After 4 years of major work the archaeological park of Ostia Antica has risen again from the infesting weeds, unveiling an entire portion of the city that really evokes the dimension of a modern metropolis

In your travels throughout  the territory of Rome you can not miss a visit to the Archaeological Park of Ostia Antica, one of the largest archaeological sites in ancient Rome. The colony was founded at the end of the 5th century, beginning of the 4th century. B.C. as a “castrum” (small rectangular fortified city) with monuments, warehouses, commercial premises, also porticoes, tabernacals and Domus.

From today, after four years of silent work, the experience of a visit to the archaeological excavations of Ostia Antica is enriched by an important piece of history of daily life thanks to the restoration work on the Decumano that allowed the return to the ancient splendor of no less than 187 rooms on the left side of the street that ran through the entire Ostia from Porta Romana and represents “the beating heart of the city and the entrance ticket, the visiting card, of Rome”.  The so-called Republican Monument, the Collegial Temple and the Augustal headquarters open along the 670 linear meters covered by the restoration.  Farther on, here is the Caseggiato del Sole, a splendid example of residential construction, and the Mitreo dei Serpenti, with its imposing frescoes protected by a new roof.  No less fascinating are the 31 sections in which the Invidia Spa was built with its large mosaics with marine figures.

First with a basic function of the fleet under the control of a Roman questore and, from the second century, following the increased importance for the commerce and food supply of Rome, began to expand. With Augustus and his successors the city was equipped with a theater, a first forum and an aqueduct, but it was the construction of the port of Claudius, and especially that of Trajan which further increased its importance as an administrative and managerial center of the businesses. After the middle of the III century the city began its decline, following the progressive removal of the coast and the silting of the river, no longer navigational.

The first excavations of Ostia were undertaken under Pope Pius VII in the early nineteenth century, continued with Pius IX and after the with systematic research continued in view of the 1942 Universal Exposition which highlighted the extension of 34 acres, to front of the probable 50 acres actually built in ancient times.

The archaeological park of Ostia Antica unveils an entire portion of the city that really evokes the dimension of a modern metropolis.  The history of Ostia Antica is told today more than ever above all by the buildings, witnesses of a daily life under the banner of the port trade from the 1st to the 5th century AD.  Meanwhile, the visit to Ostia offers a show of unknown buildings, such as the Collegial Temple, the headquarters of the Augustals, the Terme dell’Invidioso. Figured mosaics, statues, frescoes, porticoes with columns, but also constructive details such as stairs and vaults.   “Works that have transformed from bush to road what was the great decumanus maximum, the main road that from Rome led to the saltworks and around which the castrum first developed, and then the city of Ostia – says the director Mariarosaria Barbera –

You can visit the archeological park with our scheduled half day small group tour every Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday 

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TOUR DEPART AT 8:30am FROM ROME PIRAMIDE

AVAILABLE from 01st April to 18th November 2018