Leaving Rome and following the sea road, it takes
about 30 minutes to reach Ostia, the Roman city of the Imperial age whose Latin name
"Ostium" means "mouth of the river", being situated at the mouth of
the Tiber river.
Ostia was founded around the 4th century BC by King Anco Marzio and
became the harbour of Rome around which a flourishing trade and business centre developed
throughout the following centuries. Then, after the Barbarian invasions, when the port was
abandoned and silted up, began the decline of Ostia.
The archaeological excavations undertaken at the beginning of the last
century have brought the ancient city back to light a rare witness of 900 years of Roman
civilization. During your walk through the ruins, your guide will gradually instruct you
about the cultural and social life of this interesting commercial settlement. Your visit
to Ostia Antica itself starts at "Via delle Tombe" which leads you to the
"Porta Romana", one of the city's three gates. This is the beginning of the
"Decumanus Maximus", the main thoroughfare that crosses the city from north east
to south west. Then you will arrive at the "Terme di Nettuno" where you can
admire the beautiful black and white mosaics representing Neptune and Amphitrite, the
theatre built by Agrippa and the Forum which formed the centre of the city. Here you will
discover the principle public buildings. "Il Capitolium" and the temple of Rome
and Augustus, the Basilica and the large thermal baths. Near the forum square you will
also find the House of Diana and the "Thermopolium" an ancient Roman bar with a
marble counter and a fresco depicting the fruit and foodstuffs that were sold there. At
the end of Via dei Dipinti, the Museo Ostiense displays some of the ancient sculptures and
mosaics found among the ruins.
Situated amongst the cypress and
Mediterranean pine trees the ruins of the port of ancient Rome reveal more than any other
monument in the capital, how everyday life must been like in ancient times.
