Highlights Ostia antica Top 10

Highlights Ostia Antica – Top 10


Ostia Antica was the ancient port of Rome, fundamental for the trade of ancient Rome. The port developed along the mouth of the river Tiber in fact Ostia means mouth of the river. In the 1st century AD the emperors built other ports in Fiumicino and later in Centumcellae (modern Civitavecchia) which became the official port of Rome. The city of Ostia was abandoned and represent today one of the most important evidence of ancient Roman city. It is very interesting to see the Roman villas (domus), the apartments (insulae), the thermal baths, the roman toilets (latrinae), the roman forum, bars and restaurants (thermopolium) etc. Do you want to discover with us the Ancient Rome?  Read the Highlights Ostia Antica Top 10 and tell us what you think:

Ostia antica
  1. The theatre is the symbol of Ostia Antica. It was erected under Agrippa and Augustus and was used for theatrical performances (tragedies and comedies).  It could accommodate about 3000 spectators. Near the entrances were many taberne, bars where the spectator could buy something to drink.
  2. Piazzale delle corporazioni is the square behind the theatre. Probably it was used during the breaks of the theatrical performances for business. In fact there are the ruins of 64 offices of the important trade companies of time. Very interesting are the mosaics left on the ground. In the middle is the temple of Cereres, the Goddess of fertility and trade.
Piazzale delle corporazioni Ostia antica
  • The Roman Forum of Ostia Antica. As all the Roman cities also Ostia had the Roman Forum, centre of the local administration and politics. The Roman Forum of Ostia is framed on the two short sides by the Temple of Augustus and the Capitolium. Near the Roman Forum are the most luxurious thermal baths of Ostia Antica.
  • The thermal baths of Neptune are a very big complex of terme. The mosaics decorating the frigidarium (cold pool) are representing marine motifs and the God of the Sea Neptune. 
  • The latrinae of the Forum were the public toilets of the politicians and of the rich people. No privacy was during the roman time, in fact the men used to do their business all together. The rich romans had also slaves who helped them wash with a sponge.
latrine antica roma


  • Domus of Amor and Psiche is a villa which takes the name from a statue found here. The richly decorated mosaics show that the villa belonged to a very rich family. 
  • The thermopolium was the roman pub. The people could come here to have a chat, to drink wine and eat something. Women were serving at the tables while some musicians were playing some music
thermopolium antica roma
  • The bakery was the place where the romans could buy bread. Bread was very important in the Ancient Rome and Ostia was fundamental for the grain supply of Rome. There are still the rudimental machines to produce flour from the grain. In the Roman time they had different kind of bread from the simple ones for the common people to the more elaborated ones for the rich people. In Rome just outside Porta Maggiore you can find a very interesting Tomb of a baker, one of the secrets of Rome.
  • The laundry (fullonica) was another common shop in Ostia. In fact the textiles which arrived from the cities of the Roman Empire were washed in the laundries of Ostia and then brought to the markets of Rome to be sold. In the laundries slaves could also colour the textiles with gras, onion, pomegranate to get different colors.
  • The firemen building was important in Ostia because there were many fires. Augustus established the firemen and the night security in Rome