Ancient Ostia is, without any doubt, one of the best preserved examples of Roman city: we can see wealthy villas (domus), multi-storey buildings (insulae), warehouses (horrea), ancient fast food shops (thermopolium), bakeries, temples and bath complexes.
Founded according tradition by Anco Marzio, 4th King of Rome, in the 7th century B.C. at the mouth of the Tiber (ostium in Latin means mouth), the oldest remains found date back to the late 4th century B.C. period in which the walls were built.
Initially Castrum grew during the Republican period to find its greatest development in the imperial period with Augustus and reached the acme in the 2nd century A.D. with Hadrian and Antoninus Pius Emperors, when the inhabitants reached the 50.000 and became an important commercial and administrative centre.

The decadence began in the 5th century A.D. but became unstoppable with the removal of the shoreline due to the Tiber silting and finally to the flood of 1557, which cut off this bend of river. The 19th century excavations, conducted since the time of Pius VII, have uncovered much of the town (about 34 HA on the 50 probably built).

Strolling along the Decumanus Maximus, the main street of the city, oriented east-west, we can see the Baths of Neptune, one of the top spas in Ostia, built at the time of Hadrian with mosaics representing Neptune and Amphitrite, the barracks of Firemen, the fullonica (old laundry) with its tubs for washing clothes. Along the decumanus, a relaxing walk in the shade of pine trees, brings us to the Theatre, dating from the Augustan period and capable of holding approximately 2500 spectators, placed next to Forum of the Corporations, which was also built in the Augustan period and expanded in the 2nd century A.D. There, it was the square around which stood the offices of the traders of tow and rope, corn and shipowners from Tunisia, Egypt and Libya, just to name a few countries, as we can read in the mosaic inscriptions that decorate the floors of these environments.

The heart of the city was represented by the Forum, the square located at the intersection of the Cardo and Decumano, surrounded by the Basilica, the Curia and the Capitolium (temple dedicated to Jupiter, Juno, Minerva). There are several temples dedicated to deities, such as some of the eastern (Cybele or Bellona) which testify the presence of citizens from different areas of the Mediterranean.
Many Mithraea, (underground places dedicated to Mithras) are also attested, a Synagogue was found (dated 1st century
A.D. with restructuring of the 4th , one of the oldest in Europe) and a Christian Basilica dated between the 4th - 5th
centuries A.D.

We can arrive in Ostia with car with personal driver, by train or on boat with a cruise along the Tiber (2,30 h from Ponte Marconi to Ancient Ostia).

• Tour is available from Tuesday to Sunday (according to the weather conditions)

- The standard tour, excluded the trip, with the visit of the Archaeological sites and the little Museum (Antiquarium) and a break for lunch in the Cafeteria/Self Service is about 4 hours).