Ostia Antica

Today we made a trip to Ostia Antica. To get there we had to take both Metro lines, then catch a train for a 30 min ride to the coast of Italy.

The Roman port of Ostia is located at the mouth of the Tiber River. Ostia was a working port town. In the town are numerous remains of the docks, warehouses, apartments, mansions, shops and baths that once supported the 60,000 Romans who lived there. It was founded in 620 BC. Ostia was considered to be Romes first colony and served as a naval base to protect the Tiber River.


Waiting for the Metro


Cemetery (Necropolis)


Mosaics were a popular artform of the time.


Tour guide Brandon ready to share his wealth of knowledge






Wheel ruts in the old Roman road


Baths of Neptune



Mosaics in the baths of Neptune




Can you guess the business of these shops?


Square of Guilds. Each of these little areas was a shop and each one advertised with mosaic art at its entry. Each shop faced the inner square with temple.


Brandon loves relief maps


Looking through the temple towards the theater


The Romans built some unusual statues



Great seats in the theater


Imagine a performance in this theater


Brandon brushes up on Ostia history





Roman toilet. Brandon tries it out for size


Millery. The grain would pour out of a spout and fall into a whole at the top of these stones. Donkeys would be used to turn the top stone, milling the grain into flour. The donkeys would be kept blindfolded so they would not become dizzy.


Roman street with 'apartments' lining both sides. Actually, they are more like our modern day townhomes - narrow, multistoried with neighbors on both sides.





Art on the wall at a Roman bar


Not much privacy at these Roman toilets.


Brandon and Katrina take a break near one of the Roman baths


Brandon tried to reconstruct part of a mosaic


Now thats a solid table


More decorations on the walls

We were very tired this evening as we rode the train and the Metros back to our room. We decided to try a restaurant for dinner that was recommended by our hotel, just a few blocks away.

Grotta Azzurra was fabulous. We ate very well and enjoyed great service.

It was another great and very tiring day in Italy. Tomorrow, our last day in Rome, we will visit the Villa Borghese and the museum.