Tour Description:
We recommend:
- Ancient Ostia
Ancient Ostia
About 40 minutes from Rome you can’t miss the visit to Ancient Ostia. One of the most important archaeological sites in the world. Many tourists claim that Ancient Ostia is a very charming place. It initially carried out basic functions of the fleet under the control of a Roman questor,( financial administrator) but since the II Century, as a result of the growing importance of trade and food supply in Rome, it began to expand. With Augusto and its successors, the city was equipped with a theater, a forum and an aqueduct. The Port of Claudio and the Port of Trajan increased the city’s importance as the administrative and management center of business.
The first excavations of Ostia began under Pope Pius VII at the beginning of the XIX Century, and continued under Pius IX to reach an extension of 34 hectares out of 50 hectares erected at that time.
Ostia was one of the first Roman colonies. It was founded, according to scholars, and supported by some archaeological finds, towards the end of the VII Cent. B.C. by Anco Marcio. The purpose was to create an Emporium having a commercial and military purpose, and to ensure the exploitation of coastal salt. Ostia became thus the port of Rome. It initially had military functions and later, from the I Century to the III century AD, commercial functions.It became a reference point for the main Mediterranean merchant routes.Between IV and V Centuries BC (High Middle Ages) occurred a phase of decadence where a gradual depopulation and abandoning of residential areas took place. Visitors today can admire the remains of the city which include two-thirds of the original one.
Monuments Tickets: We can book tickets for all non free entrance monuments to avoid queues and save time. This service is has to be requested upon booking the tour.