential complex arranged around gardens. This complex could house 1,200 inhabitants. Frescoes and mosaics are still visible there.

Further on, on the right, you reach the House of the Charioteers (Caseggiato degli Aurighi). This apartment block, also luxurious, was used as a dwelling and also as a hotel, and had rooms for commercial purposes. Several frescoes are still visible, including those of two charioteers (chariot drivers), holding in their hands a palm branch and a wreath, symbols of victory.

You can then access the Baths of the Seven Sages (Terme dei Sette Sapienti), a building adjoining the previous one. Its name comes from a fresco representing the seven sages of Greek antiquity. Other interesting frescoes adorn these baths, including that of the frigidarium, decorated with a fine Venus Anadyomene (that is, rising from the water) surrounded by putti and marine animals. Mosaics are also visible, particularly in the round room in which hunting scenes and plant motifs are represented.

The last building completing the group of the two previous ones, the House of Serapis (Caseggiato del Serapide), comprised a set of shops opening onto the street and also onto the interior courtyard. Apartments occupied the upper floors. A small room dedicated to the cult of Serapis, which gave its name to the building, includes a stucco relief representing Serapis on his throne.

Leave by the Via della Foce and turn right as far as the Sacred Area of the Republican Temples (Area sacra dei Templi Republicani). Several temples of the 2nd and 1st centuries BC occupied this space. The largest of them was dedicated to Hercules.

Behind the sacred area you reach the House of Cupid and Psyche (Domus di Amore e Psiche). This richly decorated dwelling was fitted out in Late Antiquity within shops of the 2nd century AD.

The house had a garden with a nymphaeum (monumental fountain) of five niches separated by marble columns. Water flowed between the niches and over the steps between the columns.

From the garden you can access the various rooms of the house. The one to the north has kept a superb floor with geometric patterns in polychrome marbles.

A second remarkable room is small but richly decorated.

In the centre, a statue of Cupid and Psyche kissing gave the house its name. The walls are covered with marble and the floor with polychrome patterns.

After this visit, you can continue among the many other remains, more or less excavated; you will find interesting elements such as a few frescoes or, more often, mosaics. You can also return to the museum for a break before leaving Ostia.