10 Facts About Ostia Antica

Ostia Antica is a large archaeological site, close to the modern town of Ostia, that is the location of the harbour city of ancient Rome, 15 miles southwest of Rome.

At the mouth of the River Tiber, Ostia Antica was Rome's seaport, but due to silting the site now lies 3 kilometres from the sea.

The opus quadratum of the walls of the original castrum at Ostia Antica provide important evidence for the building techniques that were employed in Roman urbanisation during the period of the Middle Republic.

Ostia Antica was a scene of fighting during the period of civil wars in the 80s BC.

Ostia Antica proposed better access to grain by the use of a new harbour in Ostia along with a canal from Tarracina.

Related searches

Ostia Antica itself was provided with all the services a town of the time could require; in particular, a famous lighthouse.

Ostia Antica had a large theatre, many public baths, numerous taverns and inns and a firefighting service.

South of Ostia Antica there were many rich villa-estates along the coast road to Laurentum.

For scholars of the High Empire Ostia Antica was the seaside version of Rome, the city of apartment buildings.

In spite of the fact that Portus shows substantial growth in the 4th century, the traditional view that Ostia Antica went into marked decline has had to be revised due to recent excavations and re-evaluation of the evidence.