Map of Ostia, site of the castrum green

According to Virgil , is at the mouth of the Tiber, on the site of Ostia the prince Aeneas , fleeing the burning of Troy , had landed and established a fort , the city was founded around 640 BC. AD by Ancus Marcius , fourth legendary king of Rome. These authors suggest a site surrounded by woods and salt , but the drawback to siltation of the river Tiber, which prevents access by larger vessels and cargoes requires tranborder on river boats .

Archaeological research, however, do not trace the existence of Ostia beyond 335 BC. AD , and the oldest inscription is a milestone of the Via Ostiense dated between the mid-to late third century . The foundation of a castrum (military camp) could have occurred during the Etruscan loosening control on the right bank of the Tiber, after taking Fidenae in 426 BC. BC or that of Veii in 396 BC. AD . The archaeological evidence of the camp is well marked by the remnants of walls in large unit of volcanic tuff in the heart of Ostia in a rectangle of 193 by 125 meters, the cardinal axes oriented according to the rites of foundation

Republican Period

Plan of Ostia Antica, with its maximum development. The ancient course of the Tiber is the meander

In 267 BC. AD is established the quaestor at Ostia (quaestor classicus), responsible for the delivery of supplies to Rome This date marks the start of the transformation of the small fortress town into a true Roman larger, surrounded by new walls, providing room for future development.

The Second Punic War shows the strategic importance of Ostia. In 217 BC. AD , the boatloads of supplies for the Roman army who was in Iberia went to Ostia , and in 212 BC. AD , the wheat from Sardinia was stored there . In 211 BC. AD , Publius Cornelius Scipio part of Ostia with thirty quinqueremes and wins Spain along the coast . In 204 BC. AD , a ship that brings the statue of the goddess Cybele and grounded in the tradition is the vestal miraculously hauled by Claudia Quinta. The episode demonstrates the difficulty of landing in a mouth prone to silting .

During the second century BC. BC, the city praetor Caius Caninius said public space bordering the old castrum to Via Ostiense and defines the four cippi. This field will always be public, and will see the Empire building public buildings such as theater and the place of Corporations .

In 87 BC. BC , seeking to impose itself on the Roman senate , Marius landed at Ostia with a fleet of 40 ships, plunder and kill some people and blocks the supply of maritime and his opponents took control of Rome ^, .

The city was pillaged and burned his boats by pirates in 69 BC. AD . In 63 BC. AD , to protect the city and the supply of Rome, the consul Cicero launches repairs of walls and doors, which will be completed by Clodius Pulcher in 58 BC. AD . During the civil wars, Ostia is again threatened by Sextus Pompey who opposes the second triumvirate .

In the Republican era, the city had only considered the emporium (the counter) of Rome , with its many shops and warehouses. Elegant houses atrium and peristyle were constructed, while the streets were decorated with colonnades. Under the railway ran the sewer , while the cemeteries were pushed out the walls in cemeteries. The population at the end of the republic can be estimated with the inclusion of P. Lucilius Gamala who offered to settlers at Ostia a banquet audience of 217 beds, or 1953 people on the basis of 9 per guest bed. Women, children and probably the freedmen did not take part in the banquet, we extrapolate a population of about 10 000 inhabitants .

The development of luxury in Rome generates new imports: the last century of the Roman republic , the rich aristocrats decorate their house marble from Numidia or the island of Chios , then Augustus and his successors have come to Egypt great amount of marble, with onyx from basanite of granite . In exceptional transports are carried out under Augustus and Caligula , with the arrival of obelisks whole granite.

Port of Claude

Mouth of the Tiber : port hex Trajan , Isola Sacra and site of Ostia Antica

In his time already, Julius Caesar had considered creating a new port at the mouth of the Tiber, but there were abandoned because of technical difficulties. However, the increase in traffic made the inadequate natural anchorage of Ostia, which is difficult because of the sandbanks, and the emperor Claude built, from 42 , a new port about three miles north of Ostia. A large artificial basin fed and drained by a canal derived from the Tiber was inaugurated in 46 . This port was completed by Nero , about 64 - 66 and has a lighthouse as would indicate a currency of 64 of Nero with a lighthouse. A new city, Portus, developed around the new port, to the detriment of Ostia.

The port, roughly circular shape, was created from an artificial pond of 90 ha and 4 to 5 m deep, built on a lagoon in which the sand spit formation was a natural protection. The basin was protected by a huge dam 758 m long and 3 m wide, leaving an entry of 206 m, formed between the dike and jetty 600 m long and 12 m wide, Monte Giulio, based on northeast on the mainland. Of docks and horrea were installed on both arms of the port, making each more than a hundred acres , for unloading and storage of goods.

Between the two dams had been erected a lighthouse maritime based on an artificial island formed by the large ship of 104 m long used by Caligula to return to Egypt the obelisk of the Vatican : the ship was filled with rocks, then sunk at sea

Port of Trajan

Commercial Vessels Shipowners Office Carthage. Mosaic floor, instead of Corporations at Ostia

But this new port was exposed to the blades during storms. Tacitus reports that in 62 , a storm sent by the base about two hundred ships in the port . So the emperor Trajan, he said building a new port, the Portus Traiani, more functional and a little further back. The work was conducted from 100 to 112 , to construct a hexagonal basin of 358 m square and 5 m deep, to an area of 32 hectares, with 2000 m of quays, connected to the Tiber by a new channel, Fiumicino and Ostia by a dual carriageway.
New department store floor and warehouses are built, covering an area of 10 ha, for better food preservation. All products in the Mediterranean world ancient stored there: the products and everyday objects ( candles , torches , books of parchment , roll of papyrus ), foods ( pepper and spices , quintals of wheat , amphorae of wine , jars of oil ), the clothing , the materials of construction.

A study from the Universities of Southampton and Cambridge in progress since 2007 shows a virtual tour of the port of Claudius and Trajan.

If the moorings are better protected, navigation is dependent on good weather and boat traffic stops each year in mid-November .

Climax of Urban Development

Mills in Ostia

Thermopolium at Ostia

Ostia at the height of its prosperity, the ^Second and ^Third Centuries. The estimated population is tricky as with any ancient city, various methods based on the constructed area and the density ratios are between 27 000 inhabitants according to Parker, 36 000 by Guido Calza and Girr, 50 000-60 000 Russell Meiggs .

The influx of population in the work of Trajan and the growth of the activity involves the construction of large apartment buildings with several floors. Hadrian , as duumvir quinquenal of Ostia in 121 starts and 126 major management programs in the center, provides the marble for the new Capitol , finance up to two million sesterces the Baths of Neptune and rebuilt the neighborhood of the barracks of security guards . Antoninus Pius completed this work. In 180 , Emperor Commodus built the new theater of Ostia. Then, from 203 to 217 , Septimius Severus and Caracalla are to expand and renovate the theater and the place of Corporations , which crowd the offices of merchants, ship owners and bankers.

Magistrates and officials are responsible for overseeing the loading and unloading of food, to control the quality and quantity, make payments and collect taxes, to ensure compliance with contracts, especially those between State and private, manage relations with shipowners, monitor corporate workers of ferries, docks, shipyards, and masons responsible for the maintenance of wharves and warehouses. There was even a guild of divers to recover the goods loaded into the water.

Decline

In the early ^fourth century , Constantine ^I will transfer the status of municipality to Portus and Ostia deprives its administrative autonomy: it is the beginning of a slow decline. The reduced activity of Ostia, and many-storeyed houses for Habitat People are transformed into luxury residences for the aristocracy .

In 387 , Augustine of Hippo stops in Ostia, a house with garden. His mother Monica dies there while waiting to embark for Africa . In 417 , the poet Rutilius Namatianus joined Portus from Rome via the right arm of the Tiber, as the left arm which is silted up and serves Ostia impractical . Nevertheless, the ^fifth century , Cassiodorus mentions in his correspondence the two cities from the mouth of the Tiber - Portus and Ostia - as mentioned highly decorated (ornatissimas civitates) .

In ^the sixth century , Procopius describes Ostia and Portus in his Gothic War: Ostia has no walls, and the land route from Ostia to Rome is not maintained, while still active at Portus unloading Ship on river boats hauled by oxen. To starve the army of Belisarius , the Ostrogoths lay siege and capture of Portus, forcing Roman ships to unload at Anzio , a day's walk of Ostia .

Faced with the threat of pirates Saracen , Ostia is too broad in its scope is ancient and abandoned, Pope Gregory IV confined in the 830 in a small enclosure called a time Gregoriopolis in his honor. This does not prevent a raid of the Saracens in 846 , who captured Porto and Ostia and loot the environs of Rome .

In ruins, Ostia silting, while that over the centuries, the alluvium of the Tiber repel the shore. Flooding changes the course of the Tiber, shortening the loop that formed upstream of Ostia, and erodes a northern part of the site.

Abandonment, and rediscovery

The ancient city is still abandoned, but do not fall into complete oblivion. Lorqu'en 1581, Montaigne 's visit, there are large ruins and grazing land, hear the name "Lake of Trajan" and "Arch of Claudius" for the river from Porto, through the "Isle sacred" and Ostia. He noted that the pope is "dsenterrer everyday wear & Rome" marble columns . The needs of Renaissance Rome caused the recovery of ancient marbles as decorative material or food lime kilns.

The eighteenth century saw the development of interest in ancient art, and illegal excavations or hunting are allowed to leave that beautiful works in England or in the museums of the Vatican . Under the leadership of Pope Pius VII , the first archaeological excavations began in 1802-1804 vocation, and continued intermittently from 1824 and 1855, conducted by Ercole Visconti with the restoration of what is still standing. It also ^nineteenth century century, following the work of reclamation saline that modern namesake city is built nearby. The incorporation in 1870 of the Papal States to the rest of Italy interrupted the research, which were resumed only in 1909 with a team of archaeologists led by Dante Vaglieri then Guido Calza from 1913 to 1946. Mussolini period for ideological reasons (back memories of the grandeur of Rome) has with the work of magnitude from 1938 to 1942: some 600 000 cubic meters of rubble is cleared, but as deplores Filippo Coarelli with hasty methods and unscientific and restore the theater as excessive. The various sectors are searched together in one piece, visible area doubles to the 34 hectares, approximately the present surface, and the plan of the ancient city is prepared for two-thirds of its extension ^, .

Archaeological work has continued to our time, and are subject to regular communications .

The extensive ruins are inferior to those of Pompeii. Today, following the example of Aigues-Mortes in the Camargue , the ruins of Ostia are surrounded by fields and located 4 km inland. The yellow waters of the Tiber, heavily loaded, form, throwing herself into the sea, coast alluvial flat and marshy. A seaside resort, the Ostia Lido , has evolved in the ^twentieth century. This town was incorporated in the municipality of Rome at the time fascist.

Epigraphy at Ostia

Ostia is through keeping the ancient site rich in documents epigraphic after the city of Rome, with about 6500 entries in the 2006 census, from the late Republican period to the end of the Lower Empire.

They are highly fragmented and dispersed in the form of debris escaping from lime kilns, or even full and attached to a specific archaeological context, entries enrich the interpretation of the excavations and providing complete information on all classes present at Ostia, magistrates, imperial officials, freedmen, and a working population with corporations. The typology of inscriptions of Ostia is very diverse and represents all major categories of texts that can be found in Rome, registration imperial modest graffiti , but with an under-representation for texts and military Provincial entries . The interpretation of these inscriptions is invaluable for understanding the organization of the city.

Organization of Ostia

Civil institutions

Statue base found at Ostia, dedicated to the Emperor's health by decision decurions: SALVIA CAESARS AUGVSTI Glabrio Patronus coloniae D (ecreto) D (ecurionum) F (aciendum) C (uravit)

Ostia, as a simple outpost of Rome under the Republic is directly directed from Rome by the urban praetor , whose presence is attested by a single entry from the second century BC. AD ,

Then at the time of Sylla , the colony acquires a certain autonomy, the urban praetor is replaced by two duumvirs locally elected and reelected for a year . They share management with two of the city councilors and the council decurions , college of one hundred members equivalent to the Roman senate , consisting of notable co-opted and former judges. Every five years, duumvirs have additional powers and perform the function of censor , to go from urban development projects and update the list of decurions and citizens of Ostia.

Decurions magistrates and are assisted by a large and diverse staff, identified by the dedications when they recall their activities: lictors , secretaries meeting (scribae cerarii) Clerical Employees (scribae librarii), messengers (viatores) . It was also found at Ostia a list of 81 slaves and freedmen, including a woman , constituting the familia publica municipal employees in the service of the colony, but where only three functions were: two arkarii, slaves responsible for fund the colony, and a tabularius, prepaid charge of records .

Religious institutions

The priest of Vulcan and religious buildings is the highest religious leader of Ostia. The epigraphy evidenced by its presence since the Republican period, his appointment is a remarkable event recorded in the Fasti of Ostia , he persists in the empire, the last entry that mentions a priest of Vulcan date of 287 . Appointed for life, from the elite of Ostia, usually chosen from duumviri five-year, he is responsible for archaic worship of Vulcan, and all the sacred buildings of the colony. Only the imperial cult is not within its jurisdiction. He is assisted by auxiliary annual special, lenders and city officials sacris Volcani faciundis. Despite the prominence of this cult, no temples of Vulcan has been located with certainty on the site of Ostia, the archaeologists of the nineteenth century have proposed to identify the temple of the forum, whose character seemed to match their impressive the importance of religion, but this interpretation is no longer valid .

Various religious denominations in the Republican period are known from dedications. The cult of Hercules , patron of the business and having his soothsayers to a cult oracle , is located near the Tiber . His cult remains active until the end of the empire, and is the subject of a final restoration to 393 or 394 dedicated to Theodosius , Arcadius and a href = "% C3% Eug A8ne_ (usurpateur_romain)" title = "Eugene (Roman usurper)"> Eugene . Other cults associated with the Roman religion are identified: Jupiter , Venus , SPES , Fortuna and Ceres in four small temples, Bona Dea .

In addition the traditional cults in the Empire the cult of deified emperors , honored by priests and religious associations: thus we know of Ostia flamens of Vespasian , of Titus , of Hadrian , of Antoninus Pius , of pertinax , of Septimius Severus , and Flamen for all dividends, the Flamen divorum . Also participate in the imperial cult, the Augustales which lists many fragments dating from the late second century and the early third century were found at Ostia in a small building near the Forum in front of the basilica. Co-opted among the wealthy freedmen, the Augustales are held with presidents elected for two years of tough five-yearly update of the list occur every five years, treasurers and .

Presence of the imperial administration

Even after the emancipation of Ostia and its organization as a municipality, the strategic importance of linking Rome to the sea brings the Roman central government to intervene more and more and to organize the supervision of the delivery of supplies, vital for the supply of wheat for benefit of annona and that of the open market at a reasonable price for the rest of the population.

The quaestor at Ostia (Quaestor classicus or quaestor Ostiense), magistrate in place since the third century BC is responsible for the supply of Rome and the armies overseas, but without legal authority on intermediaries providing routing between Rome and Ostia. His skills come under Augustus the prefect of the advertiser directly appointed by the emperor, and he ceases to be designated from 44 in Claude . The prefect of the advertiser has offices in Ostia, probably near the Porta Romana according to the inscription read on a pipe found in this area . Spatial Portus Trajani accompanied by 112 to create a new post of imperial administration, the procurator of the advertiser and the Port of Ostia (procurator annonae Ostiae and in Portu). Several proxies are known by their inscriptions, they are often originate in Africa , the main exporter of wheat to Ostia

Augustus organized the protection of Ostia in Rome a stain praetorian cohort , then a cohort urban , and urban vigilante , while both firefighters and responsible for maintaining order. Claude held a permanent detachment of guards in Rome ( vexillatio ) whose organization is known by the inscriptions found in the barracks of security guards (Caserma dei Vigili). This vexilatio of 400 men was commanded by a tribune at Ostia security guards (or two or four different times) delegated by the deputy prefect of the guards and assisted by four centurions. The staff were vigils in Rome on a rotational basis every four months, made the Ides of December, April and August .

The course of the Tiber itself is public domain, bounded by the river boundary marking. Under the Republic, this management is the censors then Consuls under Augustus as evidenced by the inscriptions on the terminals. Under the empire, managing the river from Rome to the sea, its banks and bridges that span is entrusted to a committee of five members, and Curators alvei riparum Tiberi (procurators of the bed and banks of Tiber), created by Tiberius in 15 . It controls the boundaries of public and private stakeholders of the banks, oversees the maintenance of embankments and roads hauling , granting the rights of river navigation and use of landing areas. It has a permanent office in Ostia and Rome (statio alvei Tiberi) .

Architecture

Panorama of ruins of Ostia Antica

Forum

The forum, saw the Capitol. In the right foreground, the curia. At the bottom right of the basilica. Left at the decumanus, the circular temple of the Lares

The forum , the political center of every Roman city, is traditionally placed at the center of the city, usually at the intersection of major routes such as the cardo and decumanus. Ostia is a special case, it does not seem to have a forum in its infancy, being a colony under the direct control of Rome. During the Republican period, the place was small, cluttered by two temples side by side. A first space was reached under Tiberius , razing homes south of the forum to build the temple of Rome and Augustus. The forum has been rebuilt under Hadrian -flush in the ancient temples Republicans and extending northward the forum, giving it its present form long and narrow . Therefore, the square was dominated by four large buildings. To the north stood the Capitol, south of the temple of Rome and Augustus, the Basilica of the southwest and north-west the Curia. The decumanus maximus shared the forum into two halves. The whole place was decorated with statues and all the buildings of the forum was surrounded by porticoes with columns. At the center of a small round building forum was perhaps a temple of the Lares of Augustus .

Capitol

Capitol Ostia

The Capitol is located north of the forum is the main temple at Ostia. It is considered as dedicated to the Roman custom Capitoline triad Jupiter , Juno and Minerva. The present building was built under Hadrian to 120. It measures 35 15.5 m. Maronnerie built of brick and lined with marble, the temple stood on a high podium in 21 steps and was surrounded by porticoes on the sides. Front of the temple stood a marble altar with a frieze of arms. Its ruins are still visible, suffered from the recovery of marbles and stones .

Curie

To the west of the forum was the Curia , which met the city council (ordo decurionum). The building consisted of the meeting room itself (11.50 12.00 m), a vestibule with 6 columns of granite and a staircase of seven steps. On both sides of the boardroom, an open corridor lit up the building. The complex was built under Domitian or Trajan. Wall plates were found on the lists of names of Augustales , in charge of the imperial cult , which also helps to interpret the building as the headquarters of the Brotherhood of Augustales rather than decurions .

Basilica

A basilica was using the forum covered annex, courthouse and Hall of Commerce. Built between the reigns of Domitian and Trajan, then revised it to plan a large rectangle forming a nave surrounded by columns, and opens as a double portico on the north decumanus , and its widest side on Forum . Still, almost nothing except a few pavmeents marble portico and arcade.

Temple of Rome and Augustus

Raised Tiberius south of the forum, this monument to the imperial cult nascent retains only foundation opus reticulatum , the statue personifying Rome on the back wall and a vestige of rear gable, rebuilt .

Temples and shrines

The town had important sanctuaries, either public or private, as many mithraea or synagogue.

Round Temple

The round temple

The circular temple (Tempio Rotondo) was searched from 1802 to 1804. It is unfortunately rather poorly preserved today. It consists of a large atrium and the present temple, circular in plan, probably built under Severus Alexander (222-235) or Gordian III (238-244). Its location in the city center and its size leaves no doubt that this was an important religious building in the city. Seven large niches contained statues. The discovery in the temple figures of Severus Alexander and Gordian III suggests a very likely imperial cult.

Mithraea

Mithraeum baths

The cult of Mithras was well represented at Ostia, with many mithraea located around the city, between 16 and 18 identified buildings in the excavated portion of the site, characterized by their plan ritual cave-like elongated souterrainne often flanked by two benches for the faithful, many symbols to their decor, and dating mainly from the period of the Antonines. Among the most notable

• The mithraeum baths known as Mithra is the best preserved of all of the city. It contained a large marble statue of Hadrian's time, the work signed by the Greek sculptor Kriton representing Mithras sacrificing a bull , currently on display at the Museum of Ostia
• mithraeum of the Seven Spheres, located near the site of Corporations. Well preserved, it contains a mosaic showing seven half-black circles, symbols of the seven stars planets (the Moon , Mercury , Venus , the Sun , March , Jupiter and Saturn ) associated with the seven degrees of initiation of worship.
• mithraeum of the Felicissimus, named after its donor, and dated to the second half of the third century. The mosaic of the corridor includes the symbolic images of worship: a crater with the elements (water), an altar on (fire), the Phrygian caps of Dioscuri , objects corresponding to degrees of initiation.
• mithraeum the Painted Wall, whose frescoes in small landscapes and characters that represent the degrees of initiation

Synagogue

Synagogue of Ostia: Menora adorning an architrave

Several funerary inscriptions found in 1906 and later show the presence at Ostia a Jewish community organized around characters styled grousiarche , pater or archisynagogus . The synagogue , discovered during excavations in 1961, is located outside the wall, south-west of the city, near the Porta Marina. The presence on an architrave of the menorah and other Jewish ornaments (palm, cedar, ram's horn ) leaves no doubt about the purpose of the building, dated time Claude (mid-first century), with repairs until the fourth century. This synagogue is with that of Aquileia only found in the western part of the Empire .

Buildings Christians

Christian buildings appear from the fourth century. If Life of Pope Sylvester I in Liber Pontificalis states that Constantine I built at Ostia a basilica dedicated to Peter, Paul and Jean-Baptiste , this building has been identified on the site. A small chapel built on a nymphaeum to the late fourth or early fifth century near the theater recalls the martyrdom of the Roman lady Aurea and her companions. Along the southern branch of decumanus, we arrive in the region III at a Christian church with two naves preceded by a vestibule of a nearby bathhouse. On a lintel at the entrance of the left aisle is an inscription mentions the four rivers of Paradise with chrism .

At one hundred meters south of the Porte Marine City, in a room added to the fourth century to a place peristyle, was discovered a wall decorated with a remarkable picture of Christ blessing in sectile opus , which is currently on display Museum of Ostia .

Spa

Mosaics of the Baths of Neptune

Detail of the mosaic of the Baths of Neptune

Like any large city in the Roman Empire, Ostia had to spas monumental richly decorated with marble , the mosaics and sculptures. In many places, one can observe that the baths have separate areas for men and women, and this has been proven for at least one of the Baths of Ostia. Three of them were built with the support of the imperial administration, the Baths of Neptune, those of the Forum and those of the Navy Gate .

The largest spa, located in the center of the city, are the Forum Baths, built around 160 by the praetorian prefect Gavius Maximus, with repairs to the 4th century, as evidenced by the marks on the pipes water supply . The walls were clad with marble and mosaic floors decorated with black and white.

The Baths of Neptune, in the eastern part of the city, were built under Domitian. They have been completely rebuilt under Hadrian , which has funded to the tune of 2 million sesterces in 139 and completed by Antoninus Pius , who completed the financing and provided the marble for decoration, as evidenced by an inscription . Damaged by fire under Marcus Aurelius , the baths were restored by the benefactor P. Lucilius Gamala . The construction consists of a large bathroom and Palaestra. The Baths of Neptune are mostly known for their richly decorated with mosaics in black and white.

The "Spa Marine" are outside the wall near the Porta Marina. is their old name. The building was begun under Trajan and completed by Hadrian. It is shown that these baths were still active in the sixth century. These baths, which also had a palestra , were richly decorated with mosaics in black and white, with a remarkable representation of athletes.

The Baths of Mithras, named because of the presence of a mithraeum in the basement, dating from the reign of Hadrian to 125, and were restored in the early 4th century. The walls were decorated with busts , representing perhaps the sponsors of the building. The underground system of water supply is particularly well preserved. A large wheel lift , associated with a second, raised the water in the aquifer to a cistern which supplied the various rooms . The wheel, powered by a slave, was enough to raise about 1 m ³ of water per hour.

There were numerous other smaller institutions, like the Baths of the Seven Sages. Some of them were for private use, but this is still quite difficult to determine.

Theatre

Arcades external theater of Ostia, overlooking the decumanus maximus (main east-west street)

Theatre of Ostia and place of Corporations

Registration theater of Ostia (dated 196)

Comedy mask, part of the decoration of the theater

The theater is located on the decumanus maximus, in the center of the city. A very incomplete registration indicates that the initial construction is conducted on behalf of Augustus by his son Agrippa tribunician secured power, namely in 18 BC. BC This monumental endowment of the city involved in beautification program launched in Rome by Augustus .

At that time, the theater could seat 3,000 spectators, but was subsequently enlarged several times. The remains of the current structure dates from the late second century, when Dresser door of the theater's capacity to 4000 seats. An inscription largely restored reported that the building was renovated in 196 by Septimius Severus and Caracalla , as Caesar associated .

The theater is built of brick, semi-circular faade facing decumanus maximus. Two water lilies graced the entrance, and 16 shops were installed under the arcades. The stands were completely clad in marble, and the stage wall, decorated with five niches alternately rectangular and rounded.

The theater was renovated again in the late fourth century. The building was restored in 1927 after excavation, to be used for shows: the terraces and brick arches of the portico are modern .

Barracks vigils

The inscriptions attest to several fires that have plagued the city . For that reason had been provided a good rescue organization against fire. The hall occupies the zone declared public space. It was built under Domitian , but entirely rebuilt under Hadrian . It consists of a large courtyard surrounded by a portico which gave access to rooms in which lived about 400 security guards ready to intervene immediately. Of latrines and bathrooms were among the facilities provided. On the west side of the courtyard, opposite the main entrance stood a temple dedicated to the imperial cult, dating from 207 and decorated with mosaics. The barracks was abandoned in the mid-second century .

Corporate Offices

Mosaic Square of Corporations: A lighthouse Marine , two square sail ships, including one armed with a proboscis , a dolphin

The place of Corporations (II, VII, 4), arranged under Augustus , extends directly behind the scene of theater. It measures approximately 110 80 m. The square is surrounded by a portico, behind which opened 70 small rooms decorated with many mosaics period Severian which refer directly to the trade. Inscriptions called corporations, owners and distributors. In the middle of the square, a temple conventionally attributed to Ceres was probably dedicated to Vulcan in Claude , according to an inscription found nearby. The function of these facilities is very likely that corporate offices of shipowners and merchants of many port cities , where they could best negotiate the transport and sale of goods. You can read the mosaics on the ground, names of cities such as Alexandria , Sabratha or Narbonne .

Further west, the house of Triclinium (I, XII, 1) was the seat of the Corporation of Carpenters This is a large complex of buildings built under Hadrian , organized around a courtyard. The importance of this project demonstrates the power of the brotherhood. Stairs led to another floor at least. On the west side opened four dining rooms ( triclinia ) obviously intended for banquets. On the south side, a large sanctuary was perhaps dedicated to the worship of the emperor. An inscription in the courtyard, the enumerated list of the 350 guild members .

Warehouse

Architecture brick warehouses (Horrea Epagathiana and Epaphroditiana)

As the main port of Rome, Ostia had a number of major facilities storage (horrea), which were stored the grain , the wine , the oil and other goods before shipment to the capital. The warehouses were mostly built with the same basic rules: a large courtyard bar opened on the different warehouses, some of which probably contained several floors.

The main warehouses in the center of the city, which existed under Claude , were then renovated and enlarged several times. It was calculated that about 100 100 m in the tall buildings could contain from 5 000 to 7 000 tonnes of grain , enough to feed about 17,000 people for one year.

The Horrea Epagathiana Epaphroditiana and well preserved, are clearly identified as places of storage, since this name appears on an inscription on marble sealed above the entrance to the building . The building, owned and therefore Epagathus Epaphroditus, freedmen had their nickname of Greek origin , date from 145 to 150. The store is relatively small, but elegant building with a courtyard decorated with mosaics and doors are fitted with sophisticated systems of blocking, suggesting that kept the valuable goods.

Macellum

A market ( macellum ) opened on decumanus in region IV, near the tavern fishmongers. It is mentioned in several inscriptions on its magnification or maintenance by private benefactors, since the Republican period to the period of the late Roman Empire .

Buildings and houses

Insulae: buildings kept to the first floor, with entrances between the shops

Porch of the house of the Muses, one of the richest of Ostia

House of Cupid and Psyche: house nymphaeum

The town of Ostia is particularly suitable for studying the evolution of domestic architecture Roman Republic to the late fourth century.

Houses impluvium

At the end of the Republic and under the Early Empire, the houses, at Ostia, were substantially the same type, the same as we know at Pompeii and that Vitruvius described as the "house atrium. The house of Jupiter Thunderer is a rare example of this period. The entrance of the house was flanked by two shops. From here one enters the atrium with its catchment area (basin) marble. Around the atrium were organized all parts of the house, which could also be given, in addition, a peristyle. This type of house has retained its basic plan until the fourth century.

apartment buildings (insulae) and peristyle houses

At the end of the first century, Ostia sees the beginning of its heyday, and many new residents flocking to the city. The land, bounded on the surface, becomes expensive, and there is a need for a new type of housing, called insula. It is multi-story buildings, suitable for receiving a large number of people. The best preserved is the home of Diana, who still has three levels (shops, mezzanine, lower 1st floor) and there were probably five. These large apartment buildings, similar to those of central Rome, just take the place of traditional houses in atrium. They have thick walls of concrete siding with brick , decorated inside with painted stucco. Straight stairs concrete, punctuated levels give access to the apartments.

While home with an atrium is entirely turned towards the inside, the apartment building, divided into apartments, opens its large windows on the street. The rooms were mostly arranged along a corridor, while larger units were often organized around a very large central room. Many of these rental properties, such as house paints or that of Jupiter and Ganymede consisted of a luxury apartment surprising, suggest that resident high incomes.

The poorest segments of the population lived in homes on the mezzanine above the shops, or living on the upper floors of buildings. At the same time, there were still some classic houses (domus) for the richest families. The plan of these houses was quite similar to the atrium houses, except that the atrium was now replaced or supplemented by a wide porch.

Houses nymphaeum

The tenement, at Ostia, had their heyday in the second century. In the third century, many people, it seems, have begun to leave the city. The number of buildings fell, and they have not been renovated or rebuilt. In the fourth century, during which less is known about the lack of space, includes the construction of many residential buildings, mostly houses. Many of them are richly endowed, showing the prosperity of their inhabitants during this period. These houses are generally single storey and fully turned inward. The typical plan is now home to one of nymphaeum (like the house of Cupid and Psyche), which alone could occupy nearly half the size of the house.

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