Ostia

Blogging from Ostia, Italy, November 7th, 2019.

Bloggers: Kylie and Alex

Steps Taken: 24,000

Flights Climbed: 11 floors

In the morning we left once again from the train station near the pyramid in Rome. We arrived at Ostia and then entered to find a kind road called the Decumanus. All along the road were tombs. We watched as they moved closer and closer to the road itself as they tried to take advantage of prime real estate for those coming into Ostia from Rome. We then looked at the tombs and talked about the use of burial clubs amongst workers guilds which were common at the time. As we continued in we saw well preserved maritime mosaics at the bath complex, which continued the theme we’ve seen in other baths. We then entered into the theater from the first century which had a great space set up next to it like a lobby. As we moved to the area for exchanges we saw many mosaics of the lighthouse, which was the symbol for Ostia due to its nature as a port city.

Next to that was a great horrea, and talked about the importance of grain in the ancient world. Grain was one of Ostia’s most important commodities, as it was like the oil of the ancient world. Since Rome exported its power, it had to import everything else and that’s where Ostia found its purpose. Great lengths were taken to prevent fire, which would also be seen later on in the firefighters guild. Due to the presence of such a large amount of grain, we know there were active mills. We even saw the footprints of animals worn into the stone over the years.

We looked at the Guild of the builders and their dedication to the emperor and the imperial family. They had a permanent banqueting hall that could house their large amount of members.

After lunch, we admired the pleasant forum of Ostia. Just like several other Roman fora we had been studying, this forum also had a capitolium, with the Temple of Roma Augustus, and a basilica.

With the midday sun beating down upon us, we transitioned to the baths of Antoninus Pius for a plunge. The baths, built in 160 CE, feature a vast labyrinth of substructures, which were manned by a cohort of slaves in order to heat the waters above.

Feeling much refreshed, we walked to the old Republican Sacred Area to admire the once well-maintained temples dedicated to Heracles, a healing deity, and another unknown entity. Nearby, the House of Cupid and Psyche dazzled us with polychrome floor mosaics that dated to the Imperial period.

We visited a beautiful subterranean Mithraeum – a highlight of my time in Italy. Professor Ulrich, in appropriately secretive fashion, did not tell us in advance that this cave would feature perhaps the most beautifully preserved mystery-cult Mithraeum that we’ve seen on this program.

Speaking of minority religions, Ostia happens to house the oldest synagogue in Italy and Western Europe. We walked a long ways out to the synagogue as the setting sun glistened on our journey. Those of us who identify as Jewish on the program took solace in this moment of respect for our heritage.

Though all of us yearned for more time at Ostia, alas, we had to return to Rome for our daily Italian lesson. The train whisked us away from the setting sun and onto our next chapter.