Ostia Antica
Ostia is Latin for "mouth," and is an appropriate name for the city as it is located at the beginning of the river Tiber. The city was founded by Ancus Marcius, the fourth King of Rome, in the 7th century for military defense from seaside attacks.  It would soon become a main commercial harbor for Italy. Upon the fall of the Roman Empire, the city was finally abandoned in the 9th century. Excavations and research did not begin for some time later, and the latest ruins were found by tourists in 1970! Today, Ostia is used as an archeological laboratory, and provides a remarkable view of what everyday life was like through the ruins of restaurants, public meeting spaces, shops, and more.

Fun Facts

• Ostia Antica was once a vibrant port city with a population of 60,000.


• All of the materials used to build the The Leaning Tower of Pisa originally belonged to Ostia Antica.


• One of the last battles fought in Ostia before its abandonment was between the Romans and the Arab pirates.

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Ostia Antica